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In metal terms, it's often said "support the scene." In X-Factor lingo, "discover new talents." More prosaically, every now and then, listen to an unknown name, a band elbowing its way to emerge in the ever more saturated pot of Italian metal.
One evening at the pub, this EP/Demo is handed to me almost clandestinely (forget torrents) by an acquaintance who preludes the work with a hearty "Ashes Of Chaos, they're worth it!" On the way home, I put them on in the car and, in a good recording (albeit "homemade"), a metal with distinctly progressive veins explodes thunderously, which doesn’t disdain grinding thrash-death rhythms and more introspective parts.
The lights this band from Romagna follows (fortunately without mimicking them) are quite evident: Dream Theater, Pain Of Salvation, with some good Megadeth-ian derails (a bit like "Rust In Peace," so no punk-derived rawness). The musicians have studied, and it shows: the guitarist inserts scales and solos definitely noteworthy, well linked with the keyboard performance; bass and drums weave precise patterns, and the singer stands very tall and clear: a particular timbre, that one may like or not, but it denotes refined technical preparation. Considering the average age of the band (barely twenty), the starting point is remarkable.
The four tracks are structured following typically prog-metal tracks, and the more linear parts alternate with complex passages. The best tracks answer to the name "Mechanical Rage," dark and aggressive in its stride, and "Rinascita": the latter could be a potential forerunner to get known, endowed with a very catchy chorus-like part, and notably, a dreamy guitar solo towards the end highlighting good melodic taste, vaguely reminiscent of early Genesis (with due caution).
The limitations of such work are found in the home-made production (although cared for as much as possible, given the various recordings), and in some slightly less impactful passages (the track "Ashes Of Chaos" ultimately does not measure up to the rest); also, the fact that already at their first work, they bring out concept-album temptations might wrinkle someone's nose, but the ambitions are evident and don’t lapse into presumption.
However, considering that these are 4 original pieces (read: no fawning cover), and they seemingly precede a debut album promising to be worth attention, one might shelve for a while yet another ad libitum listen of "Images And Words." Yes, it can be done, for once.
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