CoC : Event Horizon - From Beginning... to End : Review

Event Horizon - _From Beginning... to End_
by: Brian Meloon (3 out of 5)

This 25-minute, five song demo falls into the categories labeled alternately as "progressive metal" and "power metal". I'm not a big fan of this genre, so the best comparison I can give is to Labyrinth's 1996 album _No Limits_. Despite the age of that album, this seems to be an accurate enough comparison. The music here is heavily melody-based, with keyboards for emphasis, and a male singer who likes to hit high notes. The songs are pretty straightforward, and don't vary much from standard verse-chorus structures. The playing is mid-to-fast tempo and generally restrained, deferring the spotlight to either the vocalist or the guitar solos (which are quite average). This might be a reasonable strategy with a stronger frontman, but Alessandro Formenti's vocals are the weak point of this offering. While he has a good range, his choice of vocal lines and his overuse of high notes are reminiscent of '80s glam bands, and really detract from the music. In addition, his voice seems flat in many places, bringing down what are otherwise memorable choruses. Aside from this weakness, the music here is reasonably good: not outstanding, but certainly on par with others in the style. Even with the weak vocals, I wouldn't be surprised to find this band signed for a debut release already. Fans of the style should keep an eye out for these guys, as with a little improvement, they could be a contender.

Contact: http://www.eventhorizonband.com

(article published 21/3/2003)