“My heart is in your hands, your heart has other plans.”
Formed in the days following supergroup Sianvar’s hiatus announcement in 2019, Nova Charisma was established as a means for further creative collaboration and experimentation between members Donovan Melero and Sergio Medina. Heavyweights in the progressive post-hardcore scene, with Donovan fronting ever-busy veteran group Hail the Sun and Sergio splitting his time between Eidola, Royal Coda, and Dance Gavin Dance, it makes sense that the duo’s discography has been fairly limited up to this point, with a total of just eleven songs over five years—the three Exposition EPs and the standalone single “Hollow People”—under their belt. But just as fans had begun baseless speculation and arguing over the project’s future and whether its members were still even friends (looking at you, social media sleuthing weirdos of Reddit and Instagram), Nova Charisma made their grand return armed with the announcement of their long-awaited debut full-length Metropolitan and its lead-off single “Smoking Gun at the Metropolitan.”
Nova Charisma’s sound has been defined by its more melodic lean and relatively simple instrumental arrangements in comparison to the other groups Donovan and Sergio split their time between. One of the most distinctive in the scene, Donovan’s voice lends itself to a number of massive, undeniably catchy vocal hooks across Nova Charisma’s discography, with Metropolitan being no exception. But while “Smoking Gun” isn’t quite as melodic or polished as other songs in Nova Charisma’s body of work, the track is notable for its punchy, braggadocious energy, bringing an edgier element that immediately sets itself apart from previous releases. The more energetic side of Nova Charisma’s sound does well to counter the glossy sheen that dominates the majority of their work, and brings some needed balance and duality to both the record and their identity as a group.
One of the prominent guitarists in the genre today, Sergio’s intricate guitar arrangements are a defining element of each of the projects he is a part of. While his playing for Nova Charisma might not be as technically complex as it is for Eidola or Royal Coda, he is able to match Donovan’s fluid vocals with equally fluid guitar work. Whether he’s propelling the record forward with dynamic riffing on cuts like “All My Thoughts Into Hooks,” “Prophet,” and “Where Do You Come From?,” or complimenting the more typical Nova Charisma-sounding cuts like “The Better It Gets” or “Stolen from Each Other,” Sergio’s playing is as equally a driving force on Metropolitan as Donovan’s vocal performances.
Additionally, the bass guitar throughout the record—which I am assuming was written and performed by Sergio, who has been filling in on bass for Dance Gavin Dance in the wake of Tim Feerick’s untimely passing—creates a funky, soulful undercurrent that sits perfectly in the mix, prominent enough to stand out and be impactful without taking away from the vocals. Keeping up with Donovan and Sergio would be no easy task for just anyone, but drummer Carlo Marquez (formerly of Stolas alongside Sergio) is more than up to the task, having played a pivotal role in Nova Charisma’s inception from the get-go and providing the group’s rhythmic backbone. The complete package delivered with Metropolitan is a tight and cohesive one, and is indicative of the group’s chemistry together as longtime friends and collaborators.
Metropolitan proves to have been worth the wait, with Nova Charisma pushing the bounds of their artistry in new directions and effectively expanding their creative repertoire. Though Donovan, Sergio, and Carlo are all seasoned musicians who have long since solidified their places in the scene’s history, it does feel like Nova Charisma has only just reached full bloom with the release of their debut full-length. Striking a strong balance between their lively new direction and their more atmospheric and melodic side that initially set Nova Charisma apart from its members’ other projects, there is enough on Metropolitan to satisfy both longtime fans of the genre and potential newcomers that could potentially be drawn in by a more accessible take on the swancore sound.
8.5/10
Metropolitan is set to release this Friday August 9th via Equal Vision Records. Pre-orders for the record, as well as merch and tickets to Nova Charisma’s album release show at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, can be found here.