By David O’Neill
Hungarian symphonic metal sextet Meteora continues their impressive creative streak with the release of ‘Dissonance’, the final instalment in a powerful EP trilogy that dominated 2025. Following the experimental foundations of ‘In This Silence’ and the aggressive shifts of ‘Broken Mind’, ‘Dissonance’ serves as a grand culmination of the band’s evolving sound.
While ‘In This Silence’ introduced a heavier, thrash-influenced edge to their cinematic orchestrations, and ‘Broken Mind’ leaned further into death metal territory with Máté Fülöp’s guttural roars, ‘Dissonance’ strikes a masterful balance. The interplay between Noémi Holló’s soaring soprano and the dual masculine vocals of Atilla Király and Fülöp has never been more refined. The technical complexity noted in tracks like ‘Morningstar’ has matured here into a cohesive blend of progressive structures and catchy, bombastic melodies.
This latest effort solidifies Meteora’s departure from standard symphonic metal tropes in favour of a darker, more philosophical approach. By linking the atmospheric melancholy of the previous releases with heightened intensity, ‘Dissonance’ confirms that the band has found its definitive voice.
Some of the guitar play on ‘Shadows of Ignorance’ are reminiscent of Bullet For My Valentine but add in the sublime vocal supremacy of Noémi Holló and there are elements of Nightwish encapsulated within it. The contrast between this and the guttural vocals of Máté Fülöp is readily apparent in ‘My Reality (Part IV)’ but the instrumentation on all the tracks is blisteringly rapid and adeptly demonstrated.
Overall, it is an exceptional body of work that definitely has a niche audience, although I am not a huge fan of guttural vocal style this is an EP I could find myself listening to again and again. It could even make a soundtrack to a dark Viking like movie.
- ‘Dissonance’ is released on Friday (23 January).
- All content © Über Röck 2026.