Virgin Steele
The House Of Atreus - Act II

Virgin Steele
"The House Of Atreus - Act II"
T&T, Noise Record
2000, Heavy

It was really hard to resist, I admit it. I was very, very tempted to send the editors of DeBaser the review number n+1 on the latest effort of the Theater of Dreams or Radiohead, as I felt almost obliged to offer a valuable contribution to the DeBaser users with a strictly original point of view on the work in question. In the end, however, I managed to chase away the deceitful serpent that with a seductive and hissing slither invited me to grasp the (rotten) apple. By doing so, I turned towards my collection and with the painful creaking of my knees, I descended into the depths of one of my CD racks, searching for a work of great value and unknown to many: as usual.

Virgin Steele is a seasoned American band (they are my age, go to Wikipedia and do the math if you want!) and the album I want to talk to you about today does not capture their typical sound. Born as a romantic and proud epic metal band, with distinctly heavy metal sounds, after producing among others "Invictus", "Noble Savage" and "Marriage Of Heaven I and II", they allowed themselves, at the threshold of 2000, a more melodic digression with the release of the two "House Of Atreus".

"House of Atreus II" is the concluding chapter of a wonderful concept album centered on the Atreides dynasty and their misadventures, derived from a Greek tragedy. No ridiculous lyrics with swords and dragons, but committed and not immediately comprehensible lyrics that are a real pleasure to translate and sing along with the leader David Defeis. Guys, what an orgasmic voice! Dirty, clean, high, low, versatile, and malleable like clay that molds to the varied sound of each track. In this work, divided into two CDs, curated intros abound and rougher, more powerful moments alternate with class to more symphonic, exquisitely melodic and almost classical ones. Every piece is a demonstration and display of execution technique and songwriting with great tempo changes and choruses meticulously detailed.

Among the more canonical tracks in full Virgin Steele style, we find the intense "Wings Of Violence, Wine Of Violence" or the very sad "Arms Of Mercury", emotionally impactful during the solo phase like few other slow songs. But it is with classical interludes like "Aeropagos" or "Fantasy and fugue in D minor" that Virgin Steele succeeds in reviving flavors of a bygone era. Immense compositional peaks are reached in "When The Legends Die", "A Token To My Hatred" and the final suite "Resurrection Day", and I deliberately omit, to spare you yawns, multiple worthy songs. The songs just mentioned have no interest whatsoever in following the usual overused clichés of the "verse, bridge, chorus, verse, solo, verse, bridge, chorus" model. No, no, no, and again no! They are allergic to conventionality and prefer to vary, while keeping the attention high with memorable breaks and sumptuous instrumental parts. Chapeau!

A double CD that cannot be listened to "half-heartedly" in the car while talking about the just-ended football match. To appreciate "House Of Atreus II", you have to pay it attention, darn it!!! Turn off your cellphone and unplug the telephone, grab the volume knob and turn it loudly, sit down, and browse through the curated booklet: only by doing so can you enjoy an absolutely unconventional, stunning and dizzying product from whatever aspect one wishes to analyze it. If I were a sommelier, I would end with a phrase ad hoc to try to encapsulate the sounds expressed, but not belonging to the category, I leave you with a banal: "For refined palates".