From High Above
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The frontman and bassist Markus Fortunato has a long history in the area of metal music, and this 4th album welcomes Sly Tale, Seb Vallée and Alex Faccinetto for the heavy, progressive and symphonic 10 tracks.
“After The War” opens the listen with Fortunato’s soaring voice amid the thundering drums from Tale and the swirling guitars of the hard hitting yet melodic textures, and “Evil Machine” follows with a swift and booming presence of flowing sounds that might bring to mind Iron Maiden.
The middle spot belongs to “Until My Last Breath”, where Faccinetto and Vallée’s meticulous guitars help the tune alternate between calm and dense moments, while “If You Die” showcases the dynamic rhythm section that welcomes a theatrical presence.
Near the end, the gritty yet tuneful “Storms May Come” is the album’s best, and “Moment Of Weakness” exits the listen with the most symphonic piece, that’s so uniquely detailed and layered with precision.
A very distinct listen that embrace neo-classical ideas and is never short on power, Fortunato and company make great use of melody and an impressive vocal range for the dense body of work.
Travels well with: Overhead- Telepathic Minds; Fearful Symmetry- The Difficult Second