Sipario: Eclipse of Sorrow

Some metal fans will learn of this band and wonder why they should pay attention to yet another symphonic metal band like this. There are so many groups doing things like this that not only is the style clearly fixed but some of the bands seem to run together. I've always been partial to Leaves' Eyes but I've listened to plenty of Epica and Nightwish and have nothing but respect for both those bands. I've always considered myself a latecomer to symphonic metal. I like it but it's not a genre that I follow with as much passion as doom metal.

Sipario will likely be new to many of our readers. The band released an EP a few years ago but they haven't had as much exposure as some of the more commercially successful bands within this genre. The band has three permanent members, Maeg Raheena, Daniele Tari, and Valerio Specchio, but like so many trios the band sounds much bigger than their small number. Moreover, this album contains multiple guest musicians to fill everything out.

As for the critics who aren't interested in a new symphonic metal band, there's not much I can do to help. Perhaps there's no convincing you. Still, there's room for more bands like this even though the field already seems crowded. For me, the proof lies in how much passion a band brings to a project like this. Is the music convincing or does it seem clichéd? Fortunately, this band seems quite convincing. The music isn't reinventing the genre by any means, but things are consistently energetic and well-performed. The vocals sound great even though the band occasionally does too much of the clean-growl rotation. The rest of the performances are strong; I was impressed with the guitar solos, most of which were gleefully drawn from the mold of the old school.

Interested fans might want to check out "Insurgency" or "Ante Lucem" for a taste of this band's style. The album is generally very good. It's not groundbreaking but it stands out from the crowd.

Track Listing:
1. Echoes of Eternity
2. Ante Lucem
3. Carnage
4. Revolution
5. Celestial Karma
6. Desolation
7. Guardians of Eden Part I—The Purge
8. Guardians of Eden Part II—Dandelion's Night
9. Guardians of Eden Part III—Icarus' Symphony
10. Insurgency
11. Dawn of Silence
12. Eclipse
13. A New Day . . .

Added: June 9th 2016
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1609
Language: english

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