Five albums in, Dark Moor's unique brand of symphonic rock has surely come of age.
'Tarot' is measured, melodic, mature. It matches naggingly familiar neo-classical references to hot, rollicking metal choruses and choirs with skill and no little aplomb.
Throughout, the band show a confident grasp of orchestral pace and power . . .the production frequently shows a brisk lightness of touch when the mood demands it, frequently alternating with emphatic passages, underlining key lyrical moments.
Afredo Romero's androgynous vocals recall Robbie
Valentine at times, Roy (Kamelot) Khan at others. All in all, a winning combination.
Opener
'Chariot' touches all the neo-classical rock and melodic metal bases without sounding in any way out of control, and in common with another standout track '
The Emperor', a great deal of excitement is generated by an escalating operatic momentum. Both songs climb high on the back of the band's slick, staccato male/female, tenor/mezzo-soprano harmonies, cleverly interspersed with microsecond bursts of Goth metal growls.
'Wheel Of Fortune' owes a little to Bach's Brandenberg Concertos. Yet, on occasion it takes on the jangling, dancing persona of an operetta. At other times, we can hear distinct Eastern European musical influences. Credit to the band and producer Luigi (Labyrinth, Rhapsody, Vision Divine) Stefanini for providing cohesion and coherence (and a huge, three dimensional production).
'Death' sweeps all before it with a crunching, ironclad riff, flexing inside a velvet string section.
'Lovers' is simpler melodic metal - virtually straight ahead melodic rock - with symphonic undertones, a cracking melody and a sweet, sensuous hook.
The band's rework of Beethoven's Fifth on '
The Moon' is strangely satisfying . . . it's been done disco, it's been done pop, so why not symphonic rock?
The European version of the album has '
The Fool' as a bonus track. It seems a little out of kilter in comparison to the preceding tracks, whereas the Japanese bonus track, '
Mozarts March' is an absolute stormer. It would be.
The more enlightened among you will have noticed that the tracks are named for the arcanes (symbols) of the Tarot (with the exception of the Japanese bonus track), and it is this theme that provides the album's narrative drive. As concepts go it's marginally less esoteric than some I could mention.
'
Tarot' is unquestionably one of the better albums in the genre to be released so far in 2007. And it really wouldn't surprise me if it stays in that category to the end of the year.
Written by
Brian Wednesday, March 21, 2007
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