The fact that the Cypriot scene has given us great thrills over the years is, I think, universally accepted. Our beloved Cyprus may not have a huge scene, which is reasonable for the size of the country, but it has a wide variety of sounds and covers all tastes. This is where Receiver come in.
The band exists since 2017. However, “Whispers Of Lore” is their first official release, which is rare for a band that moves in the realm of classic sound. The usual policy is to precede 2-3 demos and as many EPs as you can. For those with a goldfish memory we even saw them live at the warm up party of Up The Hammers.
“Whispers Of Lore” is the debut album that everyone is waiting to hear from a band that celebrates the ’80s and its heroes. A classic British sound with the Maiden flag flying high and a heavy sprinkling of epic mentality are its benchmarks. Compositions are relatively simple but sincere in their intent. The melody alternates cleverly with the album’s harsher moments. However, from the first listen I loved “Starchaser” and “Arrow”.
This is where Nicoletta Kyprianou’s voice comes in, which might be a case of “I like it, I don’t like it”. I personally think it blends seamlessly with the style of the compositions. It took me a while to get used to it, but over time she won me over. Honest and pure interpretation.
I can say the same about the production. The album sounds almost like it was recorded live in the studio, maybe it was. Is that a bad thing? For a band like Receiver, no. If anything, it still gives a heavier feel to the material as a whole.
Receiver reminded me of the hero in the movies who is not a superhuman but doesn’t give up for anything. For that reason alone, their debut album earned a place in my heart!
