THE FIFTH SEASON – Stronger, Perfect

 
Label: self-financed
Release: 2004
By: moonchild
Rating: -/-
Time: 25:51
Style: Progressive Metal
URL: The Fifth Season
 

Well, erm... what can I say? This is again an Italian band with five members, who wants to make progressive Metal. This is a valid and noble aim, no doubt. But frankly spoken THE FIFTH SEASON do not quite reach it with Stronger, Perfect.
It is a pity that they do not reach it! The musicians have the ability, though they are not virtuous, and they are truly creative. Vocalist and flutist Francesco "Bodhi" Raffaele's voice is quite pleasing to the ear and potentially versatile, but it is too often left weakly and distorted in the background. Marco "Von Kreutz" Novello (however he got this strange nickname...), the man on keys and effects creates interesting sounds and places them continuously everywhere, which does not really support the quality of the music. The other three musicians are decent, but they do not blow me away.
The same is to be said about the music itself. The song writing leaves a lot to be desired and I can only quote the old saying: less is more! I was not able to find any beautiful or interesting melodies, neither in the voice-line nor with the lead-guitar (if it can be noticed anyway!). It simply is not enough to place strange sound effects wherever it is possible and here and there an annoying flute into a long stretched piece of music to call the music progressive.

THE FIFTH SEASON certainly have a potential to make good music, but they still have to work on it intensely. It is not enough to alternate harder and softer sections. The differences in speed and harshness, in rhythm and melody have to derive from a kind of build-up of tension, because when they are happening only for the sake of themselves they just sound volitional.
Guys, listen intensely to the Prog-heroes from Pink Floyd, Camel, Marillion... to Dream Theater, Symphony X, Opeth... and find out what they do right and how they do it. Then you will have the chance to create true Prog Metal.