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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Arrayan Path - IV: Stigmata + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Jul-14-2013 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2013 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... n/a ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Arrayan Path Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : IV: Stigmata Label : Pitch Black ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ 2013 has been a very productive year for the ║ │
│║ Cypriots Leptos brothers. After the highly ║ │
│║ acclaimed Power Metal album "Dark Gorgon Rising" ║ │
│║ with ASTRONOMIKON comes the fourth record with ║ │
│║ ARRAYAN PATH (former ARRYAN PATH) ôIV: ║ │
│║ Stigmataö. Successor to the opus ôIra Imperiumö ║ │
│║ (with the epic "Fall of Mardonius" being a fav ║ │
│║ in my playlists - though at some point I ║ │
│║ realized a strong reference to IRON MAIDEN's ║ │
│║ "Transylvania" in the chorus) it is put to the ║ │
│║ challenge of keeping up with a sequence of high ║ │
│║ quality releases. This time the band opted for a ║ │
│║ lyrically aligned story with Christian ║ │
│║ thaumatology heavily based on the Old Testament. ║ │
│║ ôIV: Stigmataö unfolds in twelve songs beginning ║ │
│║ with "Clepsydra" (Hourglass). From the beginning ║ │
│║ the intentions of the band are crystal clear. ║ │
│║ Galloping riffs, intense double bass drumming, ║ │
│║ majestic orchestrations and epic stick-in-your- ║ │
│║ head vocals the way ARRAYAN PATH know to ║ │
│║ deliver. The band unleashes power metal hymns ║ │
│║ one after another and one could easily spot the ║ │
│║ first one in "Midnight and the First Born ║ │
│║ Massacre" that is just ôbloodyö brilliant. It is ║ │
│║ not only the excellent musicianship and the ║ │
│║ aggressive riffs but the extremely catchy and ║ │
│║ memorable vocal lines that utilize partial ║ │
│║ phrase repetition. Indeed there is quite a bunch ║ │
│║ of great songs but the other song that could ║ │
│║ easily be distinguished is "Harbingers of ║ │
│║ Death". With a killer opening bass line, heavy ║ │
│║ riffs and another set of stunning vocals, ║ │
│║ especially in the chorus, it is shining through ║ │
│║ the record. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ARRAYAN PATH use traditionally a lot of eastern ║ │
│║ elements, which are extensively used in ôIV: ║ │
│║ Stigmataö, in songs like ôJudas Iscariotö or ║ │
│║ ôPharaohÆs Wishö. Traditional Power Metal ║ │
│║ elements of the European (closer to the ║ │
│║ Teutonic) branch are also found throughout the ║ │
│║ songs which remind mostly of HELLOWEEN and GAMMA ║ │
│║ RAY but also RHAPSODY. As such the guitar riffs ║ │
│║ use a lot of galloping and the leads have that ║ │
│║ distinct Arabic touch, which is native influence ║ │
│║ since the roots of the band are from an island ║ │
│║ that is neighbor to those nations. The solos are ║ │
│║ exceptional, and one could expect nothing less ║ │
│║ from such a talented guitarist as Socrates ║ │
│║ Leptos. Original member Stefan Dittrich on the ║ │
│║ drums along with Paris Lambrou on the bass form ║ │
│║ a well-oiled battle machine that brings ║ │
│║ onslaught to the battlefield with its precision ║ │
│║ and dynamic presence. The keyboards by George ║ │
│║ Kallis while not being in the front are making ║ │
│║ the songs even more majestic and with the choirs ║ │
│║ are branding ôIV: Stigmataö with the word epic ║ │
│║ in bold capital letters. Last but not least, ║ │
│║ Nicholas Leptos is giving a hell of a ║ │
│║ performance with amazing vocal lines and a ║ │
│║ perfect management of his emotions; other times ║ │
│║ sounding theatrical, other angelic and other ║ │
│║ harsh and aggressive. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Where most musicians would have failed with two ║ │
│║ releases in such a short margin, ARRAYAN PATH ║ │
│║ are just ignoring this, delivering a record that ║ │
│║ has nothing to relate to ASTRONOMIKON and yet ║ │
│║ managing to keep up with the great releases of ║ │
│║ the band. Actually it is way better than ôDark ║ │
│║ Gorgon Risingö or the previous material of the ║ │
│║ band as it more coherent and developed material. ║ │
│║ In fact ôIV: Stigmataö with songs like "Midnight ║ │
│║ and the First Born Massacre", ôJudas Iscariotö ║ │
│║ and "Harbingers of Death" or even the rendition ║ │
│║ of ôMystic Moonö from the bandÆs first demo show ║ │
│║ only one thing; that ARRAYAN PATH evolve and ║ │
│║ become more mature as individuals and as a unit ║ │
│║ and will surprise us even more in the future ║ │
│║ with their talent. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Clepsydra [05:03] │
│ 02 - The Bible Bleeds [04:45] │
│ 03 - Midnight And The First-Born Massacre [05:39] │
│ 04 - Judas Iscariot [05:50] │
│ 05 - Stigmata [06:30] │
│ 06 - Cursed Canaan [04:35] │
│ 07 - Paraoh┤s Wish [04:16] │
│ 08 - Harbingers Of Death [04:14] │
│ 09 - Disguising Your Soul [05:21] │
│ 10 - The Storyteller [06:16] │
│ 11 - Mystic Moon (Bonus Track) [04:54] │
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│ Total Length : [57:23 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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│ │
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