After the serenity of the compositions of 'Remi Orts', we're heading to Italy with the band 'Stargenesis' which I discovered with their third album 'Distress call from Earth', the first two albums, 'Aurora', dating from 2021 and 'Stellar Emotions' dating from 2022. This last opus is of an impressive richness and we navigate between rock and progressive metal with many changes of atmosphere throughout the 14 compositions, the whole totalling more than 80 minutes of listening. It's not strictly speaking a concept album and the themes developed are multiple and remain very current, ranging from artificial intelligence and its interest to darker subjects such as social injustice, drug addiction or human cynicism.
Given the density of the album, as much by its length and by the changes of atmosphere within each composition, I will not do title by title which would require a much too long chronicle. I would simply like to highlight a few points that struck me in this titanic work. First, we are indeed in the presence of a series of progressive compositions and the whole can be compared to the great productions that 'Arjen Lucassen' can compose in these different projects because we find all the ingredients there both at the vocal level than instrumental. Therefore, it's clear that it's not possible to appropriate the whole in a single listening and 'Distress call from Earth' asks to take its time to assimilate all the nooks and crannies of each composition that reveals itself, step by step. Then, the diversity of styles shows a wide range of influences. Let's take as an example the beginning of the album with the first titles: the introduction of 'Welcome To Earth' can make one think of the atmospheric atmospheres of 'Pink Floyd', then is followed by a powerful section in the form of a slow procession with a 'Gilmourian' guitar solo at the end of the title, in the style of a 'Comfortably Numb', the singing of 'Valeriano De Zordo' bringing all the grandeur that this majestic style requires. As for 'Al Storm', we are full of inventive progressive metal in the style of 'Sons Of Apollo', then, with 'Your next dose', it is inside the title itself that we find changes in intensity with an introduction close to the ballads of 'Scorpions' and a sequel closer to 'Dream Theater'. What follows continues to make us navigate between calm waters and other much more tormented ones which necessarily requires adhering to different styles quite distant from each other. We are even entitled to a traditional interlude in the middle of the title with 'Honor guard salute' which highlights bagpipes. Finally, we can also note an irreproachable production which shows a beautiful dynamic both in the quieter acoustic parts and in the electric parts deploying a formidable power.
In summary, with 'Distress call from Earth', the Italians of 'Stargenesis' sign an album of very high quality and extraordinary density which necessarily requires lingering to draw all its richness but which, on the other hand, will certainly remain intended for an informed public who likes to mix different styles in the progressive, a mixture which, for my part, transforms a good album into a musical work which will remain engraved in the memory... | |
