METHARIA
"Promo
2003" (Self-produced; 2003)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Metharia's 2003 promo CD is an impressive collection of four terrific songs that highlight the band's impressive talents as musicians and songwriters.
Track 1, "Rifelesso," is a power metal song that brings to mind the work of Helloween and Gammy Ray with thunderous guitars and a smooth, progressive base.
Track 2, "Come Un'Oasi," is a soaring ballad that brings to mind the best ballads of The Scorpions.
Track 3, "Destini," starts off with a driving electronic riff and quickly morphs into another strong power metal tune, one that could call any "Matrix" or "Mortal Kombat" home any day.
Track 4, "Il Buio Della Tempesta," is a true epic, with great vocal work by Luca Volani. The guitars on this song remind one of Iron Maiden's more "ballad-like" tunes, but the song itself is bigger without simply being heavier and louder.
Throughout, the production is simply outstanding. This may be a self-produced CD, but you'd never know it. The production is so clear, crisp and well-balanced throughout that this demo would stand up against any professionally-produced CD.
Again, all the lyrics and in the band's native Italian. Depending on your point of view, that can be either a plus or a minus. A plus because it gives the band's music an exoticness and mystery that might otherwise not there. A minus because it's hard to sing along in a language of which you know only a handful of words, most of those from menus.
Bottom line: Metharia's latest demo is more proof that this is an extremely talented and determined band whose music should easily find a successful fan base, especially in Europe.
Metharia: Luca Volani - vocals; Antonio "Neuro"
Turco - guitars, samplers; Mask - guitars; Ferruccio "Kobal" Milanesi
- bass, samplers; Frank Mandolese - drums.
For more information visit http://www.metharia.net/.
"Metharia"
(Self-produced; 2002)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
Metharia, hailing from Italy, sound very much like the Columbus, Ohio-based band Archetype. Metharia's sound is very much a potent blend of power metal and progressive metal with a few traditional metal influences thrown in for good measure.
Metharia weave acoustic guitars, slashing rhythms, pulsating bass lines, and sparse yet effective drumming for a myriad of sounds that bridge many of the differing styles found in the power, progressive, and traditional metal realms. At times beautiful and peaceful and at other times gritty and dark, Metharia find a balance between the extremes and nearly every space and pace in-between. Although there are only 7 tracks running at nearly 40 minutes in length, it seems longer than that (in a good way) due to the patience and epic nature of many of the songs. Metharia are off to a good start in finding their unique voice in the metal realm.
I'd like to tell you about they lyrics, but I can't. Everything is written and sung in Italian. Lucky for me the band forwarded material explaining the concept of the lyrics. Metharia is a Utopian civilization on a distant planet that has a harmonious existence free of war, famine, and other devastating conditions. The people of Metharia send messages of hope and peace to all civilizations in the hope that peace may be the standard for all societies. Now that's a pretty heady concept planted in fantasy, but great material for a metal record.
Metharia's self-titled demo is one of the better and more intriguing demos I've heard in a long time. I'm already anticipating Metharia's newest material.
Some of the material was produced by the team of Roberto Bascetta and Angelo Tedeschi while the remaining material was produced by Maddalena Bellini. Overall the production is adequate to better than adequate for demo; Metharia's material should sound better with a bigger budget and more time in the studio.
Metharia is Luca Volani on vocals, Antonio Turco and Giuseppe on guitars, Gianouca Patti on keyboards, Emilano Cuomo on bass, and PierFrancesco Mandolese on drums.
For more information visit http://www.metharia.net/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2002 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Mar 2024 11:16:01 -0500.
