In an industry that has been plagued by countless trite and mindless singles pumped out by market-designed hit-making machines, Razia’s Shadow: A Musical is a beacon of hope. It’s everything that the music industry has lost with the rising trend of hyped-up, over-edited dance beats that consistently top charts across the nation.

The ambitious project of one-man band Thomas Dutton, better known as Forgive Durden, Razia’s Shadow is a half-rock, half-musical album that follows two paralleled stories of dreamers who are convinced that they’re “destined for something bigger than [they’re] skin”. It’s a tale of love, passion, and the struggle between good and evil, told through playful and poetic rhyming lyrics delivered by an all-star cast of guest vocalists (Max Bemis of Say Anything, Shawn Harris of the Matches, Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco, Danny Stevens of The Audition, Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter). Borrowing from its musical roots, the songs are full of powerful recurring lyrics that become the centerpiece of the story’s plot.

Of course, it’s harder to say if the story or the music on the album is more compelling. A hidden gem of musical brilliance, it flawlessly blends the deep, full orchestration that is a hallmark of showtunes with rock percussion and vocals, making it accessible to mainstream junkies with less of an appreciation for theatre but still unique. It’s modern and yet totally fantastical and otherwordly. From its beginning when the sinister drums of creation come out of the mysterious chaos of silence to its minimally instrumented end, it composes an entire world at the needlepoint of Dutton and Co’s musical talents. Each song delves into a different character or setting through their unique composition, some songs favoring their showtune pedigree (“The Exit”, “Life is Looking Up”, “Meet the King”) and others more clearly representative of the rock element of the album (“Toba the Tura”, “Barayas the Spider”, “It’s True Love”). In this the album succeeds in being both melodically pleasing and bringing listeners right into the story of Razia’s Shadow.

All in all, while its songs may not have the punch that the average rock song might and tend to be most listenable as a part of the full album, Razia’s Shadow is a masterpiece of musicianship and a great listen. It’s chillingly passionate and expressive tone make it exciting, and you can’t help but become invested in the triumphs and struggles along with the characters. So give it a listen. I guarantee you’ll be fumbling for your case to see if there’s more when the end finally rolls around.

reviewed by Devin