Lady of the Lore

Nuance is not something ordinarily associated with European power metal, especially wherein the Italian scene is concerned, but there were a sizable number of bands during the turn of the millennium that made their contribution to the movement by means other than excessiveness. Case and point, a quintet hailing from Piedmont dubbed Desdemona with a penchant for Shakespearean and Arthurian lyrical pursuits and a sound that doesn't wholly conform to the stereotypical tropes of symphonic bombast, glass-shattering high vocals and inhuman speed that put forth by the likes of Rhapsody (Of Fire), Skylark, Pandæmonium and Kaledon. To be clear, the general sound and demeanor of this band's signature sound is more in line with its nation's scene from a general macro viewpoint, but the elegantly clad she-devil is in the details, and a more careful consideration of this fold and specifically their 2001 debut Lady Of The Lore reveals a sound that is measured, tasteful, and of an epic character in the more traditional sense of the word.

Though not a band that lives and dies by technical flash and flamboyant showmanship alone, this is by no means a group of slouches who have phoned in the style for 57 minutes straight. The most obvious comparison to what is going on here would be that of a slightly progressive, yet more traditional brand of anthem craft, running parallel to the somewhat mixed up formula of Secret Sphere, but also runs along the lines of a more rugged, working class take on the sword and sorcery exhibited by the likes of Domine, Drakkar and Dragonhammer. Basically, this is an album that is gallant and high-browed enough to match the medieval courtly character of Rhapsody's Legendary Tales, but also has a bit more of a riff-centered edge to it and a heavier, more mid-paced character. The keyboards provided by Foca Torchia are employed strategically, generally avoiding a direct competition with the guitars for the most active player in the instrumentation, yet serving to fill out the arrangement and also provide some atmospheric counterpoints to the more driving moments.

But for what this album may lack in outwardly bright and shiny fits of pure auditory saccharine, it fits in perfectly with the generally consonant and lofty sound that one normally associates with an early 2000s offering from its respective country. The songwriting on display is complex and longwinded, rarely clocking in at under six minutes and never less than five, while vocalist Andrea Marchisio of Highlord fame walks a tightrope between being aggressive and soaring the lofty heights, landing in territory similar to Secret Sphere's Roberto Messina and Arthemis' Alessio Garavello. At their most basic, these elements result in a pair of longer than average metallic bangers in "Event Horizon" and "Changing Skin" that wouldn't be out of place on Stratovarius' Episode, albeit the middle of said album's tempo spectrum, while the heroic blend of ideas that results in the massive, 10 minute long story on tape "Lancelot" rests somewhere between a lost chapter of A Time Never Come and something off a concurrent offering out of Thy Majestie.

Generally the best moments of this highly competent yet little known gem rest somewhere between the two aforementioned extremes, being still fairly elaborate, but also a bit more accessible to the average metal consumer. The opening epic "Black Lady" makes its mark by building from a serene introduction to a swift-paced metallic assault that, again, channels a mixture of Stratovarius elements with their own grittier underground sound, with Marchisio often sounding quite similar to Kotipelto. "Shadows Of My Life" and "If I Were Fire" also put forth a brilliant blend of punch speed metal riffing a la Helloween with a gallant, Neo-classical edge courtesy of the keyboard work. Truth be told, apart from the overly sappy ballad "Othello's Crying" (the only overt lyrical venture into the story behind this band's namesake), this album is about as consistently good as they come in this style. For those who enjoy the likes of Derdian, Domine, or pretty much any power metal band that takes a well-rounded approach, one could do a lot worse.

Hey look, another Italian power metal band. Normally this hints at decent, if somewhat generic synths, up-tempo guitars and a testicle pinching vocalist. Yeah that's pretty much this band too, though this vocalist isn't as high as usual, sounding a lot like Timo Kotipelto. There are a number of other changes from the norm that make this band worthy of attention.

The album maintains a static mid-tempo throughout it's entirety, with the obligatory ballad being the sole exception. However, rather than rely on flowery synth leads and meandering guitars, this band opts for a more chugging, almost thrashy, riff oriented style. The standard power metal bridges are still used, but not entirely relied upon like most bands in the genre do. Solos are used tastefully... never entering the realm of excessive wankery, but amusing enough that they aren't boring. The bass guitar has a nice clear tone, and can be heard a fair amount of the time, and when combined with the guitar style, gives this album a pretty old school feel.

While not groundbreaking, inanely technical or stupidly profound lyrically, this band does make for a very enjoyable listen. I suppose if they're not going to do anything new, they should at least do it well. Well, they've managed that. Every song on here is very catchy, and a disctinct lack of filler on the album is truly an impressive feat in itself. There's something charmingly retro feeling about this band, like they don't feel they need to follow the trends, and just went back to the roots of the genre. Well, it works well, keep it up.

In my opinion, this is how a power metal album should sound. If you're a trendwhore that claims to listen to power metal, yet listens to Sonata Arctica and Dragonforce and believes Children of Bodom are "power metal with harsh vocals", avoid this band like the plague. If, however, you actually listen to the genre and remember fondly somewhat older bands like Helloween and Stratovarius, pick this one up.