Many of the best progressive metal albums each year aren’t released by labels. Sometimes, the true gems take effort to uncover. Such is the case with the new album from Wasaya. Curtain Falls was released on June 21st, and is a nostalgic work of progressive metal that every longtime fan of the genre should appreciate.
Wasaya is Tarek Shehabi from Damascus, Syria. He released his debut back in 2014, called Garden of Doubts, and I liked it quite it a bit. Curtain Falls, however, is head and shoulders above that album. One reason for this is the massive lineup he brings with him, one that should make fans of 2000s progressive metal smile. On vocals, we get Marco Gluhmann of Sylvan, Mike Andersson of Cloudscape, Henrik Båth of Darkwater, Stefan Zell of Wolverine, and Domenik Papaemmanouil of Wastefall. Other guests include Rach April, Raaf Ata, and Motaz Oueity on vocals; and Kristoffer Gildenlöw (ex-Pain Of Salvation), Franck Hermanny (Adagio), Johan Niemann (Evergrey), Andrea Arcangeli (DGM), and Simon Andersson (Darkwater) on bass. Tarek handles guitar and keys, and Aram Kalousdian handles drums. Ibrahim Kadar offers Kawala and Mohammad Shahada gives us Tar percussion.
That’s a huge lineup, and one that makes this album special. The music is progressive rock and metal with solos and riffs galore, huge vocal performances, and emotional lyrical content. It is a classic progressive metal album in so many respects, paying tribute to the past while also bringing in Tarek’s unique ideas and Middle Eastern motifs.
I love the lyrics on this record. I don’t think it is a concept album, but it plays like one. There are various stories of human triumph and pain, often happening hand in hand. It examines the human experience and the intersection of the happiness and sorrow that often defines our lives. Sometimes it happens so often that we just get used to it, we become numb. Sometimes we seem to lose everything or can’t seem to catch a break, but through sheer willpower come back and conquer the climb. Sometimes we have to go through the pain and guilt of losing a loved one or not achieving our potential, and we are left wondering about what could have been. That is what this album communicates, and it is an emotional ride.
The album has five tracks and is about 38 minutes long, so it isn’t a sprawling album by any means. I think this is a strength. The opening track is “Burden of Memories” with Domenik on vocals; this piece has some nostalgic riffs and great piano, and I love the vocal performance. What sells me the most is the interlude in the middle that reminds me of Pain of Salvation’s prayerful “Vocari Dei” with the emotional and introspective voiceovers. I love it. “Silence” follows and features Mike Andersson. I didn’t realize how much I miss hearing his immediately recognizable voice, so this is one of my favorites. This tune has Middle Eastern style and dark riffs and some fantastic synth. Mike really delivers on this one.
“If I Leave Today” comes next and features Stefan Zell on vocals. This piece is really something with the way it slowly burns into a heavier song; I like how Rach and Raaf’s vocals fade into the mix, and so we get this trio of voices: clean male, clean female, and harsh vox. The effect is amazing. “Into Flesh and Blood” is the following track and has Henrik Båth on vocals. His voice, too, is instantly recognizable for me, and I love how he sings most of the song in a lower register, but the chorus adds a layer of higher octave backing vocals in a supremely effective hook. This is the song I find myself singing the most just because of how catchy it can be. I should also mention the terrific synth solo in the second half that is the icing on the cake.
My favorite overall, though, is the closer “Curtain Falls (Withered)” with Marco on vocals. This is the “epic”, I guess, at 12 minutes long, but that’s not why I like it, necessarily. Marco lays down an incredible performance; I like how deep he goes, and how that affects the chorus directly, making it feel more forceful. The song is quite emotional, connecting to the opening track, at least in my mind, in how it features a man looking back at himself as a child in an attempt to understand and apologize to himself. I feel like this song brings back that theme in some ways, like finding the child within us that explains the present feelings that we are experiencing. It’s a fantastic end to the album.
Tarek has obviously put blood and tears into this record. He landed some amazing talent to bring it to life, but he is the heart behind it all. This album feels fresh because there aren’t many albums released like this anymore, though at one time there may have been an oversaturation of them. It is nostalgic and brings warm feelings, even in the midst of human melancholy and desperate stories. I can’t get enough of it right now.
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Find Wasaya online:
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The PROG Mind 