RAVENBLACK PROJECT – Breaking Through The Mist (2015)
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RAVENBLACK PROJECT is the musical creature by Italian guitarist Riccardo Bacchi. Completely produced by himself, from the songwriting to the artwork concept, “Breaking Through The Mist” is the resulting upcoming debut album featuring some outstanding guest singers.
The ‘cats’ involved are super-talented Mark Boals, Amanda Somerville, Doogie White (Schenker’s Temple Of Rock), James Christian (House Of Lords), Andre Matos (Avantasia), Jon Oliva (Savatage) and more.
At first look, RavenBlack Project makes you think about a rock opera or a conceptual project, but not, this is a melodic metal bunch of songs with some progressive orientation.
And quite effective if you ask me.
The CD starts quite heavy with the kicking “My New Revelations” featuring a killer performance by Mark Boals. You can hear that Bacchi, apart from being a great guitar player via sharp riffs and clean solos, he’s a superb orchestrator in the vein of Magnus Karlsson.
This is pretty evident on the next cut, the excellent “The Faithless and the Dreamer”, a power ballad with electric / acoustic guitars, synth passages, strings and where Andre Matos & Jon Oliva shine in a duet.
Doogie White adds his classic touch on the more hard rock oriented “One-Night Stand”, then the melodic metal “Redemption Blaze” presents Alberto Bollati at the mic, who also plays bass (currently touring as bassist and co-singer with Mike Terrana) in a song filled with lots of Hammond B3 organ.
More quality comes with the really slow, almost medieval “The Ancestral Call” including flute and a subtle duet between Amanda Somerville & Doogie.
The razor riffs return in the catchy “The Road to Hell Paso” (Mark Boals), and the gritty “Your Load of Lies” (feat. Franco Campanella).
The great James Christian provides his gifted pipes to the melodic midtempo “Wasting Memories” – a highlight, while the disc ends with “Lullaby for a Wolf”, a piano ballad featuring a sweet Amanda Somerville performance.
“Breaking Through The Mist” is a very good debut by Riccardo Bacchi and his RavenBlack project.
There’s some Ronnie Dio, Avantasia, Jorn, Magnus Karlsson and even a Richie Blackmore atmosphere throughout the album, but all done with a quite personal approach. It’s a classy product yet with a modern production, with attention to details.
Very Recommended.
01. My New Revelations (feat. Mark Boals)
02. The Faithless and the Dreamer (feat. Andre Matos & Jon Oliva)
03. One-Night Stand (feat. Doogie White)
04. Redemption Blaze (feat. Alberto Bollati)
05. The Ancestral Call (feat. Amanda Somerville & Doogie White)
06. The Road to Hell Paso (feat. Mark Boals)
07. Wasting Memories (feat. James Christian)
08. Your Load of Lies (feat. Franco Campanella)
09. Lullaby for a Wolf (feat. Amanda Somerville)
Riccardo Bacchi – all instruments
Dario Caradente – flute
Federico Vannucchi – guitar, bass, lute
Alberto Bollati – bass, vocals
Anchise Bolchi – violin
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www.cdbaby.com/cd/ravenblackproject4
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