SOUL SECRET – Babel (2017)
“Babel” is the new album from Italian progressive metal act SOUL SECRET. The band’s strong debut from 2008 led to them playing with the likes of Pendragon, Vanden Plas and Subsignal all over Europe.
They have been through a few line-up changes since then, and are now back 2017 with this fourth album, a concept telling the story of two astronauts, Sam and Adriel, who are sent into space to find God helped by logOS, an on-board computer providing cutting-edge technology to the mission.
When they finally find the City Of Gods, they find it empty…
Musically, Soul Secret is progressive metal but not your common band in this genre.
You’ll find “Babel” to be a fusion of various styles: classic prog rock, modern metal, with electronic elements, and even some slight funk and Eastern influences. Additionally, you will find the music within “Babel” to be rather complex and, at times, perplexing.
The arrangements and their various musical parts are technical enough to both challenge and intrigue the listener. Some songs are pretty straightforward, others require more attention.
After a short but intense intro with ‘Prologue’, it comes the first swhowcase of Soul Secret’s skills; ‘What Were All About’ is really an amazing tune. Progressive rock doesn’t gets better, with some spacey elements to surround it, this track is just excellent and shows the multi-talent of this band.
‘A Shadow On The Surface’ brings back memories form Dream Theater’s earlier works (the first couple of records) and it’s a more direct progressive song that includes, once again, great arrangements, good vocals and some superb guitar lines & solos.
It’s time for some groovier things with ‘Will They’, while in ‘LogOS’ the band delivers a short, darker and melancholic track. ‘Awakened By The Light’ is probably the most diverse song of the new opus, rich in harmony vocals.
More pop-ish, more uptempo but without loosing any of its progressive previous elements, ‘Awakened By The Light’ really shines here. Especially the guitar solo is just brilliant.
One of the album’s highlights is, without a doubt, closer “In The Hardest Times” which grabs you with its variety of rhythms and leaves you with a sweet taste in your ears.
Soul Secret’s new album “Babel” is not an instant ear candy, it’s a complex progressive album but one that dissected to the bone becomes a palatable sonic experience.
The Italian combo tries to deliver something different to the overcrowded progressive / prog metal table, and they succeed for the most part. It’s that kind of albums that need several listens, and I assure you’ll find some very good musicality to it.
Very strong and interesting album.
01. Prologue
02. What We’re All About
03. A Shadow On The Surface
04. Will They?
05. Iogos
06. Awakened By The Light
07. Entering The City Of Gods
08. The Cuckoo’s Nest
09. Newton’s Law
10. In The Hardest Of Times
Lino Di Pietrantonio (Vocals)
Antonio Vittozzi (Guitars)
Claudio Casaburi (Bass)
Luca Di Gennaro (Keyboards)
Antonio Mocerino (Drums)
BUY IT !
www.soulsecret.net/?product=babel
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