__ __________ ______________________________________________________
\\ \\________//------------------\\___________________________________________________//
..
:: Release Info:
::
:: Artist......> Pathosray
:: Title.......> Pathosray
:: Label.......> Sensory Records
:: Genre.......> Progressive Rock
:: Rip.Date....> 2008-02-01
:: Street.Date.> 2007-00-00
:: Source......> CD
:: Quality.....> VBR / 207 kbps avg / 4410kHz / Joint Stereo
:: Encoder.....> LAME 3.97/V2/VBRNEW
:: Play.Time...> 52:37
:: URL.........>
__ __________ _______________________________________________________
\\ \\________//------------------\\____________________________________________________//
..
:: Track List:
::
:: 1. Free of Doubt 1:24
:: 2. Faded Crystals 8:18
:: 3. Lines To Follow 6:54
:: 4. Scent of Snow 6:48
:: 5. Sorrow Never Dies 5:29
:: 6. The Sad Cafe 9:12
:: 7. In Salicis Umbra 1:39
:: 8. Strange Kind of Energy 5:38
:: 9. Emerald City 7:15
::
::
__ __________ _______________________________________________________
\\ \\________//------------------\\____________________________________________________//
..
:: Release Notes:
::
::
::
:: Italy's Pathosray is in some ways different from other Italian
:: progressive metal bands such as Zen, Khali, and Empty Tremor in that
:: they are significantly heavier in their musical statements. Though
:: they definitely follow a predominantly Dream Theater-defined route,
:: their frequent use of double bass drum onslaught and slightly
:: thrash-inflected guitar work bring to mind early Eldritch, one of
:: Italy's greatest power-thrash combos ever.
::
:: The self-titled debut consists of nine tracks, two of which clock in
:: at less than two minutes. "Free of Doubt" is the album's
:: keyboard-laden intro that segues into the stomping "Faded Crystals",
:: a tune that is relentlessly heavy with corrosive riffing and
:: aggressive vocals which suddenly transform into crystal clear
:: melodies during the chunky chorus. Not for a moment is melody
:: sacrificed for single-minded fury, but vocalist Marco Sandron does
:: know when to reach for heavens and belt out scorching high screams
:: as well as go for ultra-clean statements with creepy whispering or
:: melodic mid-range delivery.
::
:: On the comparatively more challenging "Lines to Follow", for
:: instance, Sandron delivers the verses aggressively in an almost
:: traditional metal sense. However, as the chorus arrives, he opts for
:: a Khan-like multiple harmony-driven style that totally balances the
:: whole piece out. Fabio D'Amore's incessant bass stomp lays the
:: foundation for a thrashy rhythm workout in the finale.
::
:: "Scent of Snow" is the album's catchiest number, and evokes another
:: Sensory Records band, Pantommind. With its extended intro, cool bass
:: work, thunderous drumming, and versatile vocals, it recalls
:: later-day Vanden Plas. Sandron's range of vibrato is frightening,
:: and the chorus is simply infectious. Broken down into a nifty
:: acoustic passage, the song regains pace with the arrival of a very
:: Dream Theater-inspired instrumental section. The slightly
:: Egyptian-scaled guitar work and odd-sounding keyboard work at the
:: end are truly impressive. Provided they continue to hone and develop
:: their sound, Pathosray could become a great prog band in the future.
::
:: Not everything is swathed in melodic song structures on this album,
:: however. And it is this that sets them apart from their
:: contemporaries. Following the one-minute piano ballad "In Salicis
:: Umbra" (the only ballad on the album), the band foray into the most
:: straightforward number "Strange Kind of Energy", which has the
:: potential of gaining them fans of melodic metal and power metal as
:: well. It is a fast-paced track with the occasional spoken vocals and
:: sprinkles of keyboards thrown in. The last track is decidedly more
:: eventful, as it contains yet another melodic chorus backed by
:: wailing guitar work courtesy of Luca Luison.
::
:: The album's centrepiece is "The Sad Game", just shy of the
:: ten-minute mark. Guesting the godly Alessandro Seravalle from Garden
:: Wall on back vocals, this is easily their darkest and most wicked
:: offering. Thrash-imbued guitar work and unorthodox chord
:: progressions in the intro signal drummer Ivan Moni Bidin's deep
:: respect for Garden Wall, arguably the most bizarre and original
:: progressive metal band from Europe. Seravalle's instantly
:: recognisable demonic-sounding vocals contrast that of Sandron's in
:: every possible aspect. Each evil verse is followed by a clean-sung
:: line in a whirlwind of slamming drum and bass battery. Although the
:: Eldritch comparison may be a stretch, Pathosray is perhaps the only
:: other Italian band in this style that can churn out such aggression
:: without diluting melody.
::
:: It is a shame that guitarist Luca Luison has left the band, for his
:: powerful articulation during the brief yet effective sections may
:: not be too easy to replace. The guitar solo on "Sorrow Never Dies",
:: for example, is truly expressive and a rare treat indeed.
::
:: Tommy Hansen's mix is great, but the recording done in Italy is
:: definitely rawer and more in-your-face compared to, say, bands like
:: Circus Maximus, Sun Caged, or Andromeda.
::
:: This is a solid debut album from Pathosray. Hopefully they'll follow
:: it up with an equally great sophomore release soon.
::
::
__ __________ _________________________________________________________________
\\ \\________//--------\\______________________________________________________________//
..
:: Group Notes:
::
:: We are currently looking for dedicated rippers, if you are interested you'll
:: know how to reach us
::
::
::...............................................................................