SYMBOLIC - XENATOPIA

Symbolic are a Progressive metal band from California that is inspired by great groups such as Black Sabbath, Dream Theater, Rush, Judas Priest and many others. Xenatopia is an excelent album in spite of the little interesting rhythm changes and the bass guitar, that can be heard only at the end of "Zealot". The voice of the singer is good but, as many other Progressive singers, it has the problem that after some songs, becomes boring, because of so many high notes. Anyway I appreciated the guitar solos and the careful and complex drums. Very good album.

RATING: 7,5/10
-Dom-

SECRETPATH - WANDERER

Secretpath was born in 2008 due to the guitarist Pierluigi "Aries" Ammirata; since that moment, the band had line-up changes, but they do not get discouraged and continued to work on new material. At the end of 2011 they released their second demo "Wanderer", that compared to the previous work is much more mature and the quality of the sound is almost perfect. A band that (starting from melodic Black Metal) can mix other genres such as Technical Death and Progressive, until reaching the Gothic: it is something truly remarkable; rhythm changes, parts clean with an excellent interpretation and an elevated technique characterize for sure the band. The full and precise drumming supports the sound with the guitar and with a good capacity; the alternation of growl and scream is able to give a destructive touch to the whole. What is presented is a band with an high prestige, the elevated technical capacity and the great sound is one of the strengths of the band. Here is in Italy a band that wants to revolutionize the scene and is able to do it; even if keeping with these standards is really hard, the band has charisma and is able to transmit it.
Chills.

RATING: 8/10
-SADIK- [-Mara-]

AMAZE KNIGHT - THE KEY

This is the Amaze Knight's first album. They're a Prog Metal / Rock band from Turin, formed in 2010. A concept album that describes emotions, thoughts and experiences of a young man who lives in a state of prison by his mind, but he's searching the key to his "mental freedom". The first track, "Imprisoned (shadows past)," is perhaps the most aggressive and unpredictable. As "incipit", an excellent drum fill followed by guitar riffs pressing on one side, and melodic on the other. Already in this first track are remarkable typical elements of prog, the voice influenced by the Queen's style, Dream Theather, Helloween and Symphony X. The next song, "restless soul", has great riffs while being more '"soft", a good and calm refrain with an air voice; that's a song that's characterized by the choice of an absolutely less present keyboard . The name of the third track of the album is "Hartless". That's the "ballad" of the album, and it's a very ambient sound thanks to the presence of strings, violins and piano. The first voice is the guitarist's voice, then recovery from the singer's. Track which ends with a very emotional guitar solo. The last 2 tracks could be combined into a one song, "Liberation (a new day)": 20 minutes of good listening, excellent rhythm guitar, beautiful solos and riffs, perfectly linked by the work of other instruments.  Typical Prog album of high quality: 46 minutes and 58 seconds of quality and impressive Prog.

VOTE: 8/10
-SADIK- [Mara-]