DEVA – Murther – Review on PROGRESSIVE ROCK & PROGRESSIVE METAL

 http://www.progressiverockbr.com/previews2014.htm

  Brazil

    The extraordinary Progressive & Gothic Metal band Deva is welcomed back to PR&PM! Hailing from Milan, Italy, Deva was born in 2006 after the reunion of the gifted classical soprano Beatrice Palumbo with the talented Prog-Metal guitarist & singer Federico Salerno. The outcome was a unique combination of Gothic Metal and Progressive Metal with Symphonic & Electronic influences – registered on Deva’s debut album “Between Life And Dreams” (2010, RNC Music, Italy, with distribution by Self).

The album caught the attention of the media for its new approach to the Gothic & Progressive Metal worlds, and received positive reviews all over the world (including here at PR&PM – see at Reviews 2010). “Between Life And Dreams” was licensed to several European countries and to South Korea, giving visibility to Deva. Noteworthy were an invitation to compose a song for the soundtrack of the movie “Dark Resurrection Vol. 0” (inspired on “Star Wars”), and a participation as supporting act in a sold-out show for “Trivium” at Magazzini Generali, in Milan.

In between, Beatrice & Federico were already composing a new album, titled “Murther”. The writing, arranging and production of “Murther” took time due to the complexity of the project: it involved a concept story and the composition of multi-layered orchestral & choir arrangements, which mixed modern and classical genres, leading to an innovative combination of Progressive & Gothic Metal – epically performed by Deva and many guest musicians.“Murther” (February 25, 2014, RNC Music, distributed by Self) confirmed what had been preconized on “Between Life and Dreams”: Deva is capable of delivering the best Gothic & Progressive Metal combination with the same (or higher) quality of other iconic Female-Fronted Metal bands, such as “Nightwish”, “After Forever”, “Within Temptation”, “Epica”, “Lacuna Coil”, “Nemesea”, “ReVamp”, “Amberian Dawn”, “Artrosis”, “Avrigus”, “Sirenia”, “Trail of Tears”, “Syrens Call”, “Forgotten Tales”, and “Evanescence”. The instrumental Prog-Metal parts are like “Dream Theater”, “Symphony X”, and “Kamelot”, and the strings bring to mind “Therion” and “Lacrimosa”. 

Deva’s most amazing quality is to achieve a perfect communion between the Progressive Metal parts (driven by fantastic guitar work of Federico Salerno), and the Symphonic Gothic-Metal parts (led by the mesmerizing voice of Beatrice Palumbo, who goes from the lowest notes, like “Tarja Turunen” and “Amy Lee”, to the highest, like “Simone Simons”, “Floor Jansen”, “Sharon den Adel”, and “Heidi Parviainen”).

“Murther” has 15 tracks. Some are aggressive and impacting, such as “Can I Be Saved” (4:37) – the right choice to open the album and introduce Deva to the listeners, for it brings an impressive combination of styles that recall bands like “Epica”, “Lacuna Coil”, and “Dream Theater”. Meanwhile, “Delirium” (4:20) is delivered with wild guitar riffs coupled to eerie keyboards and dramatic vocals, like “Symphony X” and “Nightwish” (with “Tarja”); and “Lady of Time” (4:57) has powerful Thrash-Metal riffs and amazing sequence of guitar solos, underlined by Beatrice’s somber voice, and ghostly string arrangements – taking it to the terrains of “Epica”, “ReVamp”, and “Evanescence”. Those devastating songs contrast with a few interludes that pinpoint the track list. These are either instrumental pieces or short songs with a Folk-Medieval or Classic-Prog orientation: “Is This What We Really Are” (1:06); “Awareness Suddenly” (1:43); and the sequence made of the classical piano intro “Remembrance” (2:13) plus “Lullaby” (2:49) – a song for piano and strings with outstanding lyrical performance by Beatrice (recalling “Epica” and “Renaissance”!).

But the essence of Deva’s style is deeply understood on the most emotional and melodic songs, which are immersed in grandiose symphonic arrangements and impregnated with gothic moods. Some of them bring female/male vocal duos that recall the Melodic & Symphonic Metal styles of “Nightwish”, and in special of “Kamelot” (with the participations of “Simone Simons”), also offering marvelous string arrangements and wonderful solos of guitars or synths – such are the somber “Come to Me” (5:00); the epic ballad “Decadence” (5:47); the anguished “What Have I Become” (4:41); and the gothic-romantic “My Sweetest Pain” (4:28). They heat up the path for the bombastic, ultra-symphonic, and very best tracks that come later. “Something Beautiful” (0:52), with angelical choirs and soaring violins, introduces “Confession” (5:56) – a vigorous Symphonic Metal like the best of “Nightwish”, “Epica” and “Within Temptation”, but with a 70’s accent on the keyboard riffs, and absolutely amazing Prog-Metal parts backed by violins and choirs! All reaches the climax on the final tracks “Dust and Shadows” (6:48) – which begins with original combination of Renaissance choirs (like “Palestrina”) and Gothic church organs, opposed to modern Prog-Metal guitars, synths, drums & bass solos, intervened by adventurous strings; and “Lilith” (7:16), which amazingly alternates instrumental parts in “Dream Theater” style with dramatic Symphonic Metal parts like “Nightwish” and “Epica”!

An astonishing and ingenious band, Deva, and their brilliant and startling album “Murther” are righteous dignitaries to figure in the collections of fans of “Nightwish”, “Epica”, “Within Temptation”, “Lacuna Coil”, “Nemesea”, “After Forever”, “ReVamp”, “Amberian Dawn”, “Evanescence”, “Kamelot”, “Therion”, “Lacrimosa”, “Artrosis”, “Avrigus”, “Sirenia”, “Trail of Tears”, “Syrens Call”, “Forgotten Tales”, “Delain”, “Xandria”, “Elis”, “Darkyra”, etc. Must-have item.

Band members and collaborators involved in Deva are: Beatrice Palumbo – Vocals, Baroque Viol; Federico Salerno – Clean Vocals & Guitars, Bass (tr.1,7,10,15), Keyboards; Ruggero Accardo – Bass (tr.4,8,11,14); Tony Corizia – Bass (tr.2,6,9); Davide Barbieri – Keyboards; Thomas D’Alba – Drums (tr. 6); Federico Paulovich – Drums (except tr.6). Orchestra: Maria Pia Abate – Violins; Mirko Landoni – Horns; Caterina Sangineto – Flutes; Andrea Vanzo – Violin (tr. 6). Choir: Ciro & Matteo Aroni, Beatrice Palumbo, Federico Salerno. All Concept, Story & Tracks Written by F. Salerno & B. Palumbo. Recorded by F. Salerno & B. Palumbo at SteelNight Studios (Milan); Engineered & Edited by F. Salerno. Drums Recorded at RecLab Studio (Milan), Engineered by Larsen Premoli – Drums tr.6 Recorded at SteelNight Studios, Engineered by Lorenzo Ardoni. Mixed by Larsen Premoli at RecLab Studio; Mastered by Pietro Caramelli. Album Produced by Deva & RNC Music (2014). 

Deva dedicated Murther to all the women persecuted and sentenced to death through the centuries… 

(Comments by Marcelo Trotta)