The album foregoes the power metal trope of building up from a short symphonic instrumental piece, instead opting to get going right from the off with Phoenix Rising. The song does open up fairly slowly however, with some cinematic synths and melancholic piano lines - but a muffled spoken word section from one of the Apollo space missions heralds the arrival of the song proper, with a driving Turilli riff instantly introducing this heavier version of Rhapsody. The riffs here are much tougher than Rhapsody fans may be used to, but it really suits the darker progressive metal sound the band are going for. There are quite a few comparisons that can be drawn against bands like Kamelot - and in fact the verse here sounds like something the American band might include on one of their more recent albums. Lione's vocals are deeper and breathier than usual here, which suits the cinematic backing; but as the song explodes into a dramatic chorus he moves up into his usual range to tackle the strong melodies. Rhapsody were always known for being quite cheesy, but this latest incarnation of the band seems to have moved somewhat away from their melodramatic roots. The lyrics here are much more serious and thoughtful, and Turilli's keyboard work (he handles the piano and keyboards throughout) is much more influenced by classical music and modern gothic progressive metal players. Despite the dense sound, the album's opening song is accessible and is a perfect introduction to the sound that will developed throughout the songs to follow. Single D.N.A. (Demon and Angel) is a little more accessible and poppy - with big vocal melodies pushed to the fore, and dancing synths throughout that add a melodic sheen atop Turilli and Leurquin's riffing. There are two guest vocalists on the album, and this song features the first - Elize Ryd (Amaranthe). Ryd's day job with the pop metal act Amaranthe might turn a few heads, but her plentiful guest vocal spots in the past - including with Kamelot - should reassure Rhapsody fans that her voice belongs on the album. Lione still takes the lead vocally, but Ryd adds lots of gorgeous harmonies throughout - as well as taking a few lines for herself. The two singers mix well together, and the chemistry works well. The instantly-memorable chorus is really enhanced by Ryd's presence, who's more straight-ahead vocal delivery acts as a great foil for Lione's typically over-the-top performance. A perfectly-phrased guitar solo from Turilli, that is a million miles away from his usual neo-classical runs, is the icing on the cake. Zero Gravity is up next, which opens up quite slowly with some classical piano runs and wordless female vocals - before Lione takes over and really takes the song forward. This is song that is built to showcase his talents, with the instrumentalists in the band largely taking a backseat here to provide tough rhythms and sweeping orchestral backings for his delivery. Parts of the song are sung slowly and packed full of emotion, but my favourite part is where the song starts to speed up - with Lione spitting out machine gun vocal melodies in an extremely dramatic and operatic way. This is one of moments on the album that genuinely sounds like something that could have come from an old Rhapsody album - but this scene is soon shattered with some really heavy rhythm guitars that kick off the soaring, progressive metal chorus. A brief Eastern-inspired instrumental section sees the song go off in a tangent for a brief period, before another expansive, almost David Gilmour-esque guitar solo from Turilli reestablishes his brilliance for anyone who had forgotten.
Fast Radio Burst opens with more of the audio from the space mission, before a melodic guitar lead kicks in - along with a wall of electronics to add some additional melody. This is quite a schizophrenic piece, with slower sections which see Lione largely backed by just piano and strings; before heavy sections kick in with some frenetic Holzwarth drumming and a pseudo-industrial wall of sound. It is unlike anything heard on a Rhapsody album previously, and shows of Turilli's mindset as a songwriter has changed over the past few years. It fits in with this modern version of the band however, and a melodic guitar lead or vocal line is never too far away despite some rather abrasive, cold-sounding synths. Leurquin and Simone Mularoni (DGM; Empyrios), who also contributes additional rhythm guitars throughout the album, share the soloing duties here - and their efforts are suitably chaotic to fit in with the changeable and strange nature of the song. Decoding the Multiverse opens once again with some slow piano melodies, but this is short-lived as the piece soon explodes into a fast-paced power metal romp that also recalls Kamelot's more recent albums. Lione of course filled in as the lead vocalist for Kamelot for a short while back in 2011, and it seems that period of his career has influenced this album somewhat. The tough guitar rhythms that drive the song are pure Kamelot, with the synths and orchestrations that back them adding some pure and hooky melodies. Moments of the song are faster then your average Kamelot song however, with the chorus retaining some of the classic Rhapsody tropes - with Lione really hamming it up to deliver a stunning performance. While this is cleary Turilli's album, as he has written the entire thing along with handling the main guitar parts as well as all the keyboards, Lione turns in something of a career-best performance throughout. He only seems to get better with age, and his chorus vocals here are some of the best on the album. He manages to make the wordiest of lyrics seem catchy and memorable, and that is certainly no mean feat! Not to be outdone however, Turilli then lays down a beast of an instrumental section - pitting his guitars and keyboards against each other. I think the keyboards might actually win this time, with a shredded power metal keyboard solo really standing out. The short instrumental piece Origins showcases Turilli's current love of gothic orchestrations and cinematic synths, before the album steams ahead with Multidimensional - another heavier piece with crunching mid-paced rhythms and some tight guitar/keyboard interplay. The gothic influence is displayed again during the low-key verses, but this is another song that packs a lot into a relatively short space of time. Most of the songs on this album clock in at around the five minute mark, so it is impressive how much variation each piece has. Progressive metal does not always have to feature long, multi-part songs - and Turilli have somehow managed to cram all these ideas into each song, while ensuring that they flow nicely together. This particular song has another excellent chorus, with the choir harmonising well with Lione on some lines - before he explodes out on his own for others to showcase his controlled, smouldering power.
Amata Immortale is the first of two songs on the album to be sung completely in Italian, and it also acts as the album's ballad. Since splitting with Rhapsody of Fire, Turilli has really showcased his abilities and a pianist and keyboard player - but this song takes showcases his abilities in a whole new light. His piano playing here sounds like something that is more likely to be heard at an opera house or classic recital than on a heavy metal album! The man is a true virtuoso, in more ways than one, and his piano rolls and melodies here are breathtaking. It would take a special singer to sing atop this cacophony of sound, but Lione is such a singer. His operatic delivery is used to great effect here, again sounding unlike your average metal singer. The Lione/Turilli combination is a very special one that has been honed over many years, and I wonder if the pair would ever consider trying their hand a full album of classical-style compositions in the future? I have a feeling it would be a very enjoyable listen. The album saves its two lengthier pieces for last, with I Am returning to heavier territory after the previous ballad. The second guest vocalist in the form of Mark Basile (DGM) who adds his grittier voice to the song occasionally which fits in nicely with the tough rhythms present throughout. As is to be expected with this album however, there is a lot going on here - with strange verses that build from piano beginnings towards a floaty-yet-tough section with some spacey guitar leads. It is certainly a unique sound that helps the song to stand out - but it is perhaps the chorus, which sticks to a more typical power metal template, that is the song's best asset. The melodies are extremely strong, with catchy vocal refrains that stick in the brain but do not stray into the cheesy territory that the old Rhapsody so loved to travel through. It is also a song that shows what an influence bands like Queen have had on progressive and power metal acts through the years. The final song, which opens with some pretty dramatic gothic keyboard riffs, is Arcanum (Da Vinci's Enigma) - the second of the two Italian numbers. The song builds from the opening keyboard riffs into a dramatic, expansive piece that sounds like a whole song based around the quirky vocal pre-chorus section from Zero Gravity. Lione takes the lead vocally of course, but the choir here is just as important, and often dominates. There are sections which feature a lot of voices, of which Lione is just one of many, but this helps to help the piece much more epic - which is fitting considering it closes out the album. Wordless female vocals often cut through the mix to add soaring melodies, while the band churn out tough riffs and dense gothic soundscapes. Even compared to many of the songs on the album, there is a lot going on here! Layers upon layers come together nicely to create a modern symphonic power metal piece that feels more like a proper classical composition rather than a song. It ensures that a grand album ends on a grand note, and showcases just what a songwriter Turilli is. Overall, Zero Gravity (Evolution and Rebirth) is an excellent release, and is possibly the best Rhapsody-related album for some time. The Lione/Turilli combination is as strong as it ever has been, and I hope these five stick together for a while as I would love to hear more where this came from.
The album was released on 5th July 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Zero Gravity.
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