DARK MOOR
ANCESTRAL ROMANCE (Album)
2010, Scarlet Records


1. Gadir 04:59
2. Love from the Stone 04:02
3. Alaric de Marnac 04:42
4. Mio Cid 06:39
5. Just Rock 02:35
6. Tilt at Windmills 05:19
7. Canción del Pirata 05:39
8. Ritual Fire Dance 03:58
9. Ah ! Wretched Me 04:59
10. A Music in My Soul 07:31

Total playing time 50:33


darknessguide
If you're symphonic power metal fans, then your collision with Dark Moor should've already been inevitable - one of the most representative and successful Spanish bands out in that field. When it comes to qualitative releases, these guys are capable of competing with their fertile colleagues from abroad with a full back-up of eight albums in their catalogue. Thanks to some skillful instrumentalists and unforgettable voices that left their marks on its appearance, the quartet managed to pass the test of time along with all the compound problems that came all the way with it. Today, during its second era, the group continues to expand the range of its creative capacity with the help of Alfred Romero, who took upon the hard task to fill in Elisa Martin's place and became the second vocalist of Dark Moor only to score his fifth participation for them in "Ancestral Romance".

It's not an easy assignment to surpass albums such as "Tarot", not to mention "The Gates of Oblivion", but the philosophy of Dark Moor has never had anything to do with vain self-superiority strives. These Spaniards just love to create music – the way they feel it best in accordance with their own ideals, far away from any kind of mainstream directions. And they do it damn good, which is a yet another evidence in favor of their successful longevity. After ten years, each next record continues to shine with a peculiar beauty, dazzling melodies and a perfect model of a strong musicianship in unison. For good or bad, "Ancestral Romance" tends to discard the neoclassical manner of its last two predecessors (except for the Japanese bonus track), only to break the pattern giving way to a purposeful melodiousness – a nice example of an overall softened sound without turning it into a disadvantage of ideas and their perfect realization. Instead of interpreting classic works again, the band turns its gaze all the way back to its own cultural legacy (thus the name of the record), turning it into a solid base for the compositions.

"Gadir" opens the album abiding by all rules – in an accelerated rate with lots of symphonies and a glorious solo, merged with the main melody theme; devoted to one of the oldest cities in Europe, it's just as a true Dark Moor hit should sound like. "Love from the Stone" is a typical mid-tempo track, based on an old Spanish legend ("Lovers of Teruel"), in which the soprano Berenice Musa entwines in a duet with Alfred. The neoclassical reference in the riffs of "Alaric de Marnac" and the arpeggio a la Luca Turilli remind of the structure of "The Sphynx" from "Autumnal", while the song is dedicated to the homonymous villain, inspired by Gilles de Rais (check Cradle of Filth's "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder" for more info), a main figure in the movies of a famous Spanish director back in the early '80s. The story of El Cid comes alive in "Mio Cid" with its medieval elements, massive choirs and strong guitar basis before the fresh flavour of the Queen-spirited "Just Rock". The Don Quixote dedication "Tilt at Windmills" is one of the most melodic and memorizable compositions in the entire opus - a big plus to the exquisite lyrical side of the band that won the hearts of so many fans throughout the years. "Cancion del Pirata" is the first track written entirely in native language and the short instrumental "Ritual Fire Dance" precedes the final plays "Ah! Wretched Me" (based on Calderon's "La vida es sueno"/"Live is a dream") and "A Music in My Soul", closing the album beautifully with melodious bridges and accented choruses in which Romero uses his artistic voice freely with full force.

Dark Moor score once again in favor of Spain and add another jewel to its discography, which lately has been developing in a steadfast tempo thanks to first-class releases - something that cannot be referred to so many bands nowadays. Yet while some musicians continue to please us and keep up the high standard, nothing can dim the delight caused by albums like "Ancestral Romance".

2010-12-07 00:00:00