...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI.



..::OPIS::..

As time passes, many bands decide to just repeat the formulas of success and keep releasing the same stuff, just with different names. This is where Secret Sphere seems to separate from the traditional italian power metal. The first glimpse was in "A Time Never Come", their previous release. Despite the bombastic style there were a lot of progressive elements mixed in the typical "epic" wave and the lyrical work helped a lot to move away a bit from the fantasy/dragon-themed stuff with a moving and dreamy story.

Here is where Secret Sphere started to turn into a progressive metal band with some of the speed of the typical italian power metal bands. The double bass is still there in most songs, also the keyboards delivering fast and nice melodies. However, the most noticeable change is in the guitars as they play heavier than before and also try to acquire their own style instead of just throwing away some random or generic riffs.

The fantasy is gone and even though the first song starts out with violins that could make you think the opposite, soon the guitars kick in and you forget about any signs of "epicness" or dragons. This is a voyage across several songs involving feelings, emotions, love, society, etc.

By the way, it's not something for everyone's taste. Probably most people may hate the lyrical route Secret Sphere took but, at least in "Scent of Human Desire", it serves its purpose: a series of wonderings and questions about humanity's way of feeling and living. Most of the album flows efficiently (there are some female vocal guests spread across several songs that help ensuring the "emotions-feelings" thing mentioned to be an important part) but it ends too quickly despite the 53 mins length.

Ok, after the flowers and praising let's go to the critics. The album has two flaws. Bad ones to speak truthfully:
1) "Virgin Street 69": I'm not a fan of track-by-track reviews but I pinpoint this song because it's terrible. In the same vein of the "stupid" songs of Helloween or some of the worst or most idiotic songs of Edguy, this is just out of place here and it's sadly in the middle of songs that are way better in all aspects. They included some female "moanings" (supossedly in a attempt to express the lust, orgasms or whatever they were thinking...) but the whole song, lyrics and that stupid sample make this one the weakest song of the album, also lowering the global score.
2) The last track is a deceiver. Ok, why this? I understand that is the second part of the previous song (which implies it's still the epic one) but it doesn't last 8 minutes. Again, as it happens with many bands, they do a song that is 5 mins length, put a minute or two of silence and then kick in with some idiocy as a closer, "hidden track" or some sort of "bonus". Here they feature a retarded tune that reminds me to the beginning of Mr. Sandman but comparing that piece with Blind Guardian is insultive.

Thus, that pair of things are the ones that forced me to lower the score to an album that is fantastic, progressive... and catchy, as these guys like to promote.

Try it. Secret Sphere deserves some credit for their efforts to move away from the stereotyped italian power metal scene.

Observer



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Rain
2. Still Here
3. 1000 Eyes Show
4. More Than Simple Emotions
5. Surrounding
6. Desire
7. Virgin Street 69
8. Runaway Train
9. Scent Of A Woman
10. Life Part 1 - Walking Through The Dawn
11. Life Part 2 - Daylight

Bonus Track:
12. Kings Of Metal (Manowar cover)



..::OBSADA::..

Ramon Messina - Vocals
Antonio Agate - Keyboards
Aldo Lonobile - Lead Guitars
Paolo Gianotti - Guitars
Andrea Buratto - Bass
Luca Cartasegna - Drums




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2vgxajIlr0



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