Label : Inner Wound Recordings
Review by Tony Cannella
Soulspell is the all-star metal opera brainchild of Brazilian drummer Heleno Vale. The project got off the ground in 2007 with “Soulspell” an album that represented part I in the metal opera. It was soon after followed by Part II called “The Labyrinth of Truths”. Now this all star metal project is back with Part III “Hollow’s Gathering”.
First of all Heleno Vale has done a great job in assembling some hugely talented musicians for “Hollow’s Gathering” as he has on the previous albums. Next are the lyrics. You can check out the story on the official web site, but Heleno has written an incredibly detailed and complex story with each singer/musician playing a part. Third and most important is the songs. “Hollow’s Gathering” had me wanting to listen again and again. The songs are well written and range from pounding classic metal style numbers, prog, ballads, power metal and symphonic metal. Starting with the 9-minute title song, this really is an album that is unrelenting –several singers can be heard on this monstrous opener. There are many highlights within “Hollow’s Gathering” but especially well done is work done by the singers, many times two or three are used in one song and the give-and-take is extraordinary. Some of the singers include Tim “Ripper” Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Michael Vescera (Obsession) and Amanda Somerville who always seems to turn up on these all-star albums – and with good reason, too, she’s damn talented, but all of the singers add their unique talents to the proceedings. Soulspell follows the opener with the more ethereal, atmospheric “A Rescue Into the Storm”. Other highlights include: “To Crawl of to Fly”, “From Hell” and “Whispers Inside of You”.
The all star ‘metal opera’ thing has been done quite a lot in the past few years, so it would be easy to bypass Soulspell as just another one as it disappears into oblivion. If that happens, it’s sad because “Hollow’s Gathering”, with its who’s who of metal talent is an excellent listen and as far as all star projects go this is one of the best I’ve heard – actually this may be THE best metal opera I have heard.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Hollow’s Gathering
- A Rescue Into the Storm
- To Crawl or to Fly
- Anymore
- Adrian’s Call
- Change the Tide
- From Hell
- The Keepers Game
- The Dead Tree
- Whispers Inside You
Line Up
Vocalists
- Amanda Somerville [Avantasia, Trillium]
- Blaze Bayley [ex. Iron Maiden]
- Carlos Zema [ex. Outworld]
- Daísa Munhoz [Vandroya]
- Gui Antonioli
- Iuri Sanson [Hibria]
- Jefferson Albert [Vandroya]
- Leandro Caçoilo [ex. Eterna]
- Lígia Ishitani
- Lucas Martins
- Manuela Saggioro
- Mário Pastore [Pastore]
- Matt Smith [Theocracy]
- Michel Souza
- Michael Vescera [ex. Loudness, Yngwie Malmsteen, Animetal USA]
- Nando Fernandes [ex. Hangar]
- Pedro Campos
- Tito Falaschi [Almah]
- Tim “Ripper” Owens [ex. Judas Priest, Iced Earth]
- Victor Emeka
Musicians
- Cleiton Carvalho – Guitar
- Edu Santos – Drums
- Fábio Laguna – Keyboards
- Fernando Giovannetti – Bass
- Frank Tischer [Avantasia, Edguy] – Piano
- Gabriel Magioni – Keyboards
- Gabriel Viotto – Drums
- Heleno Vale – Drums
- Leandro Erba – Guitar
- Marco Lambert [Vandroya] – Guitar
- Markus Grosskopf – Bass
- Rodolfo Pagotto [Vandroya] – Guitar
- Rollie Feldman [Circle II Circle] – Guitar
- Thiago Amendola – Guitar
- Tito Falaschi [Almah] – Bass