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Album Review – Jasmeno / Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms (2026)

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After nearly four years, Poland’s own Avantgarde Metal act returns with a work that not only expands on its existing language, but also redefines it in an almost sculptural spirit.

After nearly four years, Poland’s own Avantgarde Metal act Jasmeno returns with a work that not only expands on its existing language, but also redefines it in an almost sculptural spirit, titled Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms, offering us all six extensive tracks totaling nearly 50 minutes, creating a cohesive, thoughtful structure. Featuring the band’s mastermind Slavomir Nietupski on orchestrations, synthesizers, grand piano and programming, alongside vocalist Brian Gawaski, guitarist Michal Grall (Sinister, Unblessed Divine), and bassist Artur Olkowicz (Art of Illusion, Mechanism), as well as an array of guest musicians including Bartlomiej Krysiuk (Patriarkh, Batushka), Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Insidious Desease), Snorre Ruch (Thorns, Satyricon), and Yusaf Parvez (DHG, Dødheimsgard), among many others, Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms is a musical assemblage in its purest form – fragmented yet coherent, multi–layered yet subordinated to a single vision without the use of artificial intelligence solutions. Produced by Slavomir Nietupski and Tangled Records, mixed and mastered by Jakub Mankowski at Sounds Great Promotion Studio, and with all graphic design, hand paintings and layout by Slavomir NietupskiIn (in memory of Wladyslaw Hasior), the album is not about being an easily digestible beauty, but about the intensity of experiences and the recurring desire to commune with the Jasmeno universe.

The opening track Synesthesia Imperialis offers a cinematic intro that gradually evolves into a bestial display of the band’s core avantgarde and experimental sounds, with the powerful vocals by Brian walking hand in hand with all riffs, bass lines and imposing orchestrations by Michal, Artur and Slamovir; followed by A Code of Equivocation, another beautiful, bold and captivating creation by the quartet, alternating between heavier moments and pure atmospheric, introspective passages, with their guitars exhaling fire. Then venturing through the realms of Epic and Melodic Death Metal we have His Rebirth, again presenting an imposing ambience that will embrace our souls in darkness; and their riffs and solos will pierce our minds in The Void, while Brian’s vocals are back to their more epic vibe, like the soundtrack to a futuristic thriller, not to mention how charming the piano sounds. The Provocation ov Fate is as intense and vibrant as its predecessors, with the band once again delivering an overdose of Avantgarde Metal magic, Needless to say, it should sound incredible if played live, whereas lastly we face Seduced by Ambiguity, a more introspective, grim creation that concludes the album on a Stygian mode, with all guitars sounding menacing.

Emerging as a complete work both conceptually and in terms of execution, Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms offers a sonic matrix that resembles an assembly line more than a classic album – a space in which each element has its own name, but only when fully assembled does it reveal its full meaning, based on the principles of collaboration and openness. Not only that, the diversity of personalities found in the album gives the entire piece additional depth and a distinctive character among contemporary productions, with each guest bringing their own idiom – a distinct, yet unique language of emotion and sophisticated experiences. Having said all that, you should definitely give Slavomir and his Jasmeno a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase their striking new album from BandCamp. Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms might not be an easy listen at first, but once the music hits you, get ready for a wild ride together with one of the most interesting bands of the Polish music scene.

Best moments of the album: Synesthesia Imperialis and The Provocation ov Fate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Tangled Records

Track listing
1. Synesthesia Imperialis 10:12
2. A Code of Equivocation 8:03
3. His Rebirth 5:19
4. The Void 8:08
5. The Provocation ov Fate 7:55
6. Seduced by Ambiguity 8:15

Band members
Brian Gawaski – vocals
Michal Grall – guitars
Artur Olkowicz – electric & fretless bass
Slavomir Nietupski – orchestrations, synthesizers, grand piano & programming

Guest musicians
Bartlomiej Krysiuk – vocals
Marc Grewe – vocals
Slawomir Slavo Maryniewski – vocals
Snorre Ruch – vocals
Joanna Zondlowska – vocals
Sasha Janowicz – vocals
Yusaf Parvez – vocals, electric guitars
Lecia Louise – electric & acoustic guitars
Piotr Filonowicz – electric guitars
Mariusz Domaradzki – electric guitars
Marek Depa – electric guitars
Tomasz Andrzejewski – electric guitars
Jakub Wagner – flamenco guitars
Lukasz Kowalski – electric guitars
Robert Kolakowski – synthesizers
Ryszard Kramarski – synthesizers

Album Review – Crimson Shadows / Whispers of War (2025)

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Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since 2006, Toronto’s own metal warriors are finally back into the battlefield with their breathtaking third studio album.

Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since the already distant year of 2006, Toronto, Canada’s own Epic/Melodic Death/Power Metal warriors Crimson Shadows are finally back into the battlefield with their fusion of the guttural screams and blast beats of Death Metal with the epic up-tempo guitar harmonies and choruses of Power Metal in their brand new album, the magnificent Whispers of War. Mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying a classy artwork by Péter Sallai of Mortpaintgraphics, showcasing a brave, dauntless warrior that perfectly depicts the sound of the band, the new album by frontman Jimi Maltais, guitarists Greg Rounding and Ryan Hofing, bassist Alex Snape, and drummer Cory Hofing is a worthy follow-up to their 2014 beast Kings Among Men, offering our avid ears an overdose of the band’s characteristic sound while also pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them.

Those Toronto warriors waste no time and kick off their metal music played at the speed of light party in Dawn of an Age, with Cory taking the lead with his crushing beats, and Jimi and Greg make a phenomenal vocal duo in Guardians, with it’s catchy-as-hell lyrics (“Guardians / We stand in a time of blood and fire / Ancient tales become our legacy / Skies ablaze, spirits of evil surrounding me / The prophecy remains our destiny”) inspiring us all to raise our fists and join them in a lecture in Melodic Death and Power Metal. Defenders of the Crown offers our avid ears more of their epic lyrics (“Here we stand to hold our ground / We defenders of the crown / Hold your steel and clench it tight / Or we all will die tonight”) in another classic battle hymn; and featuring the unparalleled Canadian growler Matt McGachy of Cryptopsy, Whispers of War is a fulminating metal attack by the boys sounding as fast as it is epic and aggressive, with Greg and Ryan firing truly piercing riffs nonstop, followed by Embrace the Fire, a little bit below the rest of the album but still fast, furious and presenting the band’s trademark sonority.

Then a smooth piano-driven intro quickly evolves into another shredding extravaganza by Greg and Ryan titled Battle Hard II: Battle Harder (the sequel to their 2012 song “Battle Hard”), while Jimi roars and growls with all of his strength and passion for heavy music. And featuring the indomitable Brittney Slayes (frontwoman for Canadian metal masters Unleash The Archers), who brings balance to the vocals together with Greg, we have Secrets of Our Time, not to mention Cory demolishes his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Jimi then sounds out of control, roaring manically in The Legacy of Steel, another headbanging beast where their riffs and solos exhale pure Heavy Metal magic, whereas lastly, the band will head into their final battle entitled Rise of the Fallen Soul, with Greg stealing the show with his awesome clean vocals while their Dragonforce-like guitar solos bring an extra onrush of electricity to their sound.

Crimson Shadows might have competed in and won the 2013 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, and they absolutely deserved it, but in my humble opinion it’s now with Whispers of War that their trademark metallic, roaring sounds are ready to spread all over the world, positioning them as one of the forces to be reckoned with in the current Heavy Metal scene. Furthermore, those brave metallers are ready to take on the stages of the world by storm, and you can keep an eye on their tour dates by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also stream their striking creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course to grab a copy of the incendiary Whispers of War from BandCamp or from Big Cartel. War is upon us, and it’s time to fight side by side with Crimson Shadows to the sound of their superb new album, one of the best of the year, and a lecture in Canadian metal.

Best moments of the album: Guardians, Whispers of War, Battle Hard II: Battle Harder and The Legacy of Steel.

Worst moments of the album: Embrace the Fire.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dawn of an Age 4:46
2. Guardians 4:20
3. Defenders of the Crown 5:09
4. Whispers of War 5:18
5. Embrace the Fire 4:07
6. Battle Hard II: Battle Harder 5:57
7. Secrets of Our Time 4:48
8. The Legacy of Steel 5:39
9. Rise of the Fallen Soul 5:51

Band members
Jimi Maltais – vocals
Greg Rounding – guitars, clean vocals
Ryan Hofing – guitars
Alex Snape – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

Guest musicians
Matt McGachy – vocals on “Whispers of War”
Brittney Slayes – vocals on “Secrets of Our Time”

Album Review – Dethlehem / Maelstrom of the Emerald Dragon (2020)

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Raise your swords and enjoy this epic album of Melodic Death Metal that will make you want to bang your head while beating the living shit out of magical creatures.

Hailing from Ghorusalem (it’s actually Pittsburgh, a city in western Pennsylvania, in the United States, but please bear with us), the warriors of Dethlehem have traveled through time and space to fight against dragons, wizards, warlocks, leviathans, shape-shifters and a shit ton of other things that needed to die since their inception in 2008. Despite the gimmick, it would be a big mistake to think that Dethlehem’s sound is no more than a witless joke. Truth be told, once you enter their realm you’ll face some good and epic Melodic Death Metal, as the fourth full-length opus from this four-piece army formed by Brutalitus the BloodBeard on vocals, Paladin Bovice on the guitars, Ranger Grimshaw Longfellow on bass and Overlord Brom on drums, entitled Maelstrom of the Emerald Dragon, harnesses the spirit of old whilst drawing from the power of modern Death Metal, creating a multi-layered sound that becomes even more compelling if you go full Dungeons & Dragons with the “Story Mode” edition of the album. Featuring an original artwork by American artist Joe Mruk (Red Buffalo Illustration), Maelstrom of the Emerald Dragon presents a band that has truly stepped up their game, sounding tighter and more technical than ever, showcasing a more progressive take on Death Metal and covering a lot of ground on an album that will make you want to bang your head while beating the living shit out of magical creatures.

And the story begins with Prelude – As Fate Would Have It, where acoustic guitars permeate the air before all hell breaks loose in A Tale That Time Forgot, with all band members blasting ass-kicking Melodic Death Metal sounds led by the raspy roars by Brutalitus, also bringing forward some good breaks and variations, a considerable amount of progressiveness and endless epicness. Although I understand Interlude I – Cloud Megalopolis is the explanation to the beginning of the adventure, it’s way too lengthy for people like me who prefer music rather than talking, sounding like one of those frustrated Manowar interludes from their latest albums; however, back to what really matters, which is metal music, the quartet fires another berserk, groovy and heavy-as-hell tune titled Return to the Halls of Madness, where Overlord Brom does an amazing job pounding his drums with strength and fury accompanied by the scorching riffs by Paladin Bovice, and they keep smashing their instruments in Mind Flayer, where Paladin Bovice’s guitar lines walk hand in hand with the rumbling and groovy bass by Ranger Grimshaw Longfellow, also bringing an Iron Maiden-ish vibe to make things even more vibrant.

Interlude II – Task for the Bog Witch is another interlude to advance the storyline, shorter and more entertaining with a lot of special “characters”, setting the stage for Escape From Wolf Mountain, a lot heavier and also more metallic than its predecessors, with Brutalitus growling manically and, consequently, injecting more adrenaline to the story being told, while Overlord Brom fires classic, furious beats nonstop, followed by the also frantic Beware the Mimic, showcasing a flammable fusion of classic Death Metal with Epic and Melodic Death Metal where once again Paladin Bovice shreds his strings in great fashion, all spiced up by the song’s old school lyrics (“Terrorize / In the rivets and wood lives teeth and eyes / Biding time / Ready to strike and dissolve your insides / This quagmire in plain sight / The treasure it holds is…”). After another decent bridge titled Interlude III – A Ravenous Storm where the heroes interact with a couple of funny giants, it’s time for a brutal extravaganza titled On the Backs of Giants, with sheer epicness flowing from its lyrics (“We rode on the backs of giants through the snow / Making our way through fractured ice / This journey lumbers on”) while all band members craft another vibrant and dark ambience with their respective instruments.

Gelatinous Cube Labyrinth is perhaps the most modernized tune of the album, with its guitars and bass at the same time piercing your mind and punching you in the stomach, flirting with Progressive Death Metal while Paladin Bovice adds a touch of awesomeness to the overall result with his sick guitar solos, whereas Interlude IV – Welcome to Your Doom is obviously another interlude preparing the listener for the final chapter of the story, with our heroes facing a witch and a dragon in The Emerald Dragon, bringing to our avid ears over seven minutes of melodic passages, clean and harsh vocals, thunderous bass punches and crisp guitars, while Overlord Brom sounds absolutely mental on drums from start to finish, flowing smoothly until its epic conclusion and setting the tone for the outro Interlude V – Cyclical Past, putting an interesting conclusion to the album while making the heroes “aware” of “the listeners”, leaving us all eager for more of their fantasy stories. Well, as it’s mentioned during the outro, the story is “to be continued”, which means we’ll hear a lot more from those dauntless metal warriors in a not-so-distant future.

There are actually two versions of the album available, one with no theatrical interludes for those who just want the music, and the full experience presented in the form of the semi-cohesive story that intertwines with the musical tracks, as reviewed above. You can stream the simpler version with no interludes in full on Spotify or purchase it from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, or you can prove yourself a true metalhead, grab your sword and shield, and buy the full Story Mode version of Maelstrom of the Emerald Dragon also from their BandCamp page. In addition, don’t forget to join Dethlehem in their quest for metal by following them on Facebook, on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel, staying up to date with all things Dethlehem, knowing where their next battles (or live concerts, if you prefer) will happen, and getting useful tips on how to ride giants while fighting witches and dragons at the same time you listen to their crushing and modern extreme music.

Best moments of the album: A Tale That Time Forgot, Escape From Wolf Mountain and On the Backs of Giants.

Worst moments of the album: Interlude I – Cloud Megalopolis.

Released in 2020 Independent

Track listing
1. Prelude – As Fate Would Have It 1:53
2. A Tale That Time Forgot 6:00
3. Interlude I – Cloud Megalopolis 4:20
4. Return to the Halls of Madness 5:01
5. Mind Flayer 5:04
6. Interlude II – Task for the Bog Witch 1:53
7. Escape From Wolf Mountain 4:00
8. Beware the Mimic 5:52
9. Interlude III – A Ravenous Storm 1:56
10. On the Backs of Giants 4:54
11. Gelatinous Cube Labyrinth 5:06
12. Interlude IV – Welcome to Your Doom 3:39
13. The Emerald Dragon 7:36
14. Interlude V – Cyclical Past 1:36

Band members
Brutalitus the BloodBeard – vocals
Paladin Bovice – guitars
Ranger Grimshaw Longfellow – bass
Overlord Brom – drums

Guest musicians
Lord Bonecrush – narrator, boisterous witch, Overlord Brom, backing vocals
Dan Behrens – Magic Man Dan
Bridget Yeager – Veldras
Dan Gold – giant 1, giant 2
Leighann Calamera – valley girl witch
Doyle M. Daigle II – Nildorph
Jack – himself

Album Review – ADE / Rise of the Empire (2019)

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Armed with their furious and technical Death Metal, they came, they saw and they conquered, beautifully narrating the epic rise of the Roman Empire.

Focusing on the past and the origin of the customs of their homeland Italy, inspired by the ancient Greek music mainly used by Romans in war situations, fusing it with modern Death Metal with lyrics written in English and Latin, and also featuring traditional instruments which give their technical music a strong epic touch, Ancient Roman Death Metal army ADE is back in action with a brand new album entitled Rise of the Empire, aiming at educating the listeners a little more on the ancient history of Rome, more specifically on the age of Caesar. In case you have never heard of ADE before, I highly recommend you grab your sword and shield and get ready to head into the battlefield together with the band, because that’s the only way you can enjoy Rise of the Empire to the fullest.

Produced by Stefano Morabito at 16th Cellar Studios and featuring a stylish artwork by Italian artist Fabio Timpanaro (Storm.Studio), Rise of the Empire is still entrenched in traditional old school Death Metal, however presenting a more mature yet aggressive sound suitable for old and new generations of fans interested in the Ancient Rome and Epic and Technical Death Metal. Now comprised of guitarist and only remaining founding member Fabivs, together with newcomers Diocletianvs on vocals, Nerva on the guitar, Cornelivs on bass and Decivs on drums, this talented band formed in 2007 in Rome is on fire in the follow-up to their 2016 album Carthago Delenda Est, sounding a lot more refined, more pulverizing and, consequently, more exciting than ever.

The cinematic intro Forge the Myth warms us up for the war that’s about to begin in Empire, bringing forward tons of heaviness with epic elements in the background and poetic lyrics based on historical facts (“Pieces of the world were born in Rome / Seeping into memories like water in the loam / From the mind of Caesar, seed of the empire / Far from the senate and its opulent liars”). Decivs sounds utterly furious on drums, while Diocletianvs roars and growls like a beast, resulting in a beyond fantastic way to kick off the album. In The Gallic Hourglass the band continues to march into the battlefield led by Fabivs’ and Nerva’s slashing riffs, with all folk elements adding an extra touch of mystery to their pulverizing Death Metal while at the same time sounding very cohesive and dense from start to finish; whereas Diocletianvs’ roars get deeper and darker in Chains of Alesia, a mid-tempo, utterly heavy chant by ADE showcasing razor-edged riffs and intricate beats, not to mention the flammable solos by Fabivs and Nerva.

Even more imposing and obscure, Once the Die Is Cast presents a gargantuan amount of progressiveness added to the band’s core Death Metal, where Cornelivs and Decivs, armed with their respective bass and drums, couldn’t sound more thunderous and incendiary, or in other words, simply bang your heads nonstop to this lesson in extreme music infused with pure epicness. And ADE keep blasting their whimsical sounds in Gold Roots of War, a neck-breaking tune where Fabivs and Nerva decimate their strings in great fashion, followed by Ptolemy Has to Fall, where the band gets back to a rawer and more direct sonority while still presenting all of their trademark background elements, pulverizing beats and crisp guitar solos, all embraced by the warrior-like vociferations by Diocletianvs. ADE never get tired of smashing their instruments, always with a lot of harmony, precision and feeling, resulting in enfolding extreme creations like Suppress the Riot, where Decivs is absolutely ruthless with his venomous drums.

Veni Vidi Vici, by far one of the most electrifying of all songs in Rise of the Empire and my favorite moment of the album, brings forward the enraged growls by Diocletianvs while the rest of the band delivers a stunning fusion of demolishing Death Metal with folk and percussion sounds, and following a similar pattern tribal beats ignite the enigmatic The Blithe Ignorance, alternating between semi-acoustic and introspective moments and the traditional rage from Death Metal, with its guitar riffs cutting your skin deep mercilessly. Lastly, in Imperator we’re treated to an amalgamation of heavy styles such as Progressive and Epic Metal spearheaded by Decivs’ fulminating drums, while Fabivs, Nerva and Cornelivs are in absolute sync with their stringed weapons, putting a beautiful and climatic ending to the album.

In a nutshell, Rise of the Empire, available for a full listen on Spotify and on sale from several locations such as ADE’s own BandCamp and Big Cartel (in digipack format or as a special pack containing the digipack CD plus an exclusive T-shirt), the Rockshots Records’ webstore, Apple Music and Amazon, is an excellent choice for fans of extreme music that also enjoy a good story behind all the devastation being blasted from the guitars, bass and drums, positioning ADE as one of the most interesting names of the current underground scene in Italy (needless to say, you should start following them on Facebook for news, tour dates and other awesome shenanigans) and, more important than that, keeping the flames of the always grandiose Roman Empire alive through their thrilling and technical music. They came, they saw, and they conquered, no doubt about that.

Best moments of the album: Empire, Once the Die Is Cast and Veni Vidi Vici.

Worst moments of the album: Gold Roots of War.

Released in 2019 Extreme Metal Music/Rockshots Records

Track listing
1. Forge the Myth 1:28
2. Empire 4:25
3. The Gallic Hourglass 3:42
4. Chains of Alesia 3:33
5. Once the Die Is Cast 4:48
6. Gold Roots of War 3:14
7. Ptolemy Has to Fall 5:07
8. Suppress the Riot 4:22
9. Veni Vidi Vici 4:31
10. The Blithe Ignorance 5:14
11. Imperator 3:28

Band members
Diocletianvs – vocals
Fabivs – guitars
Nerva – guitars
Cornelivs – bass
Decivs – drums

Concert Review – Primal Fear & Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody (The Mod Club, Toronto, ON, 06/01/2016)

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In metal we trust, for metal we live. And last night in Toronto was just another beautiful attestation of all that passion for heavy music, courtesy of the indomitable Primal Fear and the epic Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody.

OPENING ACT: Vesperia

NorthAmerica-PFLTR-TourLet me start this review by thanking Mother Nature for being so amazing to all Torontonians since the end of winter, providing us some beautiful sunny days, warmer-than-usual temperatures and almost no precipitation. And when the weather is as good as now, there’s nothing better than going out with your friends and loved ones for a beer and some good old Heavy Metal, right? If you’re a true metalhead, a true lover of old school Power Metal, last night was the perfect occasion for that to the sound of three excellent heavy bands at the cozy The Mod Club, starting with Canadian Epic/Progressive Death Metal band VESPERIA.

IMG_1344Promoting their latest installment, their 2015 EP entitled The Iron Tempests, which by the way helped them win the 2015 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada (and consequently play at the biggest metal festival on earth the same year), this talented quartet showcased all their refined abilities with their instruments during their entire performance, with this demolishing and intricate uproar made in Canada being masterfully led by lead singer and bassist Morgan Rider. Unfortunately I do not have the setlist for their presentation (I know they played songs like Iron Saga and In the Hall of the Mountain King), but I can assure you each and every song sounded just amazing on stage. If you’re searching for a new band that offers complex passages, blazing riffs and an endless amount of stamina in their music, Vesperia might be exactly what you’ve been craving for.

Band members
Morgan Rider – vocals, bass
Frankie Caracci – lead guitars
Casey Elliott – guitars
Dylan Gowan – drums

PRIMAL FEAR

IMG_1353After Vesperia was over, all the metalheads at the venue had a short break to have another beer or quickly go to the washroom before German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR came crushing our ears with their thunderous and metallic music. When you’re a band like Primal Fear, all you have to do to hypnotize the audience right away is kicking off the concert with one of your best compositions to date, and last night not only they did that, but they chose my favorite tune of all to start their setlist, the flammable and thrilling Final Embrace. After that masterpiece, the unstoppable Ralf Scheepers, Mat Sinner & Co. kept firing some of their biggest classics blended with brand new songs from the awesome Rulebreaker, and the reaction of the fans to the new songs couldn’t have been better. Well, you know an album is goddamn amazing when fans really want to listen to new songs on the show, right?

IMG_1370From all new songs played, the ones that drew the most excited screams from the fans and made everyone at the venue raise their fists in the air were Rulebreaker and The End Is Near, not to mention their beautiful performance during the power ballad The Sky Is Burning. In regards to their top-notch metal classics, as a huge fan of the band I must say Angel in Black, Sign of Fear and Metal Is Forever drove the audience crazy while they were being played. Who doesn’t love to scream the words “There is blood there is pain / But my agony is not in vain / Cause there’s life after death / And I’m sure coming back to attack / As an angel in black” together with Ralf and the rest of the band?

IMG_1360The entire band was incredible as usual, with highlights to the explosive performances by Mat and the new drummer Francesco Jovino. Obviously, I don’t need to describe the perfection which Ralf sang all songs of the setlist, nor how guitarists Alex Beyrodt and Tom Naumann blasted some potent riffs and solos throughout the whole concert. The only issue during this entire North American tour was the absence of their third guitarist, Magnus Karlsson, despite having recorded the new album. Three guitarists live would have been awesome, but anyway, it was another exceptional performance by one of the best Power Metal acts in the world (just as good as their 2014 concert in Toronto), and after the encore was over with two more classics, Rollercoaster (another one of their songs I truly love) and Running In The Dust, the German troopers were gone and it was time to set the stage for the last concert of the night. I was expecting Primal Fear to headline the night, but that’s fine, we all got our share of their brilliant Power Metal. There was absolutely nothing to complain about that.

Setlist
Countdown to Insanity/Jaws of Death
Final Embrace
In Metal We Trust
Angel in Black
Rulebreaker
Sign of Fear
The Sky Is Burning
Nuclear Fire
Angels of Mercy
The End Is Near
When Death Comes Knocking
Chainbreaker
Metal Is Forever

Encore:
Rollercoaster
Running In The Dust

Band members
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, backing vocals
Alex Beyrodt – guitars
Tom Naumann – guitars, backing vocals
Francesco Jovino – drums

LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY

IMG_1388It was indeed a huge surprise for me that Italian Epic/Cinematic Metal band LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY was the main attraction of the night. Nothing against them, but I believe Primal Fear are a lot more relevant to the world of heavy music than Luca and his crew, especially after all the countless changes the band has suffered through the years. Honestly, I lost count of how many times the band switched from one name to another, all the band members coming and going, and so on. I don’t know anymore if a song was originally recorded by Rhapsody, by Rhapsody of Fire, by Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody or by any other of those weird ramifications. If you’re a fan of any of those bands (or just a fan of one of them, who knows), please forgive me for my ignorance.

IMG_1386Anyway, what can I say about a band that claims to play “Cinematic Metal”? All fans were able to actually witness the soundtrack to an epic battle movie, one of those fantasy blockbusters full of dragons, knights, princesses and so on. The band itself looks very theatrical (and sometimes even cartoon-ish), and their performance was a lot better than what I was expecting, especially the idiosyncratic moves and facial expressions by the band’s leader, Mr. Luca Turilli. It was fun watching him firing his complex riffs while prancing around the stage with his stylish hair and a Guess T-shirt. Truly unique, I should say.

Although I got lost in time with all the changes that affected the original Rhapsody, it was a pleasure to see the band playing old classics like Unholy Warcry (my favorite of their setlist) and Emerald Sword, whereas at the same time their Game Of Thrones-themed drum solo was a very welcome surprise for all fans. My only complaint about their concert was the excessive usage of pre-recorded sounds used for all orchestrations and choir. I bet when they play at any European festivals that shouldn’t be a problem, but for smaller venues it sometimes sounds like a metal karaoke. That’s not the band’s fault, though, just a minor annoying detail in their decent performance. Now please excuse me, as I have to grab my sword, my shield and get ready for battle.

Setlist
Nova Genesis (Ad Splendorem Angeli Triumphantis)
Knightrider of Doom
Rosenkreuz (The Rose and the Cross)
Land of Immortals
Unholy Warcry
Son of Pain
Prometheus
Drum Solo (Game Of Thrones Theme)
Il Cigno Nero
Guitar Solo
The Pride of the Tyrant
Demonheart
Bass Solo
Dawn of Victory

Encore:
Quantum X
Emerald Sword
Outro

Band members
Alessandro Conti – vocals
Luca Turilli – guitars
Dominique Leurquin – guitars
Patrice Guers – bass
Alex Landenburg – drums