Derdian - New Era Pt. 3 - The Apocalypse review
| Band: | Derdian |
| Album: | New Era Pt. 3 - The Apocalypse |
| Style: | Symphonic power metal |
| Release date: | March 02, 2010 |
| A review by: | Darkside Momo |
01. Preludio
02. The Spell
03. Battleplan
04. Black Rose
05. Her Spirit Will Fly Again
06. Dreams
07. Divine Embrace
08. The Prophecy
09. Burn
10. Forevermore
11. Revolt
12. Presagio
13. The Apocalypse
"Run, you fools!"
Here they are again.
Yes, those über-ultra cheesy keyboards from Italy.
Honestly, we're even getting on the video games soundtrack side of things, during the great times of the midi sounds. Not a bad thing in itself? But on a metal album, really? Even on a power metal one, I guess there's a line not to cross. And yes, Derdian did it with abandon.
Now that we're sure to talk cheese a lot, I have to tell you two little facts about me. First, I'm French, I come from the country of Cheese. Next, I don't like power metal, but love Rhapsody Of Fire. So yes, I know my Cheese. And here we have aplenty for sure!
As Rhapsody were either releasing bad albums or gone missing in action when Derdian released their first two albums, so it's pretty understandable than the fans were happy. Now that the original Italian masters are back, do we still need a copycat?
The answer is no. Especially not an uninspired one. This pseudo-symphonic stuff is as bland as possible, the songwriting unremarkable, with an uninvolved singer (at least, he sings perfectly in tune), and those keyboards? Man, how can they do something so clichéd with a straight face?
And power metal is supposed to be epic, and to fill you with uplifting emotions, right? Well, apart of boredom? Nothing. One hour long boredom.
At this point, you'll say this review is just some mindless bashing. Well I'll give you a few good points about this album (all is not terrible in these lands). The production, for example, is clear and perfectly balanced. Had the songs been dynamic, it would have been great. And also, I have to admit that all the musicians play very well for sure, even if it's quite emotionless.
I could go on and rant for a few dozen hours (oh, the stupid 'evil' laughs at the end of "Burn"!), but here's the short version: this album should be called A Lesson In Cheese. So get the hell out of here and avoid it! Unless you're a power metal nerd, of course.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 5 |
| Originality: | 4 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 19.07.2010 by Once your regular Hellfest reporter, now retired. I (strangely enough) listen to a lot of metal. And enjoy good beers, comics, novels and role-playing games. |
Comments
Comments: 29
Visited by: 218 users
| Zenzero Zenzero Posts: 472  |
I love this album, and the part. 1 too! if you don't like power metal write about death or black! there's a couple of songs really good, I think they're one of the most interesting power metal band on the scene now!
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| Anibx Posts: 58  |
If I made a review about a doom metal album, probably will come something like this review. That why we have to stay with the music that we like, if you don't like it, don't even think of speaking about it.
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| Stigmatized .......... Posts: 3820  |
Written by Zenzero on 19.07.2010 at 19:33 Written by Anibx on 19.07.2010 at 23:03 What's with you guys? If we never stepped outside the spectrum of music we KNOW we like, things would get old quickly. How is anyone supposed to discover something new if they don't step outside their comfort zone?
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| Rupert Posts: 469  |
Written by Stigmatized on 19.07.2010 at 23:22 I second that. Just because a reviewer scores an album poorly doesn't mean you'll also think it's a bad album.
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089  |
@ Stigmatized, Rupert: indeed  @ Zenzero, Anibx: to each his own. I'm pretty open minded when it comes to metal, and metal (that is, the whole genre) is my style of predilection. You might like this album, fine (I suggest just as much at the end of the review), no problem with me. But as a reviewer, I have to consider other questions, like "are they original" (plain no)... And seriously, any comparison done with Rhapsody, that they try to copy even with their story concept, goes pretty badly for Derdian. Originality? Rhapsody's done it before. Songwriting? Rhapsody (and other power metal bands for that matter) are able to write anthemic songs, which is clearly not Derdian's case (at least, not with this album). And for power metal detractors, they don't even have the über chessiness that Rhapsody boasts.
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Zenzero Zenzero Posts: 472 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 20.07.2010 at 02:36 so in the whole world we have few original power metal band... helloween, rhapsody, stratovarius and nightwish. all the others are copies... and obviously bad copies... open minded... me too... but for me once that you listen one black/death metal band all the others are the same! for you exist only rhapsody and all the others are copies, you can't do an objective review! like I can't do an objective review of a black/death album, BUT I DON'T DO IT! ehehehehehe i see your albums collection, how can you do a review of a power metal album?? it's better that i don't write more.... (lucky you're not a power metal nerd like me! i'm sure you're a true metalhead!)
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| Bas Retired Staff Elite Posts: 5591  |
I just listened to some of their myspace stuff and I absolutely agree with Momo's review (coming from someone who listens to power metal regularly and listened to A LOT of it in the past), from what I've heard the music is just really bland and boring and especially the vocalist sounds really uninspired.
---- BAS - Beautifully Accented Sexiness
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| Rupert Posts: 469 |
Written by Zenzero on 20.07.2010 at 03:09 Way to take that one maturely like Momo so gracefully did for you.
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| Nightwisher Posts: 1 |
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by Nightwisher on 20.07.2010 at 13:36 Well, thanks for the interesting comment! I'll just make a few clarifications... I'm quite familiar with power metal, even if I'm not that much of a fan of the style. The 'I don't like it' part was just a little provocative rant to put in contrast with the quote at the beginning, and the fact that I really enjoy Rhapsody (among others), the band Derdian longs to be compared with 
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by Zenzero on 20.07.2010 at 03:09 Well, instead of making personal attacks, why don't you write a review by yourself? You can, and the guidelines are here.
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Zenzero Zenzero Posts: 472 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 20.07.2010 at 13:53 if one day I'll do a review I'll talk about a genre I know! how can you talk about power metal if you have 10 albums of that genre?? you don't own neither the 2 keepers!!!! you don't like power metal, if you like black/death or whatever else talk about it! i don't like dark tranquillity and the other 90% of the bands you listen to, but I don't call you nerd... and even if I think that that bands suck I don't do a negative review about them!
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| Stigmatized .......... Posts: 3820 |
Written by Nightwisher on 20.07.2010 at 13:36 While pointless bashing of an album is indeed no good, I disagree with you otherwise. If someone who is into power metal writes a review of a power metal album, surely there is some bias involved. Now it helps in the sense that they can compare it to other albums within the genre, but it's nice to get an unbiased opinion as well.
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| gid Posts: 117  |
Why does every review have to be positive? You're perfectly entitled to disagree with the review, Zenzero, but that doesn't mean the review is bad. If anything the review is well-balanced and objective.
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| Anibx Posts: 58 |
Written by Nightwisher on 20.07.2010 at 13:36 Well, well. A discussion surronded power metal? How weird. I wish my english were better so I can write a good comment on this. But I will try with the few words I know. It seems like my comment was took like I were a powermetal nerd. So yey baby!! haha, I'm not. I have good taste and don't stay just to one genre and defend it to death. Actally I don't even like Derdian, there too many good band out there (powermetal include). What I say is practically what I'm quoting about. If you made a review you made it about a genre that you know. I can't make a review about doom metal because I really can't stand doommetal. And If I try to do a review about an album of that genre probably I will not enjoy and apreciate the music (which could be very good) just because I don't like that kind of music. What this review make me think was that the reviewer was or contract to destroy the band or he's mad with the members and want it to screw them. If it's not like that, I don't understand why he made it. PS. Don't hate powermetal, I like it because of the lirycs and the cheesiness. I like Tolkien and fantasy books, so is obviuos that in metal I go with power. It's just a matter of taste. Insult fans of a genre just because I don't like it make me more stupid that the people I'm trying to insult. If I put again the example of doommetal I can say about people who like it: "Came on man, hang yourself for the sake of god and stop suffering. Or about death metal (which I also like) "Hey, there are not singers in that genre that vocalist have to scream to hide that fact'" See, we powermetal nerd can be sarcastic too about other genre. PPS. Don't call me nerd I prefer Geek, is more cool 
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| Anibx Posts: 58 |
Written by Stigmatized on 19.07.2010 at 23:22 You're right, I try different genres and different bands, but if I know I just can't stand one particular genre, what's the point in insist and listen to a band that I know I'm not going to like and in top of that I'm going to write shit about it just to say that I'm cool and people who like it are nerds. That, for me, is just stupid. My problem with this review (and other that are similar, no matter the genre) is that obviuosly is not objective, clearly the reviewer doesn't like the genre and he's not limiting to give his opinion about the album, he insult the band, insult the genre and insult people who like it. How can't anyone defend that?
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| Zenzero Zenzero Posts: 472 |
Now it's a correct review! and we can agree or disagree with you.
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by Anibx on 24.07.2010 at 03:48 Well... - you like Tolkien? me too. Didn't you notice the quote at the very beginning of the review? - And yes I said I don't like power metal. A provocative pique which worked wonders, but that should be taken lightheartedly, given the opening quote, and the fact that, as I said, love Rhapsody (you can't find more cheesy, can you?) - and, like power metal or not, this album is bad. So I said it. You have every right to disagree, I respect that, but I certainly hold to my judgement. (and no, I don't know the bandmembers, I wasn't paid to bash them. Had this album been good, I'd have said it. But face it: only power metal fans can love this one, other people, even if interested by the style, should rather check something else) - about geeks and nerds, this will be enough  Just to finish, your english is pretty good and your post articulate
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Andreas Posts: 334 |
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| Luneth Account deleted |
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941  |
If I'd write a review on a Powermetal album, it would sound kinda like this one, I'm sure. Perhaps I should do it one day, just for the exquisite pleasure to piss off the Flowermetal fanboys who believe every single crap from this genre is awesome.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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| vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493  |
Written by RavenKing on 11.12.2010 at 17:17 And then they shall have their vengeance... ...by giving Candlemass a 6.5.
---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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| Aquila Posts: 8  |
I'm a fan of power genre, and I prefer Rhapsody and Kamelot,Dragonland,Pathfinder....more symphonic guys. But I still agree this is a good album, related to Avantasia, Helloween..... It's more fair to comment something you know well, as you know most will share your view.
---- Maybe the final of the world is really darkness, but science and melody can light the perspective!!!!
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| atkmetal123 Posts: 60 |
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| Carl Berg Carl Berg Posts: 589  |
Technically gifted but cheesy as hell. 5.0? Certainly not. And I'm not even a power metal fan.
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| renai Posts: 160  |
Wonder how, this album has little things that prevent me not like it and has lot to enjoy. Rating at least 7.5 or 8 out of 10 is acceptable.
---- hey...my blog >>> http://metalharem.blogspot.com/
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| Zap Posts: 3579  |
I don't see what's wrong with making a review of a band from a genre you don't like or are not familiar with. If you listened to the album that's enough for me to give an opinion on it. And this reviewer clearly knows stuff about the genre, since he can clearly see that this is a weak Rhapsody clone, so I don't see any problem with this review. The only thing I disagree with is his words on the performance (and his score for that matter), but that's a different story.
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| Andreas Posts: 334 |
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