SHARAYA – The Road To…

Shane | 11 September 2012 | Reply

Self released, 2012
By Shane Pinnegar
7/10

This may sound contradictory, but there’s a real Evanescence feel to some of the tracks on SHARAYA’s debut album, even though they should certainly not be pigeon-holed into the symphonic metal genre in any way shape or form.

Songs like Addiction, Come Down and Recovering have the same layered, epic quality that Evanescence’s sound does, and singer Shay Liza has a similar rich quality and amazing range to her voice… but there’s a lot of other things going on with Sharaya as well…

You Don’t Make Me Smile is a piano-driven slow burner ballad which morphs into an earthy and bluesy belter reminiscent of 70’s Heart, then back again, before a climatic run to the exhaustive finish line. It’s a fantastic song – arguably the best on the album – and shows some seriously mature songwriting.

There are pop, jazz, trance-like elements peppered throughout the album – and don’t worry, rockers, it’s all underpinned by some meaty guitar playing and a rock solid rhythm section. I can only guess that Liza is classically trained as her voice is almost operatic at times, hitting highs effortlessly that would bring tears to lesser singers, and dredging up an earthy blues moan with a hint of gravel when the song called for it – all without losing an ounce of tone or melody. Classy stuff which, I would imagine, would go right off live.

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