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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Dark Moor - Project X (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.nov-19-2015 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 10 cd2: 5 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.dark-moor.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Dark Moor Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Project X (Jap. Ed.) Label : Avalon ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Sometimes thereÆs nothing more satisfying than ║ │
│║ that moment where an album finally finally ║ │
│║ connects with you for the first time after ║ │
│║ multiple attempts, when previous reservations ║ │
│║ are put aside and youÆre just swept away by the ║ │
│║ music. I had one of those experiences with ║ │
│║ Project X, the tenth full length album from Dark ║ │
│║ Moor, one of my absolute favorite symphonic ║ │
│║ metal bands at this point. Most previous Dark ║ │
│║ Moor albums managed to impressive me right away, ║ │
│║ with their two most recent efforts Ancestral ║ │
│║ Romance and Ars Musica especially leaving strong ║ │
│║ first impressions, so I was a bit concerned when ║ │
│║ by the end of my first listen, Project X had ║ │
│║ left me scratching my head, wondering what in ║ │
│║ the hell I had just listened to. A couple ║ │
│║ listens later and I was already starting to get ║ │
│║ into it, and then by the end of my sixth listen ║ │
│║ I finally understood what the band was going ║ │
│║ for, and from that point onwards it has become ║ │
│║ one of my favorites by the band. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For longtime Dark Moor fans, their previous ║ │
│║ album Ars Musica may have seemed like a big ║ │
│║ departure from their normal sound, toning down ║ │
│║ the power metal elements which had been dominant ║ │
│║ on their earlier albums and taking the band in a ║ │
│║ much lighter, more dramatic direction with an ║ │
│║ even bigger focus on symphonic elements and ║ │
│║ choirs. I was curious to see whether the band ║ │
│║ would continue with this style or go back to ║ │
│║ their older sound, so I was somewhat caught off ║ │
│║ guard when the brief intro track of Project X ║ │
│║ started off with modern sounding keyboards, and ║ │
│║ the rest of the album only proved to be even ║ │
│║ more surprising, on first listen. I will say it ║ │
│║ right now, to get it out of the way: Power metal ║ │
│║ fans hoping for the neoclassical symphonic power ║ │
│║ metal style of their early days will probably ║ │
│║ want to avoid Project X, as at this point that ║ │
│║ style seems to be a thing of the past and the ║ │
│║ band is clearly moving on to new things. For ║ │
│║ anyone else, though, and especially for fans who ║ │
│║ prefer their epic symphonic arrangements and ║ │
│║ choral sections, the album is a must hear. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ After that rather surprising intro, the first ║ │
│║ full song ôAbductionö is a fun little opener ║ │
│║ that mostly sticks to the bandÆs formula of ║ │
│║ upbeat power metal with symphonic backing and ║ │
│║ choir vocals, and in comparison to the rest of ║ │
│║ the album, it feels like a more modernized take ║ │
│║ on the usual Dark Moor sound, complete with ║ │
│║ cheesy but fun sci-fi lyrical themes, which ║ │
│║ carry on throughout the album. After this point, ║ │
│║ though, the album takes a turn for the weird ║ │
│║ with the super theatrical track ôBeyond the ║ │
│║ Starsö, where the choirs are in full force, and ║ │
│║ along with the piano and symphonic elements, ║ │
│║ they overpower the guitars, making for a much ║ │
│║ lighter track than one would expect so early on ║ │
│║ the album, though the melodies are fantastic and ║ │
│║ Alfred RomeroÆs dramatic vocals work incredibly ║ │
│║ well with the choirs, which have more of a ║ │
│║ gospel choir feel to them than usual. Yeah, you ║ │
│║ read that right: At times the choirs sound like ║ │
│║ theyÆre coming straight from a church and this ║ │
│║ feel is only heightened as the album goes on, ║ │
│║ and is one of the things that initially left me ║ │
│║ feeling confused. This song also serves as a ║ │
│║ great example of where the band is now, as the ║ │
│║ music is constantly driving along at a ║ │
│║ reasonable pace, so much so that calling it slow ║ │
│║ or mid tempo would be wrong, but it certainly ║ │
│║ doesnÆt match the speed or energy of classic ║ │
│║ power metal, either. ItÆs more of a light ║ │
│║ symphonic infused brand of melodic metal, which ║ │
│║ works very well for the band. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The next track ôConspiracy Revealedö is a bit ║ │
│║ faster and the guitar riffs at the beginning ║ │
│║ give it a slight edge, which carries on ║ │
│║ throughout the track. Which brings me to one ║ │
│║ element of the band IÆve always appreciated, ║ │
│║ that is very much a factor on Project X: The ║ │
│║ guitar work of Enrik Garcia. As always, his ║ │
│║ guitars can be very understated, allowing room ║ │
│║ for the keyboards, vocals and symphonic elements ║ │
│║ to be the main elements, but on every track he ║ │
│║ allows himself to shine for brief periods, and ║ │
│║ he does an amazing job of it. Songs like ║ │
│║ ôAbductionö, ôBeyond the Starsö and ôBon Voyageö ║ │
│║ have some fantastic melodies and melodic solos, ║ │
│║ while on ôConspiracy Revealedö andôGabrielö he ║ │
│║ injects a bit energy to the songs with some ║ │
│║ great riffs. The latter in particular starts off ║ │
│║ with the heaviest guitar work on the album, and ║ │
│║ it turns into one of the faster, more power ║ │
│║ metal oriented tracks, as well as one of my ║ │
│║ favorites. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Most tracks have at least occasional heavy ║ │
│║ sections and bursts of speed, but itÆs the ║ │
│║ vocals and symphonic elements that win out most ║ │
│║ of the time. Another personal favorite is ôI ║ │
│║ Want to Believeö, a ballad where the early ║ │
│║ sections allow Alfred to showcase his ever ║ │
│║ improving vocals, and then as the song goes on ║ │
│║ the choirs become more and more central to the ║ │
│║ song, until it turns into something incredibly ║ │
│║ epic and larger than life. Some of the songs ║ │
│║ have a bit of a broadway musical vibe to them at ║ │
│║ times, as well as some Queen influences, where ║ │
│║ everything just gets insanely over the top and ║ │
│║ cheesy, but in delightful ways. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I especially notice this on ôBon Voyageö, which ║ │
│║ starts off as more of a laid back mid tempo ║ │
│║ track, until about halfway through when the ║ │
│║ choirs kick in and it turns into something very ║ │
│║ theatrical and super cheesy. I was initially put ║ │
│║ off by this, but over time IÆve found myself ║ │
│║ blown away by just how impressive the ║ │
│║ arrangements are and just how epic the whole ║ │
│║ thing sounds, in a delightfully cheesy sort of ║ │
│║ way. Likewise, the closing track ôThereÆs ║ │
│║ Something in the Skiesö initially turned me off, ║ │
│║ as after its soft piano driven first half, it ║ │
│║ suddenly takes a turn into musical like ║ │
│║ territory, with an end sequence that may bother ║ │
│║ some people with its rather odd and unexpected ║ │
│║ lyrics, though after several listens the song ║ │
│║ has grown into one of my favorites, even though ║ │
│║ IÆd consider it about as far away from usual ║ │
│║ Dark Moor as they could possibly get, without ║ │
│║ outright trolling their fans. If anything, it ║ │
│║ just shows the band fully willing to evolve and ║ │
│║ take risks, as this track in particular, as well ║ │
│║ as much of the album in general, is certainly ║ │
│║ not something I would have imagined the band ║ │
│║ doing around six years ago when I first heard ║ │
│║ their music, but in some warped kind of way it ║ │
│║ just works. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Even the weird extended intro and outro of ║ │
│║ ôImperial Earthö work, and the itself is another ║ │
│║ excellent mid tempo symphonic track with ║ │
│║ occasional heavy bursts and an extremely awesome ║ │
│║ chorus. The one other song I havenÆt mentioned ║ │
│║ yet is ôThe Existenceö, a super melodic mid ║ │
│║ tempo track that would have fit in great on ôArs ║ │
│║ Musicaö. ItÆs less theatrical than some of the ║ │
│║ other tracks, but itÆs an excellent track and it ║ │
│║ fits in well with the overall modern style Dark ║ │
│║ Moor is going for nowadays. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While I was initially disappointed by Project X ║ │
│║ and its experiments with gospel choirs as well ║ │
│║ as its increased emphasis on a more theatrical ║ │
│║ sound, several listens have left me blown away ║ │
│║ by what the band has pulled off, and if anything ║ │
│║ I now consider it one of my favorite Dark Moor ║ │
│║ albums. Fans of their earlier albums may be in ║ │
│║ for a rude awakening, but fans of symphonic ║ │
│║ metal and melodic metal in general are highly ║ │
│║ recommended to give it at least a few listens, ║ │
│║ as itÆs proven to be by far my biggest grower of ║ │
│║ the year. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Alfred Romero - Vocals ║ │
│║ Enrik Garcφa - Guitars, Orchestral Arrangements ║ │
│║ Roberto Cappa - Drums ║ │
│║ Dani Fernßndez - Bass ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - November 3023 [01:07] │
│ 02 - Abduction [04:43] │
│ 03 - Beyond The Stars [04:58] │
│ 04 - Conspiracy Revealed [03:07] │
│ 05 - I Want To Believe [05:00] │
│ 06 - Bon Voyage! [06:19] │
│ 07 - The Existence [04:07] │
│ 08 - Imperial Earth [04:31] │
│ 09 - Gabriel [04:15] │
│ 10 - There┤s Something In The Skies [08:05] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - In The Heart Of Stone (Bonus Track) [04:40] │
│ 02 - Maid Of Orleans (Bonus Track) [05:03] │
│ 03 - Nevermore (Bonus Track) [04:46] │
│ 04 - A New World (Bonus Track) [05:54] │
│ 05 - Somewhere In Dreams (Bonus Track) [04:51] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [71:26 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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