I wouldn't say that this
amazing duo's debut album came as a complete surprise. I did receive updates on
it's progress now and then. Yet 'Dawn Of Ages' caught me somewhat
unawares simply because I didn't pay enough attention to Messieurs Arduini and
Balich's proceedings. No harm done though because the album is finally here and
what an amazing recording it is. The brainchild of former Fates Warning/Freedoms
Reign guitarist Victor Arduini as he was searching for more freedom to write
and record what he really wants to. After bringing in Chris Judge from Freedoms
Reign to lay down the drum tracks, the mighty Brian Balich from Argus on vocals
entered the fray. And Arduini / Balich as we know it was born.
I love it when a new band
takes conventionality and throws it out the window. Not following any
genre-specific guidelines but instead doing exactly what they want, gives so
much freedom and room to breathe. And that’s precisely what Arduini/Balich
does. They are not reinventing the wheel per se, many of their influences are
present. What they do is throw caution to the wind and play what they want and
how they want to. I mean, 4 of the songs on ‘Dawn
Of Ages’ are between 10 and 18 minutes which is daring at any time, no less
on a debut. However, the music is so captivating, well-written and
well-performed that I am lost in it immediately and even though it clocks in at
almost 63 minutes, the album is over in no time.
What’s on offer here is a
trip down memory lane for me. Why? Well Arduini/Balich bring to life a lot of
the music I grew up listening to for starters. Good old heavy metal,
progressive rock and doom with deep, dark soulful lyrics. Then add the band’s
own ideas with their deft, elegant and amazing craftsmanship and a truly one of
a kind groundbreaking album is here for the world to enjoy immensely. Can’t
wrap my head around the pictures they paint and bring to life as the words and
imagery sucks me into their realm. But I am not complaining because this is
what I want music to do. It doesn’t matter if I can’t understand how it’s done,
as long as it takes me away like this one does. I mean, check out any of the
songs obviously but especially ‘The
Fallen’, ‘Beyond The Barricade’ and ‘The
Gates Of Archeron’ and you know what I’m talking about.
I do implore you, dear
waveriders, to get the LP version. It’s a double LP with three bonus tracks.
Those three are covers of Uriah Heep’s ‘Sunrise’, The Beau Brummels’
‘Wolf Of Velvet Fortune’ and Black
Sabbath’s ‘After All(The Dead)’.
Arduini / Balich does a fantastic job with these compositions, making them
sound like theirs but you still hear the original in there. The biggest
surprise is ‘After All(The Dead)’.
Black Sabbath has guided me through many, many years and Ronnie James Dio is by
far one of the best singers ever, alive or dead. However, ‘Dehumanizer’ from where ‘After
All(The Dead)’ is culled was a huge disappointment to me. But Messieurs
Arduini and Balich has transformed the song into something else. Amazing!
Musically 2017 has
started off fantastically well and Arduini / Balich are definitely leading the
way. Can’t stress what an amazing recording they have composed which deserves
and demands worldwide recognition. And since ‘Dawn Of Ages’ is their debut, who knows where they’ll take us next
time. I, for one, will soak up this beauty while eagerly awaiting opus #2. Music
like this can’t and mustn’t be ignored, you hear!
-Swedebeast
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