Alterium: Of War And Flames

With three fifths of the now defunct Kalidia among their number, Alterium announce their arrival with Of War And Flames, an album that finds singer Nicoletta Rosellini, guitarist Paolo Campitelli and drummer Dario Gozzi staying together and adding Draconicon guitarist Alessandro Mammola and Altair bassist Luca Scalabrin to their number. It might be a stretch to call Alterium a supergroup, but at the same time there’s also no doubt that they have the track record to immediately turn heads. With Freedom Call guitarist and singer Lars Rettkowitz producing, recording and mixing this debut, talent certainly isn’t thin on the ground and it shows across a debut that confidently enters the worlds of power and symphonic metal.

Admittedly, in a musical arena that has remained resolutely crowded in recent (and not so recent) years, standing out from the pack is no easy feat and in truth, even with a singer with the soaring voice and engaging presence that Rosellini possesses, I’m not sure that this album is quite packed enough with killer songs to push its way through. The sound across Of War And Flames is suitably bombastic and the guitar solos hit their mark - just check out “Crossroads Inn� for proof. Where things kind of fall down, however, is the failure to have two or three really killer tracks that raise this band above the many other outfits operating within this realm. “Shadowsong� powers along on a snapping snare drum, while “Drag Me To Hell� offers up cool harmony guitars, energetic rhythms and confident, beautiful vocals. However, even as some of the stronger tracks on show, I’m left grasping for something else to hold on to and make me come back for more. Either way, this is still a strong debut and one that suggests bigger, better things may be ahead for Alterium, so let’s class Of War And Flames as an impressive beginning and see how things evolve from here.

Track Listing
1. Drag Me To Hell
2. Siren's Call
3. Of War And Flames
4. Firebringer
5. Crossroads Inn
6. Shadowsong
7. Crystalline
8. Heroine Of The Sea
9. Chasing The Sun
10. Bismarck

Added: September 28th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Alterium online
Hits: 189
Language: english

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