One of the biggest fears a band must have is losing their vocalist. For many fans, the voice is the identifying feature that anchors their sound, and when that leaves part of a band's identity goes with it. Two years ago, Gaerea endured this obstacle after parting ways with Ruben Freitas but thankfully, they found the answer from within, as guitarist Guilherme Henriques grabbed the microphone and now leads the group to their goal of Portugal's black throne. Those who were concerned about the change in vocals needn't worry, as Henriques does a grand job on their fourth album, and there's a lot more to talk about too.

Listeners are eased into the album initially, as opening track "The Poet's Ballet" has quite a mellow beginning. The disparate guitars are eventually joined by whispering vocals, and it lasts for almost three minutes before a brief cry from a guitar ushers in a sorrowful storm of black metal aggression. It's a very good contrast as it makes the ferocity feel well-earned, while the seven-and-a-half-minute song continues to feature some excellent melodies that stop it from being a one-dimensional burst of fury. The record continues to cram a lot in with the following number, "Hope Shatters," inserting a lot of well-oiled cogs into a smaller black metal machine.

The relationship between melody and brutality plays an important role on "Coma," often accompanying one another in songs. "World Ablaze," for example, has quite a gentle intro, but it doesn't linger and soon there's a frenzied metal force tearing through the speakers, with the added inclusion of a punk drum beat to set it apart from the rest of the record and add an element of chaos. Another track that makes good use of the contrast between beautiful moments and fury is "Wilted Flower," where the softer parts stand out a lot more. Meanwhile, "Reborn" carries something of an 80s metal vibe, which resurfaces in the finale, "Kingdom Of Thorns," a strong closer that includes some good stomping moments.

While there's a lot to like when it comes to "Coma," the strengths are perhaps used a little too much. Though the contrasting sounds do work well, almost every track relies on a melodic intro, harsh verse, slightly lighter chorus, and mellow passages, which makes the album a little formulaic. Don't get me wrong, individually each song sounds good, but variations of the same thing make it a little predictable after a while. I'm sure these songs will go down well live, since, as I said, they're all quite strong, but as a complete work, it's like a painting that uses more of the same colour than it needs to.

I actually wanted to give the album a higher score but when looking at recent reviews, it just didn't match the enjoyment I got out of the ones I'd given a 3.5 to. If we scored albums out of 100, "Coma" would receive a 68 because it's still a good album, it just lacks something to really push it that little bit further. Guilherme Henriques has done a very good job assuming the position of lead vocalist and I'm sure Gaerea fans will enjoy his work with this album, and the record as a whole, since there is a lot more to like than to dislike. Gaerea still marches on their road to global recognition and they may well become one of Portugal's best-known metal bands in the near future. "Coma" won't slow them down, but it doesn't press the accelerator either.