Stoney

Well... they weren't too bad, even while sticking to the usual clichés of overused genres. Considering the landscape around them, they were all in all valid; a few songs stood out (I remember Eye to Eye, Leave the Past Behind, Life in Still Water, Pale Fire, Outside Looking In). Nothing extraordinary, but better than a lot of other more... disparate stuff (you know what I mean) that plagued the ears of prog/metal listeners at that time. However, I remember this album being decidedly underwhelming compared to the others and it was a ridiculous slog to get through. After so many years in the business, a misstep can happen, especially considering the limitations that, for record label and target reasons, such a band is unfortunately forced to impose on themselves.

I'm sorry Gustavo, I can't be less harsh towards people who take the place of musicians who surely have much more to say and give... it's stronger than me. And I know there's worse, but that's not a good reason: there will ALWAYS be worse, and with this reasoning, we shouldn't criticize anything or anyone anymore.

These are not arms torn from agriculture; they are directly fertilizer ripped from the fields. I excuse the reviewer in case they are young (and only in that case), I do not excuse the group that I hope soon becomes extinct from the face of the earth.

Comparisons between Luca Turilli and Wagner?!?!?!? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHH????? Are you all completely out of your minds? You must be unwell, damn...

Thank you, now I feel much better.

Have you ever had the idea that this type of music is actually a socio-political tool used by the major labels (which are nothing more than multinationals at the service of hidden powers) to control the masses? I think about it from time to time and I don’t find it such a far-fetched hypothesis. Am I the only one?

The metalheads are prepared with one type of technique, the hip-hop posers with another, and Butch Vig probably with yet another. I don't think the metalheads can play the guitar like B.B. King or Eric Clapton, and that's because there isn't just one type of technique, thankfully; otherwise, there would be only one "correct" way to play, which would be rather ridiculous. Sorry for the interruption.

It's quite amusing to be called ignorant by someone who uses the phrase "good taste" to validate a group. It's incredible how every time someone disagrees with the common opinion, there's always talk of animosity and lack of respect, as if the one speaking is just a poor fool who doesn't know what they're saying. In my opinion, this is the real lack of respect: thinking that an opinion too different from yours is merely the result of extreme and unreasoned positions, and therefore not worth considering. Instead, I know the group in question and I have listened to it, which is why I expressed myself, and as impossible as it may seem to you, when I called it "merda," I did so with full awareness. It is not my habit to shoot blindly at things I don't know.

You said at least two brilliant sentences. 1) "Virtuosity is considered by many as a way to hide the lack of ideas and inspiration, but I see it as an approach through which musicians can truly unleash their creativity and technical skills!" 2) ""Colors" sets aside metal sounds and various virtuosities to give ample space to melody." There are so many misconceptions behind such phrases that one would need to engage in some serious maieutics to help you unlearn everything you know and relearn how to approach music from scratch, but that would be too difficult and not worth it. Keep listening to Dream Theater and that other crap you do well.

Apart from the fact that I don't shy away from "extreme" genres, the reason for my criticism shouldn't be sought in a question of genre. A "genre" of music is still music, and until proven otherwise, music is universal and can reach everyone, even those who are not well-versed in one genre or another. For example, I don't know jazz or classical music very well, but that doesn’t mean I invade jazz reviews and hand out scathing criticisms just because I don’t understand them. Ultimately, the rules in music are universal: someone picks up the instruments and plays, evidently because they have something to say and are thought to have at least a basic understanding of what they're doing; if they are good enough, they can move the listener and get their message across. You might not like a piece, but if the substance is there, it’s hard not to notice. This particular group doesn’t strike me as having a particularly strong artistic vein, regardless of the type of music they play; or do you want to tell me that I missed some profound artistic nuance in their guitar riffs and drums at 240 bpm just because I have biases against grind? Honestly, I don’t see where these five stars come from—perhaps from some fanaticism (that is, indeed, due to the "genre") of whoever reviewed it. It’s not me who has blinders on a type of music; rather, it’s those who unrealistically elevate musicians of dubious quality just because they play one genre instead of another. Best regards.