Arachnes

01.12.2003

Osonzes

Battle To The Victory

Primary Fear

The Warning

Still Waters

Thriller

To Escape Death

Not Fair (prelude)

Not Fair

Tota Pulchra

My Old Refuge

My Son And I

Running In The Labyrinth

Eruption

Scherzo in E Minor

Franco Caruso: all guitars, bass on track 2 - 3- 6- 8-, backing vocals

Enzo Caruso - lead vocals, allkeyboards, hammond. korg synthesizers, piano, harpsicohord

Paolo Giani: bass and backing vocals

Jaco: all drums and timpani

ARACHNES: "Primary Fear" arachnes

In Praise of Science

review by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo____

Symphonic Power-speed and a touch of progressive, with the right solemnity and melody but also with the proper catchiness that makes an album really enjoyable. And above all a lot of deep classical knowledge. The Italian Arachnes are all this and more, cause they are Power heaviness expressed fortunately in a higher musical level, and with some dark chords too. Please let's not think at once about Rhapsody, ok? .

In the deep ocean of a style that , after all, i dislike, it's me the first one to be very glad when i can "see" a talented light. One can appreciate how much valuable is the musical technique and inspiration which have their roots not only in the best expressions of this genre, but also in the historical giants of Rock and Heavy Metal and in classic music too. Cause composers like Chopin , Bach or Mozart are surely not unknown to Arachnes. Primary Fear provide an intelligent symphonic power speed with great riffings, neo-classical feelings, symphonic orchestral frames, involving choirs, progressive influences, and very important: giant rhythmic compression à la Rage and Cage (though musically there are many differences with these 2 bands), heaviness, class and style, lots of great solos and very good vocals, who have a timbre of their own, and are agreeable also in the higher notes which are never exaggerated. Only minus point: paradoxally, maybe there is too much musical engagement and too many hammond ans synths and hapsichord and whatever , that take attention off the great rhythmic. Excellent virtuoso that can be a double edged weapon, hiding a bit the strong and pushing metal engine. Anyway it's the proof of how much musicians Arachnes are. And though they are mainly fully metallic , they will be appreciated anyway also by Hard Rock listeners. Primary Fear is an album that offers a lot . Aggressiveness, dynamism , a certain classical eclecticism, a never invasive but involving orchestral support enriched by the use of modern techniques . Finally, a flawless production completes the picture. oh eh no! we must also list and add some particular preciousness though not very metal: like the track Tota Pulchra (n. 10) , recorded in a church, where a real church organ à la Bach, is absolute protagonist giving a classical and monumental sacred effect .
Osonzes is an impending dark intro with a solemn choir that could be applied also to a symphonic round Black Metal album. It fades into Battle to the Victory that makes us understand that we are dealing , on the contrary, with the opposite style, but what a monumental and uptempo, impressive melodic song! More than an anthem is an hymn without missing any fresh dynamism. Primary Fear the title track has a Heavy steamhammer proceeding united with chord progression , and some slow moments with choirs; the great aggressive lead guitar is supported by a rich instrumental backscape. The Warning delivers another great compression and the intro shows some notes that reminds me of the mythical German Das Boot which fade away in a more typical Power-speed, supported by the usual great rhythmic and passionated feelings. Still Waters is instrumental only and delivers cool melodic striking vibes , with bass vibrations, piano and an harmonious soundscape . The following Thriller, only instrumental as well, has an intro with begins unfortunately with some jazz escapades that soon and fortunately are swallowed by an eclectic galloping metal frame , directed by a very good lead. And here again you can notice the versatility and the richness of instrumentation and ability, supported by many prog passages. And here again you can notice how thin is the borderline between richness in metal and digressing a bit too much.

To Escape Death, one of the tracks i prefer, with a lot of darkness inside has a raw almost groovy and relentless pulse in his mainly mid tempo proceeding, that reminds me of the melodic Helloween of the good times. And lots of virtuosos.

Not Fair divided in long instrumental intro and following track of the same title involves you again in another striking and hammering atmosphere which makes you land directly in the percussive pushing anthemic sung track. Characteristics that can be found in My Old Refuge too.

My Son and I on the contrary is something different , gives shivers yes, but we are out of metal : melodic , clean vocals without too high escapades, it is a romantic , intense ballade full of feelings, those typical continental ones, able to drive crazy half Europe and more, with those melodic long notes that put under pressure the ability of the vocals. You need throat to sing such tracks too. beautiful , belonging more to the sphere of Soft Rock. All fades away gently and with a tear on a sea shore. Well, we , extreme metallers, are anyway seriously affected by a never dying romanticism. Running the Labyrinth is in full line with the characteristics of the album, while the eclectic instrumental cover song Eruption, taken from the prog "Tarkus" by ELP, is something musically valuable, without doubt, but that i couldn't dislike more. Any kind of synth technique is delivered here anyway together with prog experimentations. Scherzo in E minor is another track belonging to the classical knowledge of the band: remembering Bach and his Brandenburg concerts.

rating: 8.8/10

dalia di giacomo

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