TIMEMAGE
is the project of Stefan Schenkel who is musically realizing his
conceptual stories in the veins of a rock opera. For every opus
he is working with different musicians, giving the best to realize
what he has in mind. Musically speaking Stefan has wrapped his
work in progressive metal, following his own likings, with many
influences from metal, gothic, rock up to orchestral and classic
elements added, to give depth and different facets to the music.
After 2 compilation CD’s with his early works Shadow
Realm is now the fourth and again self-financed
concept album.
The protagonist of Shadow Realm firstly comes to death in Deadly
Accident, just to realize that it is not the end (Still
Alive) being captured in the spheres between (Shadow
Realm). Here he has to make the decision either to find the
soul of his murdered wife and to vanish with her into dimensions
much better than earth OR to take revenge on the to date unpunished
killer. Especially, since he had to experience her cruel death,
pains and tortures in the Shadow Realm.
All in all the music is very lively, vibrant and arrangements
bombastic as expected. Instrumentation reflects quite good the
anguish and inner brokenness of the protagonist. All participating
singers give profile to the single characters. Quite, sometimes
acoustic passages calm down furious emotions.
Still Alive and Fly remind me of Rage and their
Ghost album for what Divinus singer Daniel Ott is responsible.
He has really a great clean voice. Likewise good are the death
metal tracks She’s So Neat and I’ll Take
Revenge with the growls by the mastermind himself. But I
cannot say the same about the voice of Andreas Schenkel in Forgive
Me and all female voices (Drowned In Blood, My Call,
Our Souls Unite) which are too pale and inexpressive. Besides
the kitschy keyboards in Drowned In Blood and Our
Souls Unite that is the big downer on Shadow
Realm. About the production in Stefan’s home
studio there is not that much to nag about. It is really powerful
made.
In consideration of the effort in compositions and arrangements,
realizing such a conceptual story I think Stefan Schenkel has
done a great work. There are surely some things to polish but
I guess he will grow with his visions, skills and technical possibilities.