It's so good to hear an exciting new band impressing big time with their debut recording, and there has been some very appealing ones this year. Dark Passenger is another and is the work of the melodic power/progressive metal trio Starbynary. This member count will change once they find a suitable drummer and bass player, and for Dark Passenger Diego Ralli played drums and very notably might I add, and of special note Mike Lepond of Symphony X who has released his own fine debut metal album this year helped out with the bass. Dark Passenger not only features killer tunes it has a killer theme, as this is a concept album that was inspired by the book Darkly Dreaming Dexter. The very same novel that the first series of TV's Dexter was based upon. It would be interesting to have Dark Passenger's booklet at hand to read the lyrics and see how it all ties together.
Once they get going on "... Dawn Of Evil" Starbynary could be described as a rather charming potent and melodic mixture of Symphony X and the power metal group Heavenly. Starbynary put their progressive metal groove on "Dark Passenger" and especially on the ultra catchy "Codex" . There's a touch of familiarity with "Blood" which reminds of one of power metal's big guns Gamma Ray and their song "Dreamhealer" in part, and has a good slice of European express style power metal. There are many entertaining arrangements to be discovered like "My Enemy" where I really dig the shredding guitar/keyboard solos something which they do very well. Starbynary have also recorded an extended epic "The End Begins" at sixteen plus minutes, where you find more of Starbynary's dynamic metal and it's also another of their songs with a healthy keyboard component. This Italian group has a very solid power prog. recording with Dark Passenger, one that is certainly worth checking out and should appeal to many a metal fan.
Track Listing
1. Before The Dawn ...
2. ... Dawn Of Evil
3. Dark Passenger
4. Blood
5. Reflections
6. Codex
7. The Ritual - Modus Operandi
8. My Enemies
9. Look Around, Turn Away!
10. The End Begins
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