Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
A lot of really good bands are coming from Italy these days. Ethereal Faun is another such band. They play an eclectic mixture of power metal, progressive metal with some folk metal elements thrown in for good measure. It is those mix of styles that make their debut CD “The Nightlitany” such a powerful and promising release. Before getting into the music, I shall introduce the band to you all. Their current band line-up looks like this: Marta Pierdomininci (vocals), Marco Parlapiano (lead/rhythm guitars), Lorenzo Marcelloni (lead/rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Francesco Capomagi (bass/backing vocals) and Alessandro Menoni (drums). Okay, now with the intros out of the way, on to the music.The CD opens with the classical flavored intro “The Macabre March”. This is a beautiful piece that really sets things up nicely. It is only about a minute-and-a-half long but it does project a marching vibe as it segues into the powerful opening track, “Suffocating Night”. This is a heavy guitar-driven number that really draws you in right away. Marta‘s vocals are powerful and passionate. A strong first track that sounds like it would be a good set opener. Something to get the crowd moving. It features a great guitar solo as well and some cool sounding male vocals. Next is the more melodic “Archway of Stars”. This is just an outstanding track. Not quite a ballad, but not as heavy as some of the other songs. It keeps a strong, steady pace and it is one my favorite tracks. I really like Marta‘s vocals. She does not employ an operatic style, like so many female fronted bands are doing these days, instead her delivery is in more of a traditional metal vein and that is a refreshing change. That is not to say that she can only sing in that style. She actually has very good range and diversity and she applies it very well to whatever the song calls for. The next song “The Afternoon of a Faun” is really a change of pace and it shows the band can be quite diversified. It is a slower, somewhat folk-ish track that is as pretty as it is different. Absolutely stunning! The band picks up the heaviness and energy once again with the next track “Ambiguous Greeds”. This keeps things moving along nicely. The chorus really grooves and is catchy-as-hell. The 8-minute “Dewforged Fairy” brings this CD to an epic conclusion. I mean, this song is just so huge and bombastic that it is a fitting way to end things. “The Nightlitany” features 6-songs and 30-minutes worth of high quality metal from an up-and-coming Italian band. Musically, at times the band reminds me a bit of Gamma Ray and Kai Hansen era Helloween. The addition of male grunt vocals on several of the songs is a nice touch. It definitely only enhances the songs. The packaging of this CD should also be mentioned. It comes with lyrics, cool artwork and a great layout. The band should be commended. I am very happy that this CD came my way. Anyone who just loves metal should give this band a chance. After listening to “The Nightlitany” they certainly deserve it.
Rating – 90/100
Tracklist
- The Macabre March
- Suffocating Night
- Archway of Stars
- The Afternoon of a Faun
- Ambiguous Greeds
- Dewforged Fairy
Line Up
- Marta Pierdominici – Vocals
- Marco Parlapiano – Lead & Rhythm Guitar
- Lorenzo Marcelloni – Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Growl & Backing vocals
- Francesco Capomagi – Bass Guitar & Backing vocals
- Alessandro Manoni – Drums
Links