ADVENT? What’s going on? It’s already Christmas time? Where did the time and year flow to? It’s gone? And when and where my birthday happened? Damn, it's so pity... But stop! It’s not the celebration of fuck (sorry, I mean the celebration of love).
ADVENT is a band hailing from Italy and they bring us their brand new debut album The Dawn, which is a masterpiece but with a little boner.
ADVENT was born as a project in the minds of Giorgio (guitar), Ricardo (drums) and Stefano (keyboards) and was formed back at the end of 1998. One year later Federico, the vocalist joined and completed this bunch to a band. In April 2001 the band recorded their first demo From A Distant Landscape in just two days. After several months of songwriting process they entered again the studio during November 2002 and nailed down 3 new songs released as their second demo entitled Valholl. And again ADVENT dropped in the studio in May 2003 to record their first full-length album for Golden Lake.
This CD actually features these 3 tracks from Valholl along with 6 brand new ones. The demo tracks have a heavier use of keyboards whilst the newer material is much more guitar-driven. But I mean, it doesn’t matter at all as the first 3 songs are as great as the other 6 ones. The songs are pretty melodious. The guys try to bring a little of pepper to the music with much of variety. Federico’s vocals are a fine mix of growls, screams and a strong clean voice. This voice is just incredible. With his beautiful singing the band sounds like Opeth or Dark Suns. The only difference to these bands is, the music is faster. Melodies and guitar work could be from In Flames or Dark Tranquillity and the keyboards from Dimmu Borgier or Borknagar.
My favourite songs are Paradise Lost, The Thing The Sleep In The Abyss and Landscape. In these songs the singer shows what he’s able to offer. And that’s the best I ever have heard! I think the most interesting trait at this band is, that the guys go their own way without following musical trends! They mix different metal styles and create a great metal epos. And you must listen to it again and again and again and so on.
But I think, that the Black Metal passages are a downer in this music. I have to confess: it makes me sick! Sorry, but that’s what I feel! I think, the band has so much potential that they can turn these Black Metal parts down! So I hope, I don’t have to listen to Black Metal anymore on their next CD and then, I'm sure, ADVENT will reach the sky in the hall of perfect metal gods!

Advent