Feralman’s “Allegories” is an album that’s meant to speak to your deepest self, to inspire change, to have you believing in your own capacity to change within and the world around you. From front to back, it’s a captivating journey through the mind, body, and soul. Each song tells a metaphorical story about the pursuit of dreams, self-discovery, and the power of belief. The album showcases Feralman’s mastery of a wide range of musical styles, blending hauntingly intimate acoustic moments with epic, uplifting anthems. From the dark and brooding to the soaring and hopeful, “Allegories” is a tour de force of emotion and creativity that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
There’s a scale to this entire record, a cinematic air, an opulence that’s operatic. The entire album feels inherently dramatic, so filled with a grandeur within what’s undeniably a sense of darkness and mystique as well. But through and within that guile, you find the magic that has you swept away into this majesty. Songs like “Golden Canary”, filled with such seismic splendour, are so immense in their scale yet so intimate in their emotional evocation that you find yourself drawn into the magic of it all.
My personal favourite comes right at the top, a simple and more grounded acoustic driven piece on “The Ballad of Life and Death”. The supple vocal harmonies set to a minimal acoustic jingle with air instruments has you feeling completely drawn into this imaginative and endearing ballad.
“Allegories” is remarkable for its scale, ambition, and ingenuity. The lyricism across this record is sublime, echoing a kind of artistic skill imbued with traditional folk style. The arrangements range from the immense to the minimal when need be, oftentimes interchanging between the two within a single piece.
A special one, without a doubt.