New Era Part 1 (2005)

 





When someone quakes about a need for originality, the reference is usually to something that redefines a genre of music. But for most normal people who realize that this rarely happens and is usually a phenomenon shared by a number of albums, demand for quality usually tends to supersede revolutionary change, though some original ideas are always required even if within an established template. This where the Italian symphonic outfit Derdian falls into things, right square in the middle of a fairly saturated sub-genre of metal, putting out an album that would have been cutting edge 7 or 8 years ago.

The notion of this band being a throwback may not be completely fair given they’ve been around in one form or another since the birth of the genre in 1998, but their studio debut has the disposition of a 2005 release, right when power metal was starting to lose steam and looking for a new direction. Comparisons to early Rhapsody (Of Fire) and Dark Moor are not only warranted, but utterly unavoidable given the blatant similarity in album structure and sound. The heavy presence of keyboard and orchestrations is right out of the “Legendary Tales” playbook, though the somewhat lower fidelity guitar and drum sound hints at something slightly rougher, ergo Dark Moor’s “Shadowland”.

There are two primary strengths that set this band apart from most of what was going on circa 2005, aside from the obviously older stylistic tendencies. The first is the overt catchiness and simplicity of the presentation, particularly on such noteworthy speed monsters as “Eternal Light” and “Screams Of Agony” that play off a familiar set of Neo-classical themes. These songs, while being somewhat derivative, are so well realized and performed that a single listen will compel instant memory retention. The other strength, and one often overlooked by casual observers, is Joe Cagianelli’s powerful yet reserved vocal performance. In many ways he reminds me of a slightly less over-the-top Tobias Sammet, avoiding a ton of high notes the way the latter did during the early days of Edguy, and also steering clear of the over-gravely yell that cropped up later. It fits in perfectly with the strict melodic tenor of the vocal lines, and doesn’t drown out the fancy musicianship going on in the background.

With all the solid things going on here, it is difficult to understand why this band isn’t getting more love, apart maybe from the crowding out effect that goes with the territory. Sure, the Black Sabbath/Dio oriented groove that kicks off Nocturnal Fires has been done to death, but it is done extremely well here and is mixed in with some solid Dark Moor twists. Yes, “Where I Can Fly” sounds remarkably similar to a number of Rhapsody Of Fire ballads during the early 2000s, but that woeful chorus just sticks out regardless every time it is heard. This is a fine flock of technicians with a good sense for songwriting, and it shows from start to finish on this, the first of an ongoing series ironically dubbed “New Era” (ironic in the sense that the music isn’t really new by the standards most will apply to it). But anyone who likes fast paced power metal with sing-along choruses, the occasional harpsichord, and every classical cliché a diehard Malmsteen fan could love should definitely go for this.