Lies Device

The haunting synths of The Lost Mariner open up Lie's Device, the debut disc of Italy's Kalidia. Kalidia is a female-fronted power metal band. The singer, Nicoletta Rosellini can be heard immediately and she has a powerful voice which is not one bit operatic(which is nice by comparison to many others in the genre). Standard power metal palm muted guitar riffs, a huge melodic chorus, and solid lead guitar playing from Federico Paolini can be heard throughout the song. Another thing that becomes noticeable right away, is keyboardist Nicola Azzola is more than just a background player, with a very nice lead during the opening track. A melodic guitar riff opens up Hiding From The Sun, and the song builds up towards a climax, that is the short but sweet chorus. Heavy keyboard/strings and a solid mid-pace groove make up the song. Dollhouse(Labyrinth of Thoughts) is next, and it took awhile for this song to grow on me(about four or five listens). While not necessary monotone-ish, I wish Rosellini would have opened up her vocal range a little bit during the first verse, being that it sounded a bit nasally. The chorus is definitely a strong point of this song. Another great melodic break/guitar solo mid-song, that really adds a dynamic to the song. Reign Of Kalidia's intro has a very Kamelot feel to it, somewhere between The Fourth Legacy and Epica-era of the band. The rest of the song, is a solid stop and go guitar riff over a mid-paced song that features the range I mentioned of Rosellini.

Harbinger of Serenity brings back the heavy synth/strings intro(the song is a very synth driven), that grows into a mid-paced march. Guest vocalists Andrea Racco, has a very rough but powerful tone to his voice. Speaking of keyboard/synths, the lead intro to Black Magic is my favorite on the entire disc. This is one of the best tracks, and one of the most straight forward out of the ten songs presented on Lie's Device. The ballad Shadows Will Be Gone, really highlights the solid lead guitar playing of Paolini along with the beautiful vocals of Rosellini. The song has a real haunting feeling to it, that is accented by the chorus-laden effects of the guitar in the verses, and Rosellini's delivery. While pretty much standard fare as far as a power metal ballad is considered, it is one that is written very well. Lie's Device is the first video made by the band, and the video is well made for an independent band, and the scenery in the video is breathtaking. The song is definitely up there with The Lost Mariner and Black Magic, as some of the best tracks available. The guitar riff driven beginning of Winged Lords, give way to a more straight ahead mid-paced song, with another majestic chorus. The final track is, In Black And White and is much like the other mid-paced songs featured on Lie's Device. With great lead guitar and keyboard interplay and a strong performance from Rosellini.

Lie's Device is a solid debut and intro to a new Italian melodic power metal band. While the genre has been flooded over the years, I do believe Kalidia have done enough with their debut to separate themselves from the crowd, yet leave the listener waiting for release number two.

Kalidia is:
Nicoletta Rosellini - Vocals
Federico Paolini - Guitar
Nicola Azzola - Keyboards
Roberto Donati - Bass
Gabriele Basile - Drums