Avandra – Skylighting – Album Review

Artist: Avandra

Album Title: Skylighting

Label: Layered Reality Productions

Date of Release: 20 November 2020

I owe Avandra a great debt of gratitude. Last year, I lost my writing mojo and went for several months without publishing anything on my website. However, whilst attending ProgPower Europe 2019, I had an opportunity to listen to a few records, both during the festival and on the journey to and from the Netherlands. One of those albums was ‘Descender’ by Puerta Rican progressive metal band Avandra. Inspired by the weekend, and the music I heard, I regained my desire to write and ‘Descender’ became one of the albums that I reviewed immediately after the slump.

A year later, and happily we are presented with ‘Skylighting’, the band’s third album, and first for the Layered Reality Productions label. Apparently, we can thank the pandemic for the swift turnaround on this because the worldwide lockdown meant that the guys had time on their hands, leading to a rich vein of inspiration. Finally, a little silver lining to an otherwise fairly negative year for the music industry and for bands in general.

The catalyst for ‘Skylighting’ was the opening track, ‘Celestial Wreaths’, a song written by founding member Christian Ayala, initially as a one-off as a response the Covid-19 pandemic. From there though, the floodgates opened and in double-quick time, seven full compositions had been written and recorded. Where music is concerned, speed does not always equal quality and so I was a little apprehensive going into this review, hoping that this promising South American quartet would be able to build on the solid foundations of ‘Descender’.

The great news is that, simply put, ‘Skylighting’ is another fine addition to their discography.

I cannot tell you how much I love the intro to ‘Celestial Wreaths’, the opening cut on ‘Skylighting’. It is bright, breezy, incredibly melodic, and full of life and vibrancy. The guitar riff is superb, supplemented by expansive, immersive synths, before the rhythm section joins the party. That sense of smoothness that I spoke so much about within my review of ‘Descender’ is immediately present and correct. It means that despite a definite metal core, the music seeps into your ears like liquid honey thanks in part to the layers of rich keys courtesy of guest musician, Vikram Shankar, and Ayala’s vocal delivery. The lead guitar solos are beautiful and melodious, whilst the crunch of the rhythm chords is delicious. But it’s that central melody that does the most damage, sending a shiver or two down my spine every time it re-emerges.

The beat and rhythms that are introduced on ‘Noetic Probes’ after a more protracted and introspective piano-heavy intro are superb, helping to underline the progressive tendencies of this talented band. The mood is darker than its predecessor and the melodies slightly less pronounced, but it is no less intriguing. I’m a real sucker for distorted chords that are allowed to ring out and resonate, something that happens within this song, creating a real impact as the synths continue to dance alongside the bass and drums.

The impact that Shankar has had on this release cannot be understated, but to not mention the talents of bassist Gabriel Alejandro Rodríguez, drummer Adrián Arroyo, guitarist Luis Javier Rivera, and vocalist/guitarist Christian Ayala would do these guys a disservice. Great performances all across the band is the reason why ‘Skylighting’ is such an incredibly satisfying listen. I get the impression that each member could have gone off and embellished the music with loads of individual flamboyance, such are their abilities. And whilst the playing is impressive and technical, everything comes together for the good of the song, rather than anything else.

‘Life Is Not a Circle, But A Sphere’ begins with a really emotional intro, the kind that catches you and regardless of your mood can create a lump in your throat. The melodies are beautiful, the minimalist approach lending them as much strength as possible. The song gently builds, eventually exploding. The riffs are slightly more djent in tone, but they never threaten to overpower the atmosphere, feel and melodic intent of the song. I particularly like the deftness of the guitar playing that is evident throughout this track and indeed, across the album at large.

One of my slightly negative comments about the previous Avandra release was that it was a little long. ‘Skylighting’ has more than ably addressed this criticism, as the seven tracks clock in at a much more palatable 42 minutes. One could argue that one more track would have been nice, but that’s just me being the most inconsistent and mealy-mouthed reviewer on the planet. But it underlines how much I like this record that I’m almost wanting more.

‘Eternal Return’ is the longest track on ‘Skylighting’ and it sees Ayala delivering some of him most forceful and emotional vocals, almost shouting to the heavens at times. The ebb and flow of the track is rather delicious too, reminding me just a little of more recent Wolverine output in some ways. It’s a grower that has become a firm favourite, driven by a pulsating bass at its heart, and featuring both guitar and key solos along the way.

‘ProcGen’ is much calmer and more ambient in tone. It has the sense of floating out of the speakers, whilst the lead guitar work in evidence is beautiful, and emotive. The synths come into their own from the half-way point as Shankar pulls out the full orchestration, upon which a gorgeous melody emerges, supplemented by more expressive lead guitar work.

By contrast, ‘Affarent Realms’ comes out swinging from moment one. Lead guitars wail over an insistent beat that’s ‘classic’ prog in its apparent complexity (well, it befuddles me, in any case!). The guitars and keys never stop on this song, with one or the other always injecting a sense of urgency and flamboyance into the music, whilst Ayala continues to sing with a calmness and assurance that counterbalances the more effervescent musicality that sits behind him on this track. There’s even a foray into more extreme territory towards the end, complete with bruising riffs and gruff death metal vocals. For my tastes, this is a lovely addition, and I love it.

The ambience heard elsewhere is brought to the fore on the closing track, ‘New Origins’. Shankar’s orchestral synths are stunning here, laying a mesmerising foundation for some spoken-word lyrics initially and then later for some almost post-rock style guitars and a simple but effective rhythmic beat.

On the basis of ‘Skylighting’, Avandra are a band definitely on the up. This is a superb record from a band that could go far within progressive circles. I cannot wait to hear this music performed live in 2021 at ProgPower Europe, as I’m sure on-stage the music will take on even greater significance. As it is, I can only applaud Avandra for their efforts here, in producing such an engrossing and rewarding album. Check this one out if melodic, atmospheric progressive music is your thing, I implore you.

The Score of Much Metal: 93%