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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Victor Smolski - Two Orchestral Symphonies + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.May-05-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Symphonic Rock Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2013 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 7 cd2: 16 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.victorsmolski.de ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Victor Smolski Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Two Orchestral Symphonies Label : Drakkar ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The Heretic (2000) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For those who don't know Victor Smolski yet, ║ │
│║ he's Rage new guitarist and played in Mind ║ │
│║ Odyssey before. This release is more an ║ │
│║ instrumental guitar demonstration with classical ║ │
│║ background and storyline in English, German and ║ │
│║ even Russian (by V. Smolski himself). For this ║ │
│║ release you have Victor's friends from Rage as ║ │
│║ guests, for lyrical moments where excellent ║ │
│║ vocal presence of both Mike Terrana and Peavy ║ │
│║ Wagner. Classical arrangements were done by ║ │
│║ Victor's father himself. Spoken words comes from ║ │
│║ historic documents except for one track. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The CD cannot really be refered to as a Metal ║ │
│║ piece. It's opressent atmosphere is unique and ║ │
│║ terrorizing at moments. As for Victor's guitars ║ │
│║ moments, they can be amazing and show how much ║ │
│║ the guy is talented, but I knew that already ║ │
│║ Smile, having seen him on gigs with Rage many ║ │
│║ times now ! This is a hell of a guitarist and I ║ │
│║ have no doubts he's one of the best around. This ║ │
│║ album is more atmospheric than everything else ║ │
│║ and even guitar is not that present, at least ║ │
│║ not as much as the classical parts are. So are ║ │
│║ the spoken moments, always scary-ike. The guitar ║ │
│║ is very technical sometimes... perhaps too much, ║ │
│║ somehow I would have prefer more melodic ║ │
│║ moments, like Ronda do for exemple... or even ║ │
│║ some of Satriani's work. Some moments can even ║ │
│║ be boring, the sound of the guitar is going all ║ │
│║ directions and even though I'm sure it serves ║ │
│║ the purpose of the story it's not very nice to ║ │
│║ hear. So basically most of the story is in ║ │
│║ Russian and German, so good luck to understand ║ │
│║ it (fortunately it's in english in the booklet, ║ │
│║ scared ya ?). The last song of the album that ║ │
│║ also bears the name of this release : "The ║ │
│║ Heretic" is way better than the rest and allows ║ │
│║ Victor to integrates perfectly into the ║ │
│║ classical music. Peavy is also singing on this ║ │
│║ one. Terrana evidently takes care of the drums ║ │
│║ parts.s ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In the end the orchestral and atmosphere are ║ │
│║ really nicely done, but doesn't let too much ║ │
│║ space to Victor to show his talent, or not in ║ │
│║ the correct way. You hardly notice it sometimes ║ │
│║ because the classical part is so much in front. ║ │
│║ In the same spirit I prefer Malmsteen Concerto ║ │
│║ album. Anyway, you'd better listen to this one ║ │
│║ first cause it's really more an opera spoken ║ │
│║ piece than anything else, you might or might not ║ │
│║ like it. I personally love some moments from ║ │
│║ "Witch Hammers" and "The Heretic" is really ║ │
│║ excellent ! As for the rest I'm not sure, like I ║ │
│║ said try it first Smile as it's very different ║ │
│║ from Rage or Mind Odyssey, but I would give it ║ │
│║ many points on originality and ambience (might ║ │
│║ be perfect for background atmosphere in Real ║ │
│║ Playing Game sessions). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Majesty & Passion - J. S. Bach (2004) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Wow... - 95% ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This CD is surprisingly good. Unlike his first ║ │
│║ effort, which came across (to me at least) as ║ │
│║ chaotic and mind numbing, on this CD he toned it ║ │
│║ down slightly and made a more organized effort. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I'm not really educated about prog, my prog ║ │
│║ collection amounting to Savatage (and the ║ │
│║ related projects), Dream Theater, Symphony, Pink ║ │
│║ Floyd, Derek Sherinian, Planet X, Ulver, and ║ │
│║ King Crimson. I will say this, though -- Victor ║ │
│║ Smolski can hold his own easily against the ║ │
│║ aforementioned, and this CD is littered with ║ │
│║ technicality and class. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ First and foremost, Mike Terrana is a beast of a ║ │
│║ drummer. He might have a silly mullet, but he's ║ │
│║ a beast of a drummer. Secondly, this is the best ║ │
│║ integration of classical and metal that I've ║ │
│║ ever heard. Jon Oliva's solo project does a ║ │
│║ pretty good job, as does Yngwie and Dark Moor, ║ │
│║ but this blows this out of the water. This is ║ │
│║ more classical than it is metal, but it does ║ │
│║ have its share of mind-blowing guitar solos, ║ │
│║ some clean, some distorted. In fact, some of ║ │
│║ Dragonforce's trademark guitar solo tricks are ║ │
│║ featered prominently in some songs, however, the ║ │
│║ difference is that they are done tastefully and, ║ │
│║ in my humble opinion, better on this CD than any ║ │
│║ half assed DragonForce CD. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If I sound incoherent with this review, this ║ │
│║ stuff is hard to review. The instrumentiation ║ │
│║ seems to be done deliberately to throw you off, ║ │
│║ as it changes greatly, often within seconds. ║ │
│║ However, that doesn't detract from the music, ║ │
│║ which shines through in blinding clarity. ║ │
│║ Recommended to anybody who likes metal and ║ │
│║ classical with emphasis on classical. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1-The Heretic [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - baptism of fire [04:25] │
│ 02 - the testamony [03:37] │
│ 03 - hex of the six strings [07:53] │
│ 04 - the necromancer [04:33] │
│ 05 - witches hammer [07:26] │
│ 06 - the inquisitors dream [03:38] │
│ 07 - the heretic [09:53] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2-Majestic & Passion J.S. Bach [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - majesty & passion [01:44] │
│ 02 - courante [03:39] │
│ 03 - gavotte [03:33] │
│ 04 - forlane [03:33] │
│ 05 - suite 1 - menuet [04:10] │
│ 06 - chapter 3 [03:17] │
│ 07 - bourree [03:08] │
│ 08 - suit 2 - menuet [03:13] │
│ 09 - sarabande [02:19] │
│ 10 - chapter 1 [04:12] │
│ 11 - chapter 2 [04:59] │
│ 12 - chapter 3 [05:34] │
│ 13 - rocker rider (bonus track) [04:13] │
│ 14 - day without your love (bonus track) [03:04] │
│ 15 - destiny (bonus track) [03:06] │
│ 16 - longing (bonus track) [02:20] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [97:29 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
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