Heraldry - Shadows Of Ancient Skies
Northwind Records
Melodic Power / Speed / Progressive Metal
8 songs (61'26)
Release year: 2002
Northwind
Reviewed by Marty
Surprise of the month
Shadows Of Ancient Skies marks the debut full length album for this Italian band. Heraldry released it's first demo recording, The Fortune Teller in 1996. Next was a CD single for the song Heraldry in 1999, which also contained the tracks Dream Fighter and Last Warrior's Cry and got very positive reviews from the European metal press. All three tracks are included here on this album, completely re-recorded and featuring their newest vocalist Davis Mastrontario. Rounding out the line-up are Antonio Machera, guitar, Enzo Ferlazzo, guitar, Michele Garolla, keyboards and Fabrizio Machera, drums.

Fans of the speedy melodic and orchestrated style of bands like Angra and Rhapsody will most certainly enjoy this band. Their music is very much like the aforementioned bands with the use of epic orchestrated styles, wonderful, warm vocal harmonies and speedy guitar riffs. Vocalist Davis Mastrontario uses a delivery style that really reminds one of the Andre Matos era of Angra. He has a great voice and even though this is the third vocalist they've had thus far, they can be rest assured that they made the right choice in bringing him into the band. His voice soars over the powerful and majestic sounds that this band produces and is a perfect for what this band is trying to achieve.

Dream Fighter kicks this album into gear quite nicely with a very Angra-like track in it's speedy riff driven style and vocals. The band mixes in some progressive styles with pipe organ and synthesizer leads that intertwine with wild guitar leads. Afterglow has the epic Hollywood metal orchestrations that are so typical of Rhapsody but overall is a great and slowly building Power Metal song with some great galloping guitar riffs. As well as the Angra style (again) with the vocals, Davis even has a bit of a Geoff Tate (Queensryche) flavor to his voice on this one. There's a nice switch to a softer acoustic guitar melody with vocals mid song and features some very expressive guitar leads that really have a Ritchie Blackmore style to them. Last Warrior's Cry shows the band at it's finest. It's a nine minute epic that begins with acoustic guitar and voice, slowly building into a great melodic metal song with an amazing and very catchy chorus. Excellent orchestrations, warm keyboard fills and lots of changes and instrumental passages highlight this track and it's one that you're sure to remember upon first listening to this album. An edited version ( I assume a radio edit) is included as well as the final track.

This album really grows on you with each listen and it's quite apparent that this band is way above average as far as what's coming out from the newer bands in this already over-saturated genre of metal. Clever, catchy songwriting and a great overall sound is an asset that some other new bands could only wish for. It's interesting to note that this band was formed in 1995 to do covers of Iron Maiden and Helloween. I definitely hear Andi Deris influences with the vocals and the track The Fortune Teller uses an opening riff which is very similar to the beginning of Maiden's Ghengis Khan and mid-song, comes close to parts of Flash Of The Blade from the Powerslave album. The production could be better as far as the drum sound and the overall album needs a little more punch and energy to the production. In the end, the band comes out sounding too soft for the kind of music they play. One aspect of the band that I feel needs addressing is their sometimes over-use of instrumental breaks and passages in their songs. Most songs are quite long with several between 6 and 8 minutes with a 9 minute and an 11 minute track. On several occasions, the band seems to get lost in these passages and they do very little to help the song. Some of the flashy wankering gets boring after a while and really isn't necessary. The tracks stand up all by themselves quite nicely without all this.

A great start and a very good debut for this Italian band. If you like the Angra style of metal with a bit more of an orchestrated sound and greater use of keyboards, you will surely like this band. Fine-tuning their songwriting skills and axing the excessive instrumental breaks is all it will take for Heraldry to achieve their full potential.

Killing Songs :
Dream Fighter, Afterglow and Last Warrior's Cry
Marty quoted 78 / 100
0 readers voted
Average:
 0
You did not vote yet.
Vote now

There are no replies yet to this review
Be the first one to post a reply!