On disc: Guarnerius

 
- Leprycorn
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
- Arcanos Abismos
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Arcanos Abismos

(Auryn Records - 2003)



 
 

 

The Mexicans released a demo in 2002 and now with a different line-up singer Alonso Cano is back with their debut album Arcanos Abismos. Two songs of the demo Leprycorn made it onto the debut.

The opening track is Lucha Eterna and starts slowly... Then a choir, then the band get in with heavy riffs and hammering drums. After the introducing part the song speeds up and shows beside traditional riffing some leads and keyboard lines. Singer Alonso Cano is offering different timbres which is a step forward compared with the demo. With almost 7 minutes the track is quite long, but with breaks and speed changes they keep the listeners interest. Towards the end the choir is back for a moment, good idea. Then they present the title track Arcanos Abismos. A balladesque opening and delicate vocals from Cano, but when the band joins in it gets a bit more powerful... And then speedy. The drums sound is a bit muddy... But okay, the sound is better balanced then on their demo. And the five-some show more variety, but still there are reminiscences to the Scandinavian melodic speed metal bands - especially the keyboard parts. In my opinion Alonso Cano is more powerful when using a deeper timbre and that's what he's doing here mainly. Well done.

Sueños is one of the tracks taken from the demo and it seems they overdone it, even if the bridge between the classical intro part and the speedier main part is not perfect. This time I would recommend to overdo the backing vocals... Arcadia is an instrumental intermezzo and leads into Vientos de olvido. The track is another fast one, but heavier. Here Cano sings a bit higher, but it's still okay. Keyboarder Eric Fuentes shows here is skills in fast keyboard lines. The other demo track is Obertura del guerrero. Here they changed a few things to it seems to me, but the vocals are still a bit too high and so don't have enough power. Luckily Cano gets back to the deeper timbre with Hacia nuevos mares. A heavy, riff-based rock is Prisionero, but the keyboard takes off the edge a bit. The vocal line is pretty good, but they should have reduced the instrumental parts a bit to give the voice space. With piano Cronos starts and is with 1:18 minutes a short instrumental piece which is dominated by Fuentes' keyboards.

Guarnerius improved since the release of the demo, perhaps the new line-up did them good.... There is a larger variety of sounds and speeds, the vocals are a bit deeper and more emotional. If you are into melodic speed metal and then give it a chance. Not a masterpiece, but a decent album!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Leprycorn

(Auryn Rec. - 2002)



 
 

 

I don't know much about the Mexicans... This is their first step into public view with the demo Leprycorn. The quintet opens up with Obertura del guerrero. The song starts with acoustic guitar and keyboard, then the vocals set in and the song stays balladesque. Then the rest of the band joins in and the track becomes a melodic speed metal tune. The drums force them ahead, but there are breaks and they slow down a bit. The voice of Alonso Cano is high, but lacks a bit the power... The song reminds me a bit of Stratovarius... perhaps due to the spinet sounding parts. When Sueños starts it reminds me of something, but I can't fathom it... Here the sound is a problem. Okay, I don't expect a perfect sound from a demo, but its unbalanced. But there are good parts and with a little make-over and a better sound this song would be way better. Actually Alonso Cano is showing here more variety in the vocal lines. With Anhelo it gets a bit dark... The balladesque song has a sad note... The songs gets more powerful later - and more desperate... After a break it seems there is hope... But also despair. The song moves you. And takes you onto a journey - in the second half it has a bit 70's hard rock feeling due to the organ. But the guitar is more neo-classical metal. A roller coaster ride! With Santuario del almas they push down the accelerator. But the song sounds too much like other melodic speed metal bands with symphonic elements. More symphonic and less fast is Senderos del libertad which impresses in the beginning with a mighty choir - a bit like a monk choir. The songs gets fast too soon, coz the majestic sound of the opening fit very well - and made them differ. In the middle part of the song they return to the majestic part, but here it gets obvious that Cano has to improve. Towards the end the vocal line is a bit Kiske-like... Then they slow down and the song fades out.

With e better sound the demo could have get more attention, coz so it's partly tough to listen to it. Not everything is perfect and singer Alonso Cano has to work on his performance, but there are good parts and ideas. Now it depends on which way they go... And if they can develop their own sound. In my opinion the mid-tempo or balladesque parts are more intense and powerful. When they speed up they sound too much like some of the Scandinavian melodic speed metal bands. If they will have a chance? Perhaps, it depends on their next release and if they can improve. Time will tell.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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