This album may never have come to pass, and that fateful day in the Italian Apennines 3 years ago this week is also the inspiration for much of what we have here today. While hanging upside down with several fractures and bleeding out, vocalist/guitarist Francesco Paoli had to come to terms with a good many things. and thankfully has used this album as a cathartic release and method healing by sharing his experience as art. The surest path to immortality.
The overture “Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri)” brings chills every time, as Veronica Bordacchini’s voice goes from sotto voce to full on soprano as Francesco Ferrini plays sustained chords on his piano.
Francesco roars “I Can Never Die” while Eugene Ryabchenko blasts away happily over the crushing guitars. Veronica’s chorus is gentle in comparison and allows Fabio Bartoletti’s lead solo to stand out, as well it should.
The sharp metronomic triplets of “Pendulum”, along with the palm muted staccato guitars give the added feeling of swinging back and forth, but it’s the orchestral arrangements that add to the song’s overall complexity, as does the lead guitar and piano duet.
The harp drops straight into the brutal guitar and drum salvo, which is quickly joined by the growls, before the melodic refrain on “Bloodclock” has the female and choral vocals usher in lead guitar break, followed by the required heavy guitar and drum coda.
The choral opening of “At War With My Soul” combined with the orchestral arrangements flow effortlessly into the churning drums and guitars with the death growls and exquisite soprano as the trumpets keep lifting the melody for the lead solo fit into before the breakdown and chanted Italian lyrics, ending on a grandiose note.
Taking allegro to another level is “Morphine Waltz”, with its blisteringly quick drumming and sharp shrieked vocals that merge into the growls while the music maintains its uplifting gaiety with the flurry of notes being played on the piano.
Veronica’s voice and the piano are joined by a relatively melodic guitar and steady drum tempo giving “Matricide 8.21” a much poppier feel than anything else on the album, while the driving bassline hones in to emphasis both the piano and kick drum.
While the road to recovery is always going to be difficult, “Per Aspera Ad Astra” shows that an indomitable will is required to achieve things that are eventually worth all the toil, and the speed this song is played at shows what has been accomplished.
Building slowly and steadily, with bass and piano accompanying Veronica, “Till Death Do Us Part” has Francesco’s growls only come in once the guitars do, only for everything to fade back to let the female vocals soar once more. Humming gently along with the lead as the song tapers off.
The album ends with the hauntingly beautiful piano piece and title track “Opera”, which truly cleanses the palette in readiness for next work of art that shall be delivered, and in this instance, it’s back to “Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri)” for me, so I can give the album another listen to luxuriate in.
(9/10 Marco Gaminara)
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