Label : Ravenheart Music
Review by Tony Cannella
The new album from Italian Gothic metal band Dama is titled “Eirwen”. It is separated into 2 discs. The first one is called “Immaginario” and features 8-songs sung in the bands native Italian. The second disc is called “Imaginary” and includes 7-songs sung in English. This combination makes up, what is collectively titled “Eirwen”. Dama was formed in 2007 and “Eirwen” is their debut album. My first introduction to Dama came on the “Beauty and Brutality” compilation, with their excellent contribution “Rainy Roads”. I am glad to say that exceptional track is included here with a whole lot more solid material. “Immaginario” kicks off with some beautiful piano as the song “Alba” kicks in. The vocals of Barbara Schera Vanoli are just beautiful and words cannot do them justice. Her voice is not too over-the-top or too laid back, it is just right and is a perfect complement to the music. The next track “Regina d’Inverno” has a deliberate pacing to it and a sexy vibe. If you were expecting full-on heaviness from Dama than you will disappointed. Instead what you get is symphonic mid-tempo music with cool musicianship and excellent vocals. The point is more than proven with songs like: “Scatola di Vetro (Oriente)”, “Seta” and “Ombre”. Moving on to the English disc “Imaginary”, Dama continues to move in a direction that evokes a lot of passion, and the music and vocals clearly reflect this. The seven track English disc opens with “Eliot” and whether singing in Italian or English Barbara has a tremendous voice. “Eliot” has almost a pop like feel to it but there are some heavier moments. This track is one that sticks with you after you’ve heard it for the first time, thanks to its catchy melody. The next track is “Breaking Dawn” and I believe this is actually the English version of “Alba”. One of the biggest surprises is Dama’s inclusion of a cover of the Madonna song “Live to Tell”. I’ve never been a huge Madonna fan and this is one of the few songs of hers that I like. There is no doubt that Dama did their version in their own way, and it works, big time. Also it is cool that they went a little bit different with their choice of covers and it turns out to be one of the best covers I’ve heard recently. The beautiful and sorrowful “Rainy Roads” is next and this is one hell of a track. It is mostly a ballad, but there are symphonic elements and heavier moments. I don’t know what it is about this song but it has a sad, melancholic vibe to it. The next track “Lost” picks up the tempo and energy whilst the closer “Scarlet Thoughts in Room” features Barbara accompanied only by a piano and wistfully “Eirwen” to its conclusion. “Eirwen” is an album that will take you in many different directions, and bring out many different emotions with their songs. Maybe Dama is not the heaviest band you will ever hear, in fact I don’t find them all that heavy (in a musical sense) at all, but I couldn’t help but be impressed with the writing, pacing of the songs and most of all the vocals of Barbara Schera Vanoli, but the rest of the band is to be commended as well. With “Eirwen” Dama has released a damn fine debut.
Rating – 93/100
Tracklist
Disc 1 – “Immaginario”
- Alba
- Regina d’Inverno
- Scatola di Vetro (Oriente)
- Aprile
- Seta
- Lei
- Ombre
- Oltre Eclisse
Disc 2 – “Imaginary”
- Eliot
- Breaking Dawn
- Your Winter
- Live to Tell
- Rainy Roads
- Lost
- Scarlet Thoughts in Room
Line Up
- Barbara Schera Vanoli – Vocals
- Pierfrancesco Tarantino – Drums
- Danilo Di Lorenzo – Keyboards
- Roberto Gelli – Bass
- Cristian Comizzoli – Guitar
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Site