| 09.09.2003
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IX Edition - Chiaromonte (PZ) 09. 08. 2003 - Italy
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review by Sara "Shadow Lady" De Vita The public use of these photos is strictly prohibited without written permission |
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This
has been the first time I took part into the historical metal fest
“Agglutination”, now at its IX edition. As
soon as I get there, the kindness and politeness of Gerardo Cafaro, the
person who in the first time wanted the festival, allowed me to look at
this event not only from a musical point of view, but also from a human
one: the metal world is a positive world made up of involvement and
group spirit. …but
well, after this long talk, in my opinion not sterile at all, let’s
see the true soul of this festival: the show!!! After
an endless waiting for the sound check (2 hours for Virgin Steele and 1
for Labyrinth) the gates open for the metallers crowd gathering in front
of the entrance. They enter in perfect order, with smiling faces and
stares hungry for their beloved bands or, more simply, to discover among
the opening bands some new talent. …
because are these underground gems indeed that make great this festival,
this year being a bit undertone respect to the fans expectations.
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Breaking
the wall of irritation, due to a long await under a record-breaking hot
sun, enter the Hunchback
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The
band passage has been very quick, bringing on the stage a new Italian
underground band, the Requiem
K626
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After
all this Italian metal, enter the stage the Mantra, a band coming
directly from Costa Rica. This
is the last date for their Italian tour, crowned by wide success. A
fascinating sound, capturing the senses and developing a ferocious and
heavy black, advancing by means of the guitars with their powerful riffs
and by an aggressive and penetrating voice. All in all, a very good
black… pure, slow, and stout.
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The
Roman Rosae Crucis follow,
with a rounded and sharp thrash-power style. As
soon as they hit the stage, they suffer the boomerang effect caused by
Mantra, who literarily hushed the audience with their sound, thereby
distracting it from a more melodic and soft performance, such as the one
by Rosae Crucis. But fear not: few seconds and the Italian band gains
ground with pursuing and proposing melodies. The audience heat up thanks
to the fiery athmosphere created by powerful and sharp riffs, giving to
young metallers the charge to light up their souls. A really good
performance for the Rosae Crucis, good hopes for the Italian metal
scene.
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Dreaming
and paced by oniric melodies, the 20 minutes of performance by Marshall,
a metal band from Napoli just returned (from almost two years) to the
stage with a new line up respect to the old Eighties band and preserving
only the leader, the drummer Lino Mazzola, indefatigable sould of drums. Marshall
propose a very personal power-prog, impossible to confront with any
other band, except maybe to the very first Dream Theatre. A melodic yet
ferocious blend, this band pleased the more refined audience. These
neapolitan boys really won at the Agglutination, nonwithstanding the
penality due to the lack of the show time. A compact and stable band
that discharged the more aggressive tensions created by those who played
before them, sliding into a smooth musical flow.
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But
as Marshall go, the Elvenking come
on stage. I
look at them very curious, admitting my ignorance about them; yet I see
the audience waiting for them with eyes wide open, almost as they were
waiting some musical revelation! …and,
as a matter of fact, as the first notes are played, the band lives up to
the expectations!!! Theatrical, with a classic-style sound, they fly on
the notes creating melodies from other times that reinforce a more power
base. The folk soul of this band is the violin player, to who my
compliments go for the overdose of perfection he inoculated to us in the
audience. A long intervention, yet never noious, this one of the
Elvenking, that again allowed the young part of the audience to
appreciate a metal style which still is a bit confined into its own
niche.
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From
the ex-Vanadium vocalist pure adrenalin is spewed forth elating the
audience with a hymn to rock ‘n roll that almost slips into a metal
with hints of the Seventies. A
passionate and passionating sound that again undelines how the new
generation metal still has to learn from the veterans of the stage. Pino
on the stage is a true showman fully capable of involving the audience,
nonwithstanding his musical genre which is usually shunned by the more
young metaller. It
is with displeasure that I notice the failure f many of my colleagues in
noticing the presence of Beholder
at the Agglutination!
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Too
bad for them: Beholder are a strong and valid band, that enriched the
metal scene with innovative and proposing ideas. Very good performance
for them and I have to admit that they surprised me, both in scenic
presence and professionality in as a difficult performance as a live may
be! The audience was enthusiastic and drank heavily at the Beholder
spring to quench their thirst of pure power metal! Leanan Sidhe’s voice has been sublime, to say nothing of Matt Treasure, methodic yet innovative guitarist, whose notes were strenghtened by an exceptional base drumming-bass performed by Andy McKein and Mike Sachs. A very good show indeed. …little
by little the darkness falls and the metal fest becomes in a sense
“esoteric” with the performance of Theatres Des Vampires, a black
simphonic band managing to entertain the audience with a very
professional show, following the teachings of their masters Cradle Of
Filth.
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Sepolchral
sonorities, with vocal enrichments that make the scene of this fest
obscure and damned. I could almost state that Theatres Des Vampires
“drained” their fans’ blood straight from their ears creating
concernment and atmosphere. Provocating in their movence (mainly thanks
to the fascinating and upsetting female vocalist), they mark their
musical credo seeping to the audience cruelty and sharp crudeness
through blasphemous moves, such as burnign a bible or doing marked
sexual things with a wooden crucifix. Maybe an excess in their attitudes,
but in this awaking the fest from an otherwise strange daze. |
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Without
hurry we come to the hot zone of the happening: the headliners are
coming. Labyrinth
come first, a historical band
of the Italian power metal that after a long pause (to gather their
ideas…), come back fiercer than ever!
Their
lead vocalist, immedialty
performs some songs from their latest album remarking, before the start,
those who said that Labyrinth were dead were really wrong and, turning
his back to the audience, invited those malignant to kiss his… well. For
a band not always things go well indeed, and the faith in rebirth is
necessary: a crisis may happen to everyone, isn’t it?. …and
here you have them Labyrinth, performing live their new songs, clearly
stating that they will rise the hill again and come back to their
ancient splendour, giving to Italian metal, once again, prestige and
valiance.
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…TWO
HOURS…two hours of ovation for Virgin Steele! Pure,
epic and solemn; these defenders made in USA granted smooth ballads and
relentless songs in the purest epic style! The more intense and choral
moments have been with Burning Rome, Invictus, Symphony Of Steel e
Kingdom Of Fearless. Defeis, Pursino e Gilchreist have been the true
masters, winning the audience disillusion for the unexpected and
conspicuous absence of Vader! Virgin
Steel rescued the fest with their sound, giving body to a maybe too
varied night that exhibited too many genres sometimes creating confusion.
All in all the concert has been moving for the defenders that came en
masse for their American idols and that sang together with them songs
such as “I Will Come For You” and “Noble Savage”! And
yet the most precious gift Virgin Steele gave to their fans has
been a bit of “Emalaith”…the delirium for the audience!!! So
the Agglutination comes to an end: everyone is enthusiastic, tired but
happy!
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