Just booked tickets for the London show - shame I've gotta wait till December though!
So yesterday I downloaded all the bonus tracks that I didn't get with my copies of the albums. My plan was to insert the tracks into the albums with sensible placement - rather than tacked on at the end. However I found out collecting the bonus tracks I'd downloaded with the bonus tracks I already had, I actually had an albums worth of material - so I created.....
Kamelot - At First Light (I chose this name because I actually found some Kamelot artwork for it, so that is my cover).
1. Thespian Drama. (From Poetry for the Poisoned).
Ever Kamelot album starts with an Instrumental intro - at nearly 4 minutes long this is actually more than an intro.
2. Snow (From Epica).
Epica had been the Kamelot album I struggled to get into most - I'm there now, however if they'd left this track in it would have made it easier. This is a top 3 Epica track.
3. The Ties The Bind (Haven).
Haven songs generally stuck to a (winning) formula, mid/fast tempo songs with huge hooky laden choruses and this song follow that formula - while this isn't a real top tier Haven track, it more than holds it own.
4. Season's End (Ghost Opera).
The downside to creating this is you lessen Ghost Opera. This song is simply awesome and I
did considered it the best track on Ghost Opera.
5. Grace (Silverthorn).
This is interesting track that sounds a bit different from the standard Kamelot sound, mid tempo with a great chorus.
6. Leaving Too Soon (Silverthorn).
This maybe about Roy leaving the band. It's a actually a really awesome song - some great Tommy falsetto on the chorus and a nice bouncy orchestral riff.
7. The Pendulous Falls. (Ghost Opera)
Another good song taken from Ghost Opera. Not as great as Season's End but still was somewhere in the middle of Ghost Opera tracks.
8. At First Light (Haven).
The title track
This one starts with a cool melody - but overall it's a little flat, unlike most Haven tracks the chorus of this one fails to elevate it. It's an OK song.
9. Where The Wild Roses Grow (Poetry).
It's a Nick Cave cover. I've always liked the song and it fits the Kamelot mold really well - it's the classic female duet ballad that most recent Kamelot albums contain.
10. Like The Shadows (Karma).
Now this is different. Sounds like an 80's rock song maybe something that would fit on the Lost Boys soundtrack, there is a slight unfinished feel too it with only one verse - overall it's decent enough.
11. The Last Day of Sunlight (The Shadow Theory).
When I ranked the songs of The Shadow Theory I put this 8th which I think is still fair.
12. Once and Future King (Karma).
Disclaimer : I hate the name Kamelot - I expected cheesy fantasy shite. This song is about the Arthurian legend by Kamelot - Oh Dear........but, but it's actually, well it's actually cheesy as fuck. Depict all this I actually like it, there is an 80's Maiden vibe about it.
13. Welcome Home (Silverthorn).
Hmm OK. A short plaintive ballad. Just Tommy and one guitar - It's probably the only song that feels like a b-side. It's not without value, but it's the weakest track by far.
14. Epilogue (Ghost Opera/Black Halo).
This is weird in the sense it's a Black Halo track, but came as a Bonus on Ghost Opera. The title makes it have to be the final track really, it's good and has a really nice outro.
So this 'album' has a running time of 53 minutes has most of the hallmarks of a standard Kamelot album. There are some real top tier Kamelot tracks (Snow, Season's End & Leaving Too Soon) - I personally think it holds up pretty well.