Imagine attending the opera in torn jeans and a tight leather jacket instead of coattails and a top-hat? And what if the sound of Wagner bellowing from the orchestra pit was replaced by chugging guitar riffs and lightning-fast keyboards beneath the sweet sound of an oriental string section? After composing, mixing, recording, producing and most importantly performing on his latest album, it would be more than satisfying for Lars Eric Mattsson, a native of Aland, Finland, to add the title of director to the long list of designations he has accumulated over the 20 years since his discovery as a metal guitar virtuoso.



I can’t help but envision how seamlessly War! , described by Mattsson as “a non-fictional rock opera about the state of this planet we call the Earth” could in fact adapt into a full stage production, complete with the captivating lighting displays, pyrotechnics, and detailed costumes of the most popular Broadway musical. War! presents us with eight complexly arranged neoclassical metal selections, each one serving as an act in a play lamenting our world’s decline into a potentially irreversible state of militaristic disarray. Every song has a different feel, a different singer, and a different theme.



There is no doubt that Mattsson’s talent as a composer and producer is of the highest order, but although stylistic variation is usually considered a good thing I find that overall this album lacks any significantly memorable hooks – any sort of catchy musical phrasing to draw the attention of the “average listener.” Fans of the genre and of Mattsson’s earlier work, however, will find his use of an eastern-sounding string section playing within the pentatonic scale on “Where’s Our Chance” and a funky rock ‘n’ roll guitar breakdown in “This is the End” quite refreshing. Another musical highlight on War! is the brilliantly crafted keyboard/guitar solo duel between Mattson and pianist Vitalij Kuprij in “Smoke and Mirrors” that sounds like something from the electrified version of The Phantom of the Opera.



Another welcome change initiated by Mattson is his decision to feature a female vocalist, Irene Janssen, on a pair of tracks (“Where’s Our Chance” and “A Dreamer’s Lullaby”) which is quite rare in progressive metal. Her voice, along with the female choir heard on the majority of War’s tracks, contrasts splendidly with Mattson’s crisp and technical guitar work. The only weak link in an otherwise strong vocal section is Mark Boals on “Deep in the Shadows.” His voice strains conspicuously when he reaches for high notes or sings with any amount of passion or volume.



Overall, War! is an eclectic album. Its subject matter is grounded in reality while its delivery borders on the fantastic. And I only say that it borders on the fantastic because the quality musicianship is there but it is generally lacking a central pattern or motif to hold it together. In the artistic sense, though, nothing too similar to this sound, this layering of ancient influences on top of standard metal conventions, has been heard before. And I respect that.