Stamina: Live In The City Of Power

With four studio albums behind them Italian progressive power metal outfit Stamina are Live In The City Of Power, with a set recorded at the 2018 City Of Power progressive metal festival in Zgierz, Poland. Previously this outfit seem to have had an ever changing line-up featuring guests such as Goran Edman and Nils Molin (Dynazty), but for this live offering it’s singer Alessandro Granata, bassist Carmine Vivo, keyboard player Giovanni Sellitto and drummer Frederico Cozza who join Stamina’s only ever present, guitarist Luca Sellitto. Steeped deep in the Italian prog metal sound that the likes of Labyrinth revel in - although there’s a strong dash of Pagan’s Mind about most of the songs in this set - Stamina possess a strong, forceful presence that comes across extremely well in this setting.

With the keyboards and synth-banked vocals also reminding of Threshold, the likes of “One In A Million� gallops along with a thick keyboard motif playing against some grating riffs and what proves to be, on this extremely honest recording, excellent vocals from Granata. Factor in the more aggressive “Must Be Blind�, the more hard rocking but melody based “Perseverance� and catchy as hell, but still technically excellent “Higher� and it’s a wonder that I, and many more, progressive metal fans, haven’t cottoned onto this outfit before now. Where things aren’t quite so strong comes down to the recording itself, with a slightly rough around the edges mix sometimes leaving the keyboards a little exposed, while the lack of crowd noise and echoing stage raps from Granata often leave the impression that Stamina were expounding their energy in a very, very large room with just a handful of people actually there to watch. How that comes across on the DVD version of this release I’m not sure, as it’s only the CD that has crossed my path.

Whatever the circumstances, by the time that set closer “Eyes Of The Warrior� turns its gaze on the crowd, there’s no doubt that even with a band name like Stamina, this outfit have just about spent every last drop of energy they have and likewise left the audience equally drained by their efforts. As first impressions go (which this album is for me), Stamina make a mighty impact. Live In The City Of Power may not be quite the stellar representation of their wares that it could, or maybe should have been, but that doesn’t stop it from leaving me and hopefully a few others, hugely intrigued to find out more.

Track Listing
1. Why?
2. Must Be Blind
3. Higher
4. Love Was Never Meant To Be
5. One In A Million
6. Perserverance
7. Holding on
8. Breaking Another String
9. Eyes Of The Warrior

Added: October 28th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Live In The City Of Power @ bandcamp
Hits: 627
Language: english

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