Derdian New Era Part 3: The Apocalypse
by John Kindred
Staff Writer
Italy’s sextet of musicians returns with the third installment to their continuing opus The New Era Part 3: The Apocalypse. The band was founded in ’98 by guitarist Enrico Pistolese and former drummer Marco Covelli. Shifting from a Thrash Metal cover band to writing original music, they found their niche in the Power Metal genre.
Lineup changes and demo releases finally led to the first chapter of their opus The New Era. After the successful release of The New Era Part 1, Derdian was approached by the record label Magna Carta and were soon signed, releasing The New Era Part 2: War and Gods in ’07.
Comprised of 13 songs, The Apocalypse majestic and mythological story is nothing short of epic in nature. The band continues the explorative musical arrangements, pulling from several genres of metal. The lyrical concepts of The New Era is based on the fictitious world of Derdian; a world of good versus evil, a world of Gods and Men, built around a symphonic blast of sound.
Derdian’s musical palette features Power, Neo-classical and Symphonic Metal. Blending these Metal styles into their musical compositions, Derdian gives weight and credence to the world of fantasy they have created. The music is Gothic and Operatic. Complex musical movements feature tempo changes, melodic vocal melodies and sweeping guitar passages. The rhythm section is powerful and dynamic, while the keyboard, synthesizer and piano melodies build tension and atmosphere into the music.
As dynamic as the music and overall presentation may be, at times, it’s all a bit pompous and over the top. The speed of some of the songs blurs the line between musical and comical. As the Power Metal aspect is pushed, some songs lose their identity within this musical blur of notes. Some of the call and response vocal melodies are lackluster, almost like the campiness of the vocals by the band The Darkness (as heard on “Battleplan”).
The guitars, rhythm and lead, are on par with the bands peers that reside in this genre. Furious and fast-paced riffs, as well as blazing Neo-classical shred solos are a prominent part of the bands compositional make-up. Both guitarists embellish the songs with their dueling interplay.
Derdian close their opus with The New Era Part 3: The Apocalypse, coming out with a album with all guns blazing. As a whole, the album presents songs that smoothly flow from track to track. The production exposes all elements of the bands musical attack. The visual presentation of the album’s artwork helps to further embed the fantasy world of Derdian in your mind. And the music carries you from your world to Derdian.
Web: http://www.myspace.com/derdianmetal
Lineup:
Joe Caggianelli (v)
Enrico Pistolese (g)
Marco Garau (k)
Dario Radaelli (g)
Marco Banfi (b)
Salvatore Giordano (d)
Track Listing:
01. Preludio
02. The Spell
03. Battleplan
04. Black Rose
05. Her Spirit Will Fly Again
06. Dreams
07. Divine Embrace
08. The Prophecy
09. Burn
10. Forevermore
11. Revolt
12. Presagio
13. The Apocalypse
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10