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Post hardcore/progressive rock group Sianvar may have gone their separate ways in 2019, but it didn’t take long for guitarist Sergio Medina and vocalist Donovan Melero to form a new project and explore a different side of their established sounds. The duo named their new group Nova Charisma and quickly released a trilogy of EP’s under the Exposition title between 2019 and 2020. These EP’s bore resemblance to Sianvar and the other bands the duo was involved in but showcased an emphasis on slightly more stripped down and less frenetic instrumentation. Since 2020 Nova Charisma has been fairly quiet, as Melero focused on Hail the Sun and Medina released material with Royal Coda and Eidola. That silence has now been broken with the release of the band’s debut full-length Metropolitan, which builds on the styles explored on the EP and goes for equal amounts of up-tempo and explosive riffing alongside softer textures. It’s not a complete departure from what either musician has done before, but it has incredible moments from beginning to end and showcases this is more than a mere side project.
Opener “Smoking Gun at the Metropolitan” kicks things off in a high energy and explosive fashion, with booming drums and louder, angular guitar work that instantly brings bands like At the Drive In and The Mars Volta to mind. Compared to some of Medina’s other material, this opener gives a looser and bouncier feel that makes it feel like there’s a more playful tone to the performance. There’s still a bite to the sound, and the density of the guitar and bass give plenty of layers to discover, but the difference in the rhythms helps Nova Charisma have its own vibe. But just as quickly as the duo goes for high energy and soaring instrumentation, they are just as quick to move over to melodies that are more nuanced and mellower as “The Better It Gets” demonstrates. This track is more reflective in tone and has a bit more of an alternative rock and pop tinge to it, but at its peaks there are just as many layers as the faster numbers. As you get further into Metropolitan there’s a back and forth between these more subdued and energetic approaches to the songwriting, but even the slower numbers often build into huge peaks with shimmering layers of guitar. It may not be as overtly technical or frenetic compared to the other bands these two are in, but songs like “Irresistible Frame”, “Prophet”, and “Two Eighty” have stand-out riffs and rhythms that feel a little less stereotypical for post hardcore. Sometimes you get a bit more of a Coheed and Cambria leaning progressive rock slant, pop or alternative leaning melodies, or that familiar post hardcore grit, but there’s always something that catches your ear and sticks with you from beginning to end.
Donovan Melero may still sound a lot like Anthony Green, but over the years he’s established just what he can do with his range and this is taken full advantage of on Nova Charisma’s full-length debut. On the opening track he moves between grittier singing that breaks into full-on screaming and soaring pitches that head towards the clouds. There’s a nice balance between the slightly more aggressive and in your face ranges and the softer ones, and it’s clear that with each project he’s involved in Melero tries different things with his voice. “Prophet” might be one of the most different sounding tracks of his to date, as there are periods where the vocals come through as much more muted and distorted as though you’re hearing them through a megaphone. Little touches like this go a long way in making Nova Charisma distinguishable from Hail the Sun, and the performance is just as high energy. Admittedly on some of the songs I did find the vocals a bit too high in the mix, as there are some moments where they start to drown out the instrumental detail, but this doesn’t derail the experience.
Five years after their formation, it feels like Nova Charisma is finding its own space for Medina and Melero to try some different things. It’s not a sudden veer into completely new territory, but the more straightforward hooks and shifts between high energy and mellower exploration gives the material a different sound. There’s an immediate hook to many of these tracks with additional details waiting underneath the surface to be discovered, and when you combine that with another stand-out vocal performance from Melero the results are stunning. I know that this is one of those groups where its members are busy with a slew of other endeavors, but hopefully they can keep the momentum going from this album. Metropolitan is available from Equal Vision Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg