|
The band Sinphonia was founded back in 1998 in Denmark by drummer Dennis Buhl and bassist Thor Jeppesen, their aim was to play progressive metal á la Symphony X. Early 1999 they completed their line-up with guitarist Henrik Rangstrup, keyboarder Jakob Thinggaard and singer Monika Pedersen. Actually Monika's voice wasn't really what they were looking for, but too good to be ignored and so their sound changed and became darker. Soon they recorded their first demo which they used to shop for a management and record deal. They signed with Lucretia Records and in 2000 they released their debut When The Tide Breaks which included the 5 tracks from their self-titled demo and additionally 3 new tracks. A new keyboard player, some shows in Denmark and working on new material kept them busy. During this process their sound got darker again and became more atmospheric. The follow-up The Divine Disharmony was recorded in fall 2001, but it took a long time til it finally saw the light of day. Meanwhile the band got more and more disappointed and decided to take a break. But they been involved in different bands and projects when The Divine Disharmony was finally released. Actually the band felt that the chapter Sinphonia was finished, but fans started mailing them and with the obvious interest from fans they decided to continue. As they lived in different places - Henrik had move to Italy - the way to compose songs had to be different and now Henrik is the main songwriter. So they recorded the demo Silence with guest keyboarder Davide Cisci - but never played the songs together due to the different locations.
The first track is called Silence and starts of with some keyboard part, but soon heavy riffing accompanies the keyboard. Monika Pedersen's voice has a similar tone to Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil). Monika has a powerful voice, but also knows when to step back and can sound almost fragile. The drum pattern of Dennis Buhl is complex and varies between the usual power metal beat and tricky progressive parts. The song is complex and catchy. The quintet creates atmospheres and mood. They use elements from different genres and show their skills. Crestfallen is heavier and here are the vocal phrasing is a bit like Anneke van Giersbergen's... And again Cristina Scabbia shines through... Heavy modern riffs and breaks make the song more intense with every moment. Then a break and the atmosphere has changed completely... A haunting track. And they surprise the listener again with little twists and turns. Cool!
With What The Cover Conceals the Danish present the last track of this demo. A bit more symphonic is this guitar-driven tune which has balladesque parts. They have the technicality to combine complex parts, progressive elements and enchanting melodies. Well done!
Even if Monika is busy with Sirenia and Henrik with Chaoswave, it won't take too long for them to return with Sinphonia - I hope! The songs in their complexity and progressiveness are easy to listen and might catch the interest of metal fans who usually stay away from prog. If you like female vocals and catchy melodies, then check this out!
|
|
