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Derdian - Human Reset review



Reviewer:
9.0

33 users:
7.42
Band: Derdian
Album: Human Reset
Release date: July 2014


01. Eclipse
02. Human Reset
03. In Everything
04. Mafia
05. These Rails Will Bleed
06. Absolute Power
07. Write Your Epitaph
08. Music Is Life
09. Gods Don't Give A Damn
10. After The Storm
11. Alone
12. Delirium
13. My Life Back

One of the things I love about writing here is that it brings me to listen to a lot of stuff I wouldn't find the time to check out otherwise. Derdian's latest is one of these albums, and a release that no one that has ever enjoyed power metal should miss.

The huge inheritance of classical music into the Italian culture has also made its way through metal, as Rhapsody Of Fire and their many copycats have shown. Derdian's music is also incredibly influenced by classical traits, even if not in the way of their famous compatriots, since they meld the two genres creating a sound that could only be compared, if needed, with that of the Tarot-era Dark Moor. Their theatrical sound found the perfect match in 2012, when new singer Ivan Giannini joined the band and, with his scenic and very "human" voice, completed the picture perfectly.

Combining baroque and epic, studied finesse and overwhelming catchiness, Human Reset presents itself as an ultimate power metal album, enriched by the clever use of backing vocals and by many variations on the theme offered by the long creative soloing.

What's really stellar about Derdian's fifth release is its equilibrium. It's perfectly balanced in the whole, so that also some tracks that taken alone are not this great, gain a new meaning in the service of the greater purpose of a true album. Thanks to this and to the fact that the quality remains at a sky-high level for the whole release, despite clocking at over an hour, this isn't by any means a ponderous listen: the tracks flow easily, one after another, one requiring another, one completing the others.

On the lyrical side of things, there are again positive news as the band continued in their process of abandoning fantasy concept albums and focusing on individual tracks about more present-day topics.

Given the fact that Derdian used to release albums at a three year rate, and that Limbo hit the stores just in 2013, it's amazing how Human Reset doesn't sound rushed at all but, on the contrary, is an example of how a release should be taken care of to the smallest details.

Don't try to label this, since symphonic power metal, progpower or European power metal are all definitions which are both right and incomplete. Therefore, don't think to know what this sounds like from the cover, the tag, or from a single track. Human Reset is an album as they all should be, and as so it must be listened.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 8
Production: 9





Written on 14.08.2014 by Hopefully you won't agree with me, diversity of opinions is what makes metal so beautiful and varied.

So... critics and advices absolutely welcome.


Comments

Comments: 5   Visited by: 100 users
16.08.2014 - 23:25
Rulatore

That rating. I'll check this
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18.08.2014 - 12:48
SoUnDs LiKe PoP

Downloading now, as well as listening to the album on youtube. The trailer sounded amazing.
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I lift weights and listen to metal
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19.08.2014 - 20:38
Rating: 8
Wes

Very nice song writing for sure!
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19.08.2014 - 21:01
Rating: 8
Wes

Phenomenal album.
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20.08.2014 - 13:07
Rating: 9
R Lewis

It's great to see this getting some love. Didn't really expect it.
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We could be so much more than we are. Stop.
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