[usr=9 MAX=10]
Just once in a while in the world of music, something quite remarkable and exciting brings itself to my ears. Original and varied, this event should never pass by unnoticed. I feel compelled to share this with the rest of you, as this should not pass you by. Progressive Metal has produced many fine moments but all too often has many a masterpiece failed to gain the attention it deserved. Neverdream have produced one of these events. A double album packed full of variety and energy, backed up with a crisp production, The Circle has arrived and will stamp its mark on Progressive Metal, leaving it stunned and thankful for artists such as this.
I can wax lyrical about this album all day long, but you have probably read countless numbers of reviews, only to be disappointed when you eventually get to hear the album for yourself. Well, here’s the thing guys. Not only can you check out the album for yourself, you can also download the entire album in mp3 format for free, direct from Neverdream’s website. Yes. That’s right. FREE!! Incredible, huh? You can also buy the CD direct from the Neverdream website. If you like the album as much as I do, I would suggest that you support the band by buying the CD after listening to the mp3.
The album has an epic feel to it, as you might expect, because there is also a book to accompany this, The Circle. With, both Italian and English versions, this too can be downloaded for free at the band’s site. Too often, the vocals in Progressive Metal can sound over dramatic or are pitched constantly high. This is not the case with Giorgio Massimi, who manages to deliver the precise pitch and tone where needed. I cannot applaud the vocal performance highly enough. Check it out for yourselves. Add to this the guest appearance from Andy Kuntz on vocals from Vanden Plas and you are beginning to get a sense of just how good this album this. The sound is also invigorated by some delightful vocals and the brilliant saxophone of Fabrizio Dottori. There is a moment in the track ‘Godless’ where the saxophone literally rips through your senses. The guitar work of Giuseppe Marinelli is every bit as technical as all you Prog rockers could hope for, but he manages to keep his own original stamp on his playing, coupled with the ability to retain the feel of his instrument. Superb. Andrea Terzulli on bass and Gabriele Palmieri on drums, provide as tight a rhythm section as you could ever wish to hear. It’s the subtle time signatures that lie beneath the compositions that add to the melodies and technical work of The Circle. After all that, you get the wonderful cascading keyboards of Mauro Neri that fall over you, wave after wave. So the music is great and the songs are strong and always melodic, but what about the production? This album will sound crisp and sharp on any format. Nothing is lost in the mix, and everything is stepped up at the right moment. Hats off to the production team because there is so much going on here, that it is a remarkable feat to get the mix perfect, but make no mistake, that is exactly what they have managed to do here.
Hey, check out The Actor of Blood. I love this track.
We at Vinylization believe in this artist totally, and as is always the case when we believe that something special has arrived, we will promote it endlessly. We hope to be able to sell the CDs shortly ourselves. I have reformatted the book for Gabriele and we hope that we can use this to further promote this fantastic album.
The very last word on this should be with you, the listener. There are no boundaries here. Go on. Check it out for yourself. The links are below.
Pingback: Download Festival 2014
Pingback: Download - Zippo Encore
Pingback: Neverdream - The Circle - Sample and Buy - Vinylization