┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │■ ■│ │ .-/ .-. │ │ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │ │ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │ │ / || (:/:| \ │ │ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │ │ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │ │ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │ │ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │ │ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │ │ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │ │ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │ │ \:-~ ~-:/ │ │ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ P R E S E N T S │ │ │ │ │ │ + Ancient Bards - Origine-The Bards Crystal Sword Saga Part 2- + │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Information ║ │ │╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Release Date.Feb-12-2019 Encoder......L3.98.4 -V0 --lowpas ║ │ │║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │ │║ Year.........2019 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........12 ║ │ │║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.ancientbards.com ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Notes ║ │ │╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Artist : Ancient Bards Rating : You Decide! ║ │ │║ Album : Origine-The Bards Crystal SworLabel : Avalon ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Description : ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ For as big of fan of symphonic metal that I am, ║ │ │║ I am ashamed IÆve missed out on Ancient Bards ║ │ │║ until this point. The genre certainly has been ║ │ │║ oversaturated with Nightwish knock-offs and ║ │ │║ Epica look-alikes, but that doesnÆt mean there ║ │ │║ arenÆt those with genuine talent and ║ │ │║ originality. Ancient Bards is one of those ║ │ │║ bands, having already put out three excellent ║ │ │║ concept albums in an overarching fantasy series ║ │ │║ entitled The Black Crystal Sword Saga. Origine ║ │ │║ is a continuation of that, but in a new cycle of ║ │ │║ what will most likely be (IÆm speculating ║ │ │║ because I donÆt know for sure) another three ║ │ │║ albums. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Things start off on the right foot with perhaps ║ │ │║ one of the best intro tracks IÆve ever heard. ║ │ │║ Narration is always an incredibly tedious ║ │ │║ element to deal with; most of the time it is ║ │ │║ overused and abused. But the narration found on ║ │ │║ ôOrigineö is mixed just right with the music ║ │ │║ underscoring it. It then kicks off the rest of ║ │ │║ the album that is just flat out massive and ║ │ │║ epic. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Songs such as ôImpious Dystopiaö and ôThe House ║ │ │║ of Rejectsö show off the bandÆs experienced hand ║ │ │║ at writing huge and fast songs. Never has a ║ │ │║ symphony ever sounded so huge as it does on this ║ │ │║ record. Ancient Bards fully utilizes the entire ║ │ │║ range of the symphony, from the big, epic ║ │ │║ choruses of the previously mentioned songs to ║ │ │║ even a subtle oboe melody woven into the ║ │ │║ beginning of ôOscuritαö. If that wasnÆt big ║ │ │║ enough, the band threw in a fully-formed choir ║ │ │║ for good measure, creating a dense wall of sound ║ │ │║ that completely envelopes you. But itÆs not just ║ │ │║ the symphony and the choir that shine on this ║ │ │║ record. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Somewhat unexpectedly, the bass player makes it ║ │ │║ well known that he will not just sit back and ║ │ │║ play root notes the entire time. Obscura-esque ║ │ │║ bass noodling can be found anywhere on the ║ │ │║ album, and a rather epic bass solo (not unlike ║ │ │║ Symphony X) appearing on ôImpious Dystopiaö. ║ │ │║ There have been some similar moments on their ║ │ │║ previous albums, but itÆs this album where bass ║ │ │║ is made a crucial part of the musical world that ║ │ │║ Ancient Bards are creating. It should also not ║ │ │║ go unnoticed that the bandÆs ability to blend ║ │ │║ with its orchestral counterpart. The guitar ║ │ │║ solos found on this record are well done and ║ │ │║ donÆt overstay their welcome, such as the one ║ │ │║ found on ôThe Great Divideö. The drums bring a ║ │ │║ sense of ferocity to the music, never letting it ║ │ │║ sit and stagnate. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ The track ôLightö is the only ballad to be found ║ │ │║ on this album, and it is gorgeous. ItÆs one of ║ │ │║ those songs that would be played on every major ║ │ │║ radio station if a famous name like CΘline Dion ║ │ │║ was singing it. IÆm glad that CΘline Dion isnÆt ║ │ │║ singing on it, however, because vocalist Sara ║ │ │║ Squadrani knocks it out of the park. In fact, ║ │ │║ the vocals on this album are perfect. Whether ║ │ │║ beautifully handling the ballad, or singing her ║ │ │║ heart out on my personal favorite track ôAureum ║ │ │║ Legacyö, the vocals are executed perfectly. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Ancient Bards seemed to unleash their inner Two ║ │ │║ Steps From Hell on this album. ThatÆs part of ║ │ │║ the reason why the intro track is so awesome. ║ │ │║ ôThe Hollowö really shows off this side of the ║ │ │║ band; being largely instrumental, it is perhaps ║ │ │║ some of the most exciting three minutes on the ║ │ │║ album, using the symphony to create exciting ║ │ │║ textures that move the song forward. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ This album is like a fantasy novel come to life. ║ │ │║ Not only is the music astounding, but the story ║ │ │║ is incredibly compelling. This works because of ║ │ │║ how well Ancient Bards is able to create an ║ │ │║ emotional connection with the characters. You ║ │ │║ can feel the fatherÆs love for his children in ║ │ │║ ôAureum Legacyö. The sonÆs anger toward his ║ │ │║ father and jealousy toward his sister is made ║ │ │║ tangible in the song ôOscuritαö. The story works ║ │ │║ because of this level of emotional connection. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ I love this album. It has all the elements I ║ │ │║ love about symphonic metal (huge choruses, ║ │ │║ abundance of symphony and choir, soaring vocals, ║ │ │║ and hard-hitting metal) combined onto one album. ║ │ │║ Ancient Bards have gotten better with every ║ │ │║ album and this one is no exception. This is ║ │ │║ without a doubt their best record yet, and I ║ │ │║ already canÆt wait for the next one. I judge an ║ │ │║ album based on its ability to make me come back ║ │ │║ and listen to it again, and IÆve listened to ║ │ │║ this one several times, with many more times to ║ │ │║ come this year. It is one hell of an album. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Review written by Spenser for ║ │ │║ www.metalutopia.com ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Sara Squadrani - Vocals ║ │ │║ Federico Gatti - Drums ║ │ │║ Martino Garattoni - Bass ║ │ │║ Simone Bertozzi - Guitars, Vocals ║ │ │║ Daniele Mazza - Keyboards ║ │ │║ Claudio Pietronik - Guitars ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Tracklist ║ │ │╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │ │ │ │ 01 - Origine [02:15] │ │ 02 - Impious Dystopia [05:41] │ │ 03 - Fantasy┤s Wings [04:51] │ │ 04 - Aureum Legacy [05:42] │ │ 05 - Light [04:43] │ │ 06 - Oscurita [06:20] │ │ 07 - Titanism [05:09] │ │ 08 - The Hollow [03:31] │ │ 09 - Home Of The Rejects [03:57] │ │ 10 - The Great Divide [14:48] │ │ 11 - Eredita Aurea (Orchestral Version) (Bonus [05:42] │ │ 12 - Home Of The Rejects (Karaoke Version) (Bon [03:57] │ │ │ │ Total Length : [66:36 minn │ │ │ │ │ │ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ╔═════════════════════╗ │ │ ║ Greetings To: ║ │ │ ╚═════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ Too all people who contributes to make this │ │ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │■ ■│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘