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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Ancient Bards - A new Dawn Ending + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.May-30-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2014 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........10 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.ancientbards.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Ancient Bards Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : A new Dawn Ending Label : Limb Music ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Escapism is an enticing medium through which to ║ │
│║ communicate the fine art of power metal, for the ║ │
│║ two are an all too appropriate fit for each ║ │
│║ other. The lofty musical imagery implicit in the ║ │
│║ largely consonant harmonies, informed by a ║ │
│║ mixture of folk, classical and rock music ║ │
│║ influences paints a vivid picture of a place ║ │
│║ where the impossible is very much possible, but ║ │
│║ also far from free of the drama familiar to the ║ │
│║ human experience. This unique world takes on its ║ │
│║ most fantastical form when communicated through ║ │
│║ a symphonic medium, bringing a film score ║ │
│║ character to an already theatrical style, and ║ │
│║ few have a clearer command of this medium than ║ │
│║ the recent up and comers that round out the fold ║ │
│║ of Italy's and LMP's own Ancient Bards. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While this outfit plays a fairly young style of ║ │
│║ power metal, they can be rightly viewed as an ║ │
│║ overt throwback to a time when this particular ║ │
│║ approach was a bit more commonplace, namely the ║ │
│║ hub of the power metal revival from the late 90s ║ │
│║ through about 2003. With their third full length ║ │
│║ opus A New Dawn Ending they have reaffirmed the ║ │
│║ high speed glory ride character typified in ║ │
│║ Rhapsody Of Fire's Symphony Of Enchanted Lands ║ │
│║ and Fairyland's Of Wars In Osyrhia, keeping true ║ │
│║ to that age old credo of not messing with ║ │
│║ perfection. The only thing that truly separates ║ │
│║ this album from its two predecessors is an even ║ │
│║ greater degree of grace, beauty, and riveting ║ │
│║ melodies. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For those unfamiliar with this band's craft at ║ │
│║ this juncture, the presentation places a heavy ║ │
│║ emphasis on speed, virtuosic instrumental ║ │
│║ performances, but also a very clear sense of ║ │
│║ structure and symmetrical songwriting that is ║ │
│║ easy to grasp. This approach comes in a variety ║ │
│║ of lengths from one package to the next, though ║ │
│║ they really shine the brightest in their version ║ │
│║ of a mid-length song, usually falling somewhere ║ │
│║ between five and eight minutes long, where their ║ │
│║ catchy melodies make just enough time for this ║ │
│║ band's various soloists to steal the show for a ║ │
│║ minute or two without getting overly adventurous ║ │
│║ in all instrumental territory. Curiously enough, ║ │
│║ in contrast to many of their professed ║ │
│║ influences, their strongest soloist proves to be ║ │
│║ bassist Martino Garattoni, who rivals Joey ║ │
│║ Demaio and John Myung with his fret tapping ║ │
│║ happy chops, though the lead guitarist and ║ │
│║ keyboardist also do a seminal job at emulating a ║ │
│║ Turilli vs. Staropoli exchange. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Typically a band of this sort requires a ║ │
│║ commanding lead vocal personality in order to ║ │
│║ hold all the moving parts together, and a truly ║ │
│║ masterful presence is accomplished yet again by ║ │
│║ Sara Squadrani. Capable of both a crooning ║ │
│║ lullaby character and a triumphant operatic ║ │
│║ soprano, she presents a sound not all that far ║ │
│║ from the likes of Simone Simmons or Sharon Den ║ │
│║ Adel, but her presence amid a band that's far ║ │
│║ more fast and aggressive than the typical Gothic ║ │
│║ tinged outfit makes for a truly unique flavor ║ │
│║ that truly stands out. While song for song this ║ │
│║ album tends to thrive in shorter territory, the ║ │
│║ two massive epic compositions ôShowdownö and ôA ║ │
│║ New Dawn Endingö see Sara at her best, ║ │
│║ recounting the conceptual lyrical content with a ║ │
│║ performance genuine enough to pass for a literal ║ │
│║ first person account, though additional props ║ │
│║ should be given for her brilliant duet with ║ │
│║ Fabio Lione on ôThe Last Resortö, which ║ │
│║ ironically presents a slightly more groove ║ │
│║ oriented character of song than what has been ║ │
│║ heard out of this outfit before, yet works just ║ │
│║ as well as their traditional speed fests. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There isn't a dull moment to be had with this ║ │
│║ album, just as was the case a few years prior ║ │
│║ when both The Alliance Of The Kings and Soulless ║ │
│║ Child first put Ancient Bards on the map as a ║ │
│║ new, formidable force in a style that was seeing ║ │
│║ some decline given the long absence of Elise ║ │
│║ Martin from the scene and a series of long ║ │
│║ studio respites by Kerion, Rhapsody Of Fire and ║ │
│║ Fairyland. It's still a bit early in the year ║ │
│║ but this truly has the potential to walk away ║ │
│║ with best album of 2014 according to the author ║ │
│║ of this review. To all the Tolkien and D&D ║ │
│║ obsessed metal heads out there, come all ye to ║ │
│║ with sword and shield in hand, and let us quest ║ │
│║ once again. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Sara Squadrani - Vocals ║ │
│║ Martino Garattoni - Bass ║ │
│║ Daniele Mazza - Keyboards ║ │
│║ Claudio Pietronik - Guitars ║ │
│║ Federico Gatti - Drums ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Before The Storm [01:38] │
│ 02 - A Greater Purpose [07:55] │
│ 03 - Flaming Heart [06:51] │
│ 04 - Across This Life [04:31] │
│ 05 - In My Arms [05:26] │
│ 06 - The Last Resort (Feat. Fabio Lione) [06:07] │
│ 07 - Showdown [12:49] │
│ 08 - In The End [05:11] │
│ 09 - Spiriti Liberi [04:49] │
│ 10 - A New Dawn Ending [16:38] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [71:55 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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│ │
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