Heavenly
Virus

Mountains of snow wink at me. Finally, a soft blanket has properly covered the slopes of my beloved Trentino, and I set off early in the morning to scrape some rust off my ski edges. In no time, I load one of the many CDs I haven't had time to listen to on my MP3 player.

The first three chapters of Heavenly hadn't left a mark, and I didn't have high expectations for the fourth, "Virus," but enthusiastic comments from some acquaintances pushed me to give the new work a quick listen. A particularly angry and frightening cover seems to hint at a sudden change of sound. Too bad the tons of keyboards continue to persist, Ben Soto's voice is almost always extremely high, and the melodies of the choruses are as polished and charming as a pin-up's makeup and an insurance agent's demeanor. Guitar riffs?? Mere accompaniment for much of the album, ready to dissolve near the choruses. In short, it's the same old Heavenly; a carbon copy of Gamma Ray & Company.

I start skiing with the melodies of "Spill Blood On Fire" in my head, and while the guitar solo resounds in my auditory system, I let myself take wide turns and controlled bends to start off calmly. The snow is firm, but not icy, and the pompous finale of the chorus pushes me to dive in. The metallic intro of "Virus" gets me pumped, almost delusional, and while I feel my heart start to pump and increase its beats, I feel like I'm gaining confidence with my gear again. Near the bridge, sugary enough to be cloying, I allow myself a pause to rest my legs... and hit the skip button to find something that piques my interest. As I'm hit by the rhythmic section, I pose a Hamlet-like question: is the lack of originality in the speed metal presented here, the title "The Power And Fury", or the baroque chorus hammering my brain? Not wanting to delve deeper into the matter, I decide to wave goodbye to the mentioned track and descend to the gondola savoring the silence. During the ascent, I chat a bit and let my MP3 rest, hoping this "pause for reflection" might benefit Heavenly as well. An arpeggio gives the cue to the best of the lot ("Wasted Time"). The sun breaks through the clouds and allows me a perfect view of the slope. My feet respond well to my commands, and I decide it's time to jump a bit. I find the impetus on a bump while an airy break arrives during which Soto shows he can navigate the vocals (or is it Kakko singing with him??). Snowblades are skis one meter in length and allow you to perform tricks like spins and 180° or 360° quite easily. Listening to the over-the-top opener "The Dark Memories" with its driving tempos opens up beautifully in the chorus, I let myself go to these moves, turning, twisting the torso, and making sure the tails don't cross. It happens to all skiers to fall, especially if they don't enjoy descending with the autopilot in total tranquility. A bump, perhaps not too visible due to imperfect lighting, can be the cause. Too much speed and little conviction in the carve of the edges and you find yourself on the ground in a flash. Just like the useless and neoclassical "Bravery In The Field", equipped with a keyboard break as nauseating as it is inconclusive. I get back on my feet without any consequence (a slide of a few dozen meters is never pleasant if it happens at a certain speed, but rarely goes beyond some bruises) and start again in peace. I would say the resumption reflects the predictable sounds of "Liberty" which flows by without leaving a mark for 5 minutes amidst upbeat tempos and the usual affable melodic lines reminiscent of Gamma Ray. The legs, after a few hours of sport, begin to ache, and the break at the bar for a sandwich has accentuated the lactic acid. The last effort for a nice descent and a jump coincides with the beautiful cover "When The Rain Begins To Fall" that brings back the '80s and sees Soto dueting with a lady. The arrival at the car corresponds to a grand finale of pure magniloquent, thick happy metal from "The Prince Of The World".

What conclusions can be drawn? Heavenly will never change, and if the title "Virus" along with the cover could have hinted at a change of course, there are the ultra-slick sounds of all the songs (get to the choruses before reaching any conclusions) that make us rethink. Soto is always the usual monotone singer, the guitarist shows, like another 100 out-of-the-ordinary sector colleagues, to have skill, while the drums have a muddy and annoying sound. Originality doesn't exist, but it's not a problem attributable only to them. Without a shadow of a doubt, pleasant to listen to, but utterly useless in the power panorama from my point of view. I must say that skiing and paying more attention to the turns than their music made me appreciate their work more than I thought I would. This time a solid 2 and a little more, no one can take it away.