Multiversal is the second full-length from on-again French Power Metal band Hamka, their first album having been released way back in 2005, followed by years of inactivity. This album would be notable if for no other reason than the well-travelled and very talented Elisa Martin handles the vocals. Fans of her work from the early days of Dark Moor will be pleased as it is a solid album displaying plenty of double-kick drums, lush keyboard melodies and Martin belting out catchy chorus after catchy chorus. Hamka bounce around from one Power Metal cliché to the next including Asian melodies ("Earth's Call"), tribal beats ("Seaquest") and Middle Eastern flavors ("Burning Sands" "The Path of Pharaohs") but the songwriting is a cut above so even though these are not new concepts, the songs are still fresh. Multiversal isn't remotely original but that makes it no less enjoyable. If you are into albums like Serenity's Death & Legacy or Angra's Rebirth, Hamka have an album you'll definitely want to check out.
