Abydos
The Little Boy's Heavy Mental Shadow Opera...

Curious for me to review a work by Andy Kuntz, the acclaimed voice of the German progressive metal band Vanden Plas, curious because, I say it right away, I can't really consider myself a fan of the band, which I have too often found verbose and too pompous, despite being known for being sober and elegant… well, it's a matter of perspective.

But let's get back to the work this page is about and which I now present to you: I'm talking about "The Little Boy’s Heavy Mental Shadow Opera...", signed by Andy under the moniker Abydos, born in 2004 and featuring among the band's ranks Stefan Glass on guitars along with Michael Krauss (both also on keyboards) and Andreas Lill on drums, already Kuntz's bandmate in their main band, the Plas, names that ensure an extremely high technical level, something that will be evident during the listening of the platter.

This opera, divided into twelve pieces for a total of about 70 minutes, already presents itself from a first listen as decidedly well-conceived, as there are moments where heavy metal makes its way, giving life to solid and “aggressive” parts, which are alternated with more delicate moments, more influenced by progressive rock and melodic rock of the eighties extraction.

What amazes in the album, besides the decidedly well-crafted and structured compositions, is certainly the voice of the German singer who, never like this time, demonstrates the ability for melodic variations, showing himself extremely comfortable in the lower parts (which I have always found the least interesting part in the singer's main band's records) as well as in the higher ones, where the voice is clean and delicate.

As mentioned before, throughout the album, sweet moments alternate like the splendid "You Broke The Sun", where you can find almost reminiscences of the Beatles, alternated with more typically progressive moments; it is impossible not to mention "Far Away From Heaven", introduced by a piano intro to which Kuntz's warm voice ties in, setting on a mid-high register: the track then transforms into a song closer to progressive standards, where the contribution of the keyboards significantly enhances the musical ensemble with more pathos.

The other side of the album, that is, the heavier one is represented by songs like "Hyperion Sunset", where it's noticeable how the group is tied to metal tradition, offering us a fast piece, endowed with powerful riffs and a present rhythmic base but never excessive.

Straddling the two souls, we then find pieces like "Abydos", which travels on ill-defined tracks, presenting itself as chameleonic and in continuous evolution: the first part, introduced by mr. Abydos’s vocal lines, is accompanied by extremely dark background sounds that accentuate the already marked emotionality of the piece; it's when the piano comes into play that the atmosphere changes, becoming a track with a bittersweet flavor, balancing between despair and calm. Also, the lyrics deserve applause, which I invite you to read with extreme attention.

OBLIGATORY to mention also the final suite, named "A Boy Named Fly" which, with its over 12 minutes of instrumental evolutions, accompanied by an extreme attention to the emotional and melodic side, with choirs that bring to mind the best of Queen, among other things, with the contribution of a breathtaking female voice. Splendid also is the reprise of the central theme of "Far Away From Heaven", reminiscent of what colleagues Dream Theater already did in their suite "Images & Words".

I won’t stand here to comment on the other songs either, even though it would be obligatory to mention them all given the beauty of each single piece, because otherwise, I would have to go on too long and I don't want to waste any more of your time.

In conclusion, this "Abydos - The Little Boy’s Heavy Mental Shadow Opera..." is a must-have album, not only thanks to its extreme pleasurability during listening but also due to a meticulous work behind it, allowing it to stand out from the stock of mediocre progressive releases that the record market continues to offer these days.

I close the review by wishing everyone a good listen.

Tracklist

1) The Inhabitans Of His Diary

2) You Broke The Sun

3) Silence

4) Far Away From Heaven

5) Coppermoon (The Other Side)

6) Hyperion Sunset

7) God’s Driftwood

8) Radio Earth

9) Abydos

10) Green’s Guidance For A Stategy Adventure Game

11) Wildflowersky

      12) A Boy Named Fly