Rage
XIII

THE REVIEW

I had already heard about Rage, but I had never listened to them until a few months ago. Then, in the middle of a summer day, a friend of mine showed up with an album in hand and said to me "they are Rage, they are German, and they have a bassist-singer who is badass!!!" I did not hesitate to snatch it from his hands and listen to it.

VEKKI RAGE ROCK!!!!!!

XIII is one of the most beautiful albums I have ever listened to, the violin notes are assimilated with those of the other orchestral instruments to create a whirlwind of emotions and to provide excellent accompaniment for the fast solo guitar of Victor Smolski. He, with inimitable riffs and melodic solos of unequivocal beauty, accompanies the listeners of this rock piece. But certainly, the most significant figure in the musical influence of this record is the frontman Peter Wagner; it's his hoarse and at times sweet voice that drags listeners into a rhapsody that will likely ignite the fuse of that buried bomb inside of you, which upon exploding will spread a strange sensation that will start to spread into your neurons only to slowly fade away; it is precisely the ability to create that alien feeling that makes Rage unique and mythical in their style according to me.

WORSE THAN LSD VEKKI!!!!!!

But speaking of songs...
The album opens with a dark and tormented instrumental intro only to immediately connect to "From The Cradle To The Grave"; the guitar riff that serves as an interlude to the verse is magnificent. This song struck me a lot, besides the fact that the melody marks a very catchy symphony, but it struck me especially for the lyrics; this song delves into the world that surrounds us and how the years we live flash before us like a cold gust of wind grazes our features, to dissolve into who knows which valley, in fact, "From The Cradle To The Grave" literally means "from the cradle to the grave." "Days Of December" is the easiest and most predictable song on the CD: it doesn't even involve me much from a significant point of view. "Sign Of Heaven" is fantastic! It has beautiful sounds and ends with a splendid piano outro that will then introduce "Turn The Page"; this track along with "In Vain" and "Immortal Sin" constitutes the trio of strength of this CD, powerful, determined and incisive, they form the most exciting part of the work; twisted stories, stories of falls, stories of errors, stories of confessions but also of sins from which one cannot brush off, are narrated in this tight Triumvirate. "Incomplete", "Heartblood", and "Over And Over" are beautiful power metal songs. "Paint it Black" is a strange song: it gives me a torpor that few songs have transmitted to me, objectively it is a difficult song to appreciate, you need to have a very refined musical ear to handle the heavy and melodic melody at the same time. "Just Alone" is very beautiful and intense.

MIKI OLD MAN THIS CD IS COOL

My friend told me in the summer of 2005 and now I am confirming his words. Rich, engaging, and above all worthy of carrying the Nuclear Blast label. Packaged and produced to perfection, XIII should shine as a must-have masterpiece in the showcases and CD holders of every true Metalhead.