Aryem – Agnes

Aryem
Agnes
Out: 10^th April 2026
Playing time: 01:00:12

The symphonic metal band Aryem hails from Mexico City and has been active since 2012. I really liked their 2021 album ‘The Bird’s Assembly’. The press release for their third album, “Agnes”, speaks of a ‘bold creative leap’. There has been a change in the line-up since the last album, with guitarist Javier Díaz being replaced by Carlos Avilés. However, Javier Díaz still makes a guest appearance as singer and guitarist.

It’s not often that an intro gives an album its name, but that’s the case with ‘Agnes’. The song is calm and ballad-like. Karen Mendozza’s beautiful voice is heard in a duet with the aforementioned Javier Díaz. This is an intro of the better kind – a short ballad. In ‘Event Horizon’, the epic power kicks in. Played at a much faster tempo, Karen also adapts to this pace. It’s pleasing that her soprano parts sound pleasing and are sung very cleanly. Galloping guitars and Double Bass drive the orchestrations. Is ‘Do You Feel Worthless Yet?’ symphonic metal? In principle, yes, but there are definitely some disharmonies to be heard here. The vocals also sound hectic and a little off-key in places. Jazz elements flow into this. On ‘In Love With You’, the guitars are roaring from the start. But the tempo and heaviness are toned down a little in the vocals. Karen shines with her clear soprano. ‘Sellout’ sounds a bit chaotic. There are some very nasty-sounding growls (Diego Heero Maaginen?), but Karen also manages to enchant again and again. The Mexicans provide a lot of variety on the album. The ballad ‘Holding On’, on the other hand, is more melodic. The vocals are unexcited and mostly in the middle tone range. ‘Into Gravity’ then gets back to business. Rhythmic guitars and orchestral epicness underpin the outstanding vocal performance. The chorus is particularly catchy. ‘Son del Alma’ is sung in Spanish. In English, it means something like ‘It comes from the heart’. The use of elements from Latin American folklore gives this song a special exotic flair. With its catchy melodies, choruses and orchestration, ‘Battleground’ takes us back to the realm of classical Symphonic, even Cinematic Metal. Karen Mendozza sings with a pleasantly dark timbre, but also in a high soprano. She thus impressively demonstrates her vocal versatility. Aryem have put a lot of passion into the straight rocker ‘All That’s Left of Me (Nightflowers)’. Bass and heavy guitars underpin the vocals. The crowning glory is the powerful guitar solo. In contrast, the piano ballad ‘You Won’t Miss Me’ sounds melancholic. In addition to the piano, the strings dominate. In between, heavy guitar melodies are interspersed. And the contrast continues. In ‘Nefilim’, battle drums and battle chants can be heard as an introduction. Later, the soprano vocals are supported by powerful orchestration. In ‘Not Enough For You’, the drums pound away, driving the musicians on. Vocals and harsh growls keep up with the fast tempo with ease. The album concludes with the outro ‘Lapsi Kuoleman Maailman’. The lyrics are in Finnish and are delivered calmly. The last lines of the lyrics are whispered by Karen Mendozza.

On ‘Agnes’, the boundaries of Symphonic Metal are literally blown apart. One can certainly speak of Cinematic Metal here. The songwriting is extremely multifaceted. Elements of completely different musical styles are incorporated time and again. The album is tailor-made for Karen Mendozza’s diverse vocal abilities. Aryem have developed significantly over the past five years.

Aryem – Sellout: https://youtu.be/pWa1JLxA_bI?si=xf5I7buswZPAiAy_

Lineup:

Luis Arturo Echegollen – Drums
Diego Heero Maaginen – Bass
Carlos Avilés – Guitars
Karen Mendozza – Vocals
Javier Díaz – Lead Vocals on Track 1, Additional Guitars

Track list:

• Agnes (Intro)
• Event Horizon
• Do You Feel Worthless Yet?
• In Love With You
• Sellout
• Holding On
• Into Gravity
• Son del Alma
• Battleground
• All That’s Left of Me (Nightflowers)
• You Won’t Miss Me
• Nefilim
• Not Enough for You
• Lapsi Kuoleman Maailman (Outro)