Review: “Dissonance” by Meteora

Recorded with engineer Balázs Pálfi (Türböwitch), the mixed and mastered by Nino Helfrich (Thrash Cult, Traces Of A Life), Dmitry Kim (Khors, Arhat) and Joel Wanasek (Machine Head, Carnation, Dååth) as well as being adorned by artwork by Dronicon Films (Swallow The Sun, Katatonia, October Tide) the third and final chapter in a triolgy of EPs from Hugarian Symphonic Metal collective Meteora is “Dissonance“. It follows “In this Silence” and “Broken Mind” with the first of those arriving last summer, each one a continuation of the same story. This time around there is a writing debut for guitarist Dániel Baranya and keyboard player Atilla Király, who also provides packing vocals, the band now a six piece, not including the accompaniment of a choir assembled and conducted by Ádám Attila Kurucz.

Our protagonist asks the mirror if what he sees is reality in a tale that stitches together concepts inspired by both Alice and the Looking Glass and Beauty and The Beast during a dance macabre with glorious rise and fall as a guest guitar solo from Nils Courbaron of Sirenia and Bloodorn fame graces “Darkest Light“. A piece with epic cinematic qualities, this one feels almost regal and very much encaspulates everything that Meteora have done in their sonic journey to this point. The surprise is perhaps the addition of some harsh vocal parts from bassist Máté Fülöp that might catch you off guard given the beauty of the clean vocals from Noémi Holló. In something of a left turn “Shaodws of Ignorance” then offers an infusion of the bands traditional Symphonic sound and Melodic Death Metal as the band explore themes of disassociation and alienation, the orchestrations adding a little star dust to composition. A whirlwind of galloping drums from Gábor Kása form the spine of the track, guitarists Dániel Baranya and Dániel Schreiber providing rich leads and crushing rhythms as it plays out, the rich dark melody a wonderful nod to the Gothenburg scene in Hungarian style. Both heavier and more intense “Dissonance (My Reality pt IV)” is almost all death growled vocals from Fülöp who is accompanied by a rush of urgent, muscular riffs and pounding percussion. Holló does get a few lines during the chorus, the lack of any slow down in tempo to allow for them meaning none of the momentum is lost. The orchestrations are perfectly placed on this one too, an embellishment to enhance rather than overpower, something which has been acheived with dedication to craft over years of writing. Capturing a sense of the theatrical, the epic grand finale that is “Witch Hunt (Tragedy of Delusion)” pushes on the extremes of the Meteora sound once more with arguably some of the heaviest riffs the band have committed to tape. They even flirt with Black Metal elements on this one, the interplay between the guitars and keyboards in the final third utterly majestic [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Darkest Light (ft. Nils Courbaron of Sirenia, Bloodorn)
2. Shaodws of Ignorance
3. Dissonance (My Reality pt IV)
4. Witch Hunt (Tragedy of Delusion)

“Dissonance” by Meteora is out 23rd January 2026 via H-Music