ANASTASIO FARINI – Lil’ Angel (2013)

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With Italian origins but born & raised in Thessaloniki, Greece (same city as Wild Rose) guitar player ANASTASIO FARINI was nominated with only 16 years old as best upcoming talent by Greek Metal Hammer Magazine.
Farini is releasing his debut “Lil’ Angel” featuring several vocalists from the European Hard Rock scene singing his melodious rockin’ songs.

As guitar player, Farini’s style is strongly influenced by John Norum, Richie Sambora, Yngwie Malmsteen and this is clearly showcased through the clean and polished solos spreaded on this recording. But the man’s musical heart & soul is flooded by late ’80s / early ’90s Melodic Hard Rock spiced with elements of the Hair Metal era.
All the tracks (even the two instrumental) on this CD are a trip back to those years both in sound and style, and although Farini shreds -and very well- during the solos, we’re talking about catchy commercial songs here.
When you have such diverse cast of guest vocalists there’s a risk to lose homogeneity, however all work fine for the most part on “Lil’ Angel”.
The title track opens the album, a contagious and extremely melodic rocker featuring Greek singer Dean Mess from the band W.A.N.T.E.D. Perhaps due Dean’s timbre recalling Ted Poley, but also from the main melody, the tune is highly influenced by Danger Danger.
Follower “Sweet Lovin’ Girl” is another ear-candy melodic number this time with a Scandinavian touch, more vocal layered harmonies and strong leads by Rob Mancini. The guitar solo is quite Norum-Europe with a restrained Farini focused in sweetness than speed.

Swede Pelle Saether (Grand Design) sings the cool rocker “Anytime All The Time” which somehow reminds me a Slaughter song, and then Reuben Archer from British cult band Stampede adds his raspy throat to “Brother To Brother”, the more traditional hard rock song on the disc.
There’s two instrumental tracks on the album; the accomplished “The Phantom Of The Opera” with an uptempo first part alá Impelliteri and a melodic Yngwie-like second section. The other is “Prelude”, a neoclassical affair with concerto acoustic guitars, hot electrics and background keys.
“I Will Be Loving You Forever” is the ballad, build by very nice pianos, synths and sustained guitar work, featuring Australian singer Darren Grant who recorded a solid disc with Eruption some years ago. Grant sings as well on the foot-tapping hair metal tune “Like My Way Of Love”.
The only downside here is the cover of Duran Duran’s “Wild Boys” going hard rock. It’s not bad, but wasting a good singer like George Gakis (who does not reach the arrangement, too high for him) in other’s people song instead of an original it’s a pity.

Armed with a catchy pack of songs and his guitar skills (which are many) Anastasio Farini’s “Lil’ Angel” is an enjoyable listening: melodic, good songwriting inspired in the late eighties, strong vocalists and solid session musicians.

1. Lil’ Angel (feat. Dean Mess of W.A.N.T.E.D.)
2. Sweet Lovin’ Girl (feat. Rob Mancini)
3. Anytime All The Time (feat. Pelle Saether of Grand Design)
4. Brother To Brother (feat. Reuben Archer of Stampede)
5. I Will Be Loving You (feat. Darren Grant of Eruption)
6. The Phantom Of The Opera (instrumental)
7. Wild Boys [Duran Duran cover] (feat. George Gakis)
8. Like My Way Of Love (feat. Darren Grant of Eruption)
9. Prelude (instrumental)

Anastasio Farini: all guitars
Nikos Antoniadis: drums, backing vocals
Sakis Kipouros, Domenikiotis Kostas: bass
Yannis Giouras, Christos Gougoumas: keyboards
Manos Kagias, Iraklis Zotos: backing vocals

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