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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Concerto Moon - Ouroboros + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2019-12-30 Encoder......LAME 64bits version ║ │
│║ Genre.....Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2019 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url..http://www.concerto-moon.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Concerto Moon ║ │
│║ Album : Ouroboros ║ │
│║ Label : Walkure Records ║ │
│║ Cat.No : WLKR-040 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Heavy Metal is assuredly a global phenomenon. Because of ║ │
│║ this, sometimes bands fall through the cracks despite being ║ │
│║ a dedicated fan for several decades. Such is the case ║ │
│║ personally for the subject of this review, CONCERTO MOON. ║ │
│║ Some twenty-three years ago, the band was formed by ║ │
│║ guitarist Norifumi Shima in Japan. In all that time, the ║ │
│║ band released a whopping fourteen previous full-lengths ║ │
│║ firmly establishing their legacy as they penned some raging ║ │
│║ classic Heavy Metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ CONCERTO MOON has been classified as Power Metal, but after ║ │
│║ diving deep into their material, this seems to be an ║ │
│║ unfortunate misnomer. Power Metal implies an omnipresent ║ │
│║ influence of bands like MANOWAR, HELLOWEEN, and RIOT. This ║ │
│║ could certainly be debated at length by Metal nerds like ║ │
│║ yours truly and many reading this, but CONCERTO MOON are ║ │
│║ devoid of any sign of the hammer and definitely do not hold ║ │
│║ the seven keys. Instead, the band has a sound strongly û ║ │
│║ immensely, in fact, shaped by a devotion to the early ║ │
│║ material of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. While that legendÆs ║ │
│║ contribution to Heavy Metal in general helped influence ║ │
│║ that sub-genre, his music in and of itself is more properly ║ │
│║ classified as classic Heavy Metal or specifically, ║ │
│║ Neoclassical Heavy Metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ CONCERTO MOON is led by a prodigiously talented shredder as ║ │
│║ previously mentioned, one Norifumi Shima. The one constant ║ │
│║ member during the bandÆs lengthy career, Shima has taken ║ │
│║ the unleashed fury of YNGWIE (anyone else remember that ║ │
│║ video?!?) and molded the bandÆs sound around the BACH and ║ │
│║ PAGANINI-influenced style. YNGWIEÆs influence is so ║ │
│║ prominent, in fact, that there is also a profound summoning ║ │
│║ of Richie BlackmoreÆs classic work in DEEP PURPLE and ║ │
│║ RAINBOW as well. Without Blackmore (and JIMI HENDRIX as ║ │
│║ well), there would be no YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. The ║ │
│║ instrumentation found on ôOuroborosö also reflects this ║ │
│║ 1970s influence, particularly a strong shade of the great ║ │
│║ Jon Lord which can be heard with the extensive use of ║ │
│║ powerfully blaring Hammond organ sounds. One is taken back ║ │
│║ to the legendary formative years of the genre as the ║ │
│║ organ/keyboard often doubles ShimaÆs leads, expands the ║ │
│║ chordal ideas, and launches into its own thick legato ║ │
│║ flurry of expertly-placed notes. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ A closer look at ShimaÆs sound and style must be taken to ║ │
│║ give the band its proper credit. Propelled by an ║ │
│║ astonishingly organic tone, his is an honest sound. Cast ║ │
│║ aside are the racks upon racks of studio gear in favor of a ║ │
│║ no-frills sound of a guitar plugged straight into a ║ │
│║ Marshall stack. If there is extensive use of effects, then ║ │
│║ it is a truly convincing affair for the sound is ║ │
│║ transparent and clear. The tone is raw, thick with ║ │
│║ mid-range, a muscle-bound reflection of his blistering ║ │
│║ Heavy Metal. The man holds court throughout the record ║ │
│║ with tight control of his output. Every note counts as ║ │
│║ much as the next and the articulation is formidable. An ║ │
│║ excellent example of his fluidity would be his work ║ │
│║ throughout the seventh track, ôRun to the Skyö as well as ║ │
│║ ôFrom Father to Son,ö the track that follows, a personal ║ │
│║ favorite in which one can even hear a bit of Jake E. LeeÆs ║ │
│║ influence in the furious double-picking of the main riff. ║ │
│║ Between the fierce picking attack, supreme chord selection, ║ │
│║ and unbridled expressionistic soloing, Shima qualifies as a ║ │
│║ most legitimate guitar hero for the ages. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Throughout the album, the songwriting is strong. Do not be ║ │
│║ mistaken by thinking this is just another ║ │
│║ shredder-spotlight album. From the first track, ôChange My ║ │
│║ Heart,ö with its fist-pumping fury to the mid-paced ║ │
│║ Neoclassical ballad, ôHoly Child,ö the fourth track, there ║ │
│║ is a genuine dedicated priority given to quality ║ │
│║ songwriting. ôAlone in Paradise,ö the fifth track, ║ │
│║ features some devastating double bass, and is the one track ║ │
│║ that does indeed favor a shade of Power Metal. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The only weak link in the band is the singer. His vocals ║ │
│║ are certainly not nails on a chalkboard, but with such a ║ │
│║ criminally talented instrumental section, one would expect ║ │
│║ a lead singer that truly stands out. Simply put, he is ║ │
│║ more Graham Bonnet than Joe Lynn Turner. Overall, though, ║ │
│║ this is an excellent Heavy Metal record that checks off so ║ │
│║ very many essential boxes that one slightly weaker link ║ │
│║ does not seem to really matter. That disparity could also ║ │
│║ be chalked up to personal taste. Do not snooze on this ║ │
│║ album for it is a triumphant compendium of polished Heavy ║ │
│║ Metal glory! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Lineup: ║ │
│║ Norifumi Shima û Guitar ║ │
│║ Shigeharu Nakayasu - Bass ║ │
│║ Atsushi Kawatsuka - Drums ║ │
│║ Ryo Miyake û Keyboards ║ │
│║ Watashi Haga û Vocals ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. Change My Heart 7:21 │
│ 2. Dream Chaser 4:52 │
│ 3. Surrender 5:27 │
│ 4. Holy Child 7:14 │
│ 5. Alone In Paradise 4:39 │
│ 6. Fight To The Death 5:58 │
│ 7. Run To The Sky 6:09 │
│ 8. From Father To Son 5:46 │
│ 9. Into The Fire 7:27 │
│ 10. It┤s Not Over 5:12 │
│ 11. Take You To The Moon 4:41 │
│ 12. Concerto Moon (Bonus Track) 5:29 │
│ │
│ │
│ Total Length : 01:10:15 │
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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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