A new dawn --- Orion Riders --- 2004 (Lion Music)
I'm always a little dubious, even suspicious of bands who leave such a long gap between releases. There are some obvious exceptions, of course, and I don't expect every band to put out a new album every year, two or even three years, but I do feel that, particularly when it's your debut, leaving seven or more years between albums is asking a lot of whatever fans you have. There is so much good music out there that unless someone's debut really impresses the hell out of you, and you can't wait for the followup, it's going to be hard to maintain the same level of interest in them that you had if you're waiting years and years for their next album.
I say all this of course because this is the full debut of Italian symphonic rockers Orion Riders, and although their Myspace page hosts a new song, and they're arranging a tour at the moment, even if their second album comes out this year, that's going to have been almost eight years between it and the first one, so unless the debut was something totally spectacular, there's a good chance that people who enjoyed it initially may have got fed up waiting and moved on. Strike while the iron's hot, say I, or in this case, the metal, which is even more of an appropriate analogy.
So, was Orion Riders' first album one that made that deep an impression that you would be prepared not only to wait eight years (that's ninety-six months, almost three thousand days) for them to release their second, but to still be interested when it eventually makes it way onto the record shelves, or into itunes, or your favourite download mechanism?
There are only nine tracks on the album, and one of those less than a minute long, while another is just over a minute, so are they starting out on the back foot already? Opener “In memory”, itself short enough at just under three minutes, opens powerfully and cinematically, with strong organ chords and a dramatic vocal from Joe Lombardo, the music flowing into some beautiful piano from the fingers of Tony Zappa, (presumably no relation!) who also plays the drums, oddly. Definitely puts me in mind of “Epica”-era Kamelot, then the band breaks loose for a power rocker with the perhaps inappropriately-titled “Whispers”, steamhammer drumming from Zappa melding with some fine guitar from both Antonello Condorelli and Ricardo Failla, backed up by some orchestral-style keys from Zappa, and some scorching solos from the two guitarists a little later in the song. Lombardo sings his heart out, able to hit the high registers or drop to a subtle murmur with consummate ease. Quite amazing that Tony Zappa can be such a powerful, unrestrained drummer while at the same time exhibiting such delicacy and poise when behind the keyboard.
The title track is up next, and rocks along on the back of a really Malmsteen-esque guitar riff, Lombardo kicking his vocals up a few notches with the effortlessness of a trained opera singer. The song slows down a little way in, to allow something of a contemplative guitar passage, then speeds up and is off away again, charging for the finishing line. “Leave the shades behind” is slower, with some lovely classical guitar and echoey keyboard, but still remaining heavy as the previous tracks. I think the band these guys remind me of most is Nightscape, apart from the close-harmony singing which characterises that band's sound. That's no bad thing, as I love Nightscape's single album.
“Lacrimae angel”, the aforementioned less-than-a-minute-long track is basically a hymn, choral vocals seemingly unaccompanied, then “Light and dark” opens on powerful guitar, bright keyboards leading the song off on a headlong dash which sounds like a charge into battle. Joe Lombardo certainly has no problem making himself heard above the music, but he tends to achieve this by virtue of his voice's natural power and strength, rather than having to shout or scream. Lovely bit of classical piano here courtesy of Zappa, and an impressive vocal performance by Lombardo. Interesting false ending, with wolf howls and then low guitar, then picking it up again as the song moves towards its proper conclusion with guitar fading it out.
Opening with the sounds of traffic as perhaps heard from above, like from a hotel room, “Life's best days” displays signs of being the ballad on the album, with a fragile little piano melody and then string-style keys, Lombardo's hushed, almost sepulchral voice coming in low and gentle as the piano backs him. Drums crash in, and then guitars, and yes, this is the ballad, and it sounds like it's going to be a good one. Twangy guitar gives way to hard riffs and back again, Lombardo's voice getting stronger and more passionate on the chorus, the keys swelling behind him like a full orchestra, great guitar solo rounding out the sound.
“Nocturne” is the other short track, just over a minute and a half, an instrumental (not surprisingly) sounding at once like something out of “Interview with the vampire” and “Tom and Jerry”! Nice little break though, mostly a vehicle for Tony Zappa, both his drumming but mostly his keyboard skills, which are certainly good. Unfortunately it's kind of ruined by some indulgent guitar playing which gets very warped and off-the-wall right at the end, and destroys the atmosphere Zappa has built.
Closer “Old symphony” is also a little confused, certainly at the beginning, but settles down into another power rocker, Lombardo's vocals at first terrible: low in the mix, muddied, almost indistinguishable, but then he sorts them out as the track goes along. Some more nice piano breaks help it on its way, but although it's one of the longer tracks, as a closer it's lacking something, that final push, that spark that makes you really remember the song, and by association the album.
In the end, this is not a bad album, but that's about as far as I would rate it. There are of course tons of symphonic/melodic/dramatic rock and/or metal acts out there, many of whom do this as good as, if not better than, Orion Riders, and I would have to say that, having listened to their album I would not be in a huge hurry to hear more, though I would be interested in a small way. However, I seriously doubt that I would have been prepared to wait eight years for a followup. This being 2012 (for those of you still drunk from the New Year's celebrations!), should they release that followup album this year I may listen to it, but were I reviewing this in 2004 I feel sure I would not be ready to wait as long as fans of this band have had to for another chance to hear the music of Orion Riders.
A new dawn? Perhaps, but the sun has taken one hell of a long time to struggle up into that sky, and I feel the darkness closing in even now...
TRACKLISTING
1. In memory
2. Whispers
3. A new dawn
4. Leave the shades behind
5. Lacrimae angel
6. Light and dark
7. Life's best days
8. Nocturne
9. Old symphony