Røsenkreütz
is mainly the brainchild of an experienced multi-instrumentalist and
producer from Verona, Fabio Serra. In 2006 he gathered around him a
bunch of talented musicians to refine some of his old demos and work
on new compositions. In 2014, after a long, hard work, Røsenkreütz's
debut album, Back To The Stars, was finally completed and
released on the independent label Andromeda Relix with a line up
featuring Fabio Serra (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Gianni Brunelli
(drums, percussions), Gianni Sabbioni (bass) and Massimo Piubelli
(vocals). In the studio they were helped by some guests musicians
such as Angela Merlin (vocals), Carlo Soliman (grand-piano), Luca
Nardon (percussion), Gabriele Amadei (violin) and Cristiano Roversi
(from Moongarden, Submarine Silence and Mangala Vallis - Chapman
stick) who contributed to enrich the sound and the final result is an
excellent crossover formula that, without being too derivative, I'm
sure will appeal to fans of Toto, Kansas or The Spock's Beard.
The
dark, nervous opener “Signals In The Water” is a disquieting
reflection about life and afterlife where time stops for a moment
while a man dives into the water from a high cliff with suicidal
intentions. It's like a riddle where sneaky shadows blot out reality
and you get lost in a nightmare where you are drowning in your old
lies...
Then
comes “Sitting On The Edge Of Heaven”, a wonderful track full of
spirituality and positive feelings where you can find a perfect
blending between powerful rock energy and delicate, classical
inspired passages. The music and lyrics are about the need to take
your time and choose your own way to heaven, a way you'll never
regret. The short passage a cappella is a real treat!
“Conditioning”
features synthetic sounds and melodic vocals warning you about the
risks of the virtual reality you live on your computer, hiding your
face behind a screen, loosing your innocence, feeding the appetite of
an evil, technological idol. It leads to the romantic “Nothing More
In You” where the music and lyrics tell of a relationship between a
man and a woman that is going through a period of deep crises, a love
that is fading away between empty shadows and misplaced feelings.
Next
comes the jumping “Childish Reaction” that reminds me of Van
Halen and is overflowing with good feelings and positive energy, then
it's the turn of a tribute to The Beatles, a nice cover of “I Am
The Walrus”.
The
title track, “Back To The Stars”, closes the album. It's a long
suite divided into seven parts, an over 17 minute epic that starts by
a charming piano solo pattern and then grows going through many
changes in mood and rhythm. The music and lyrics depict the feelings
of an astronaut floating in a crimson dusk, suspended between heaven
and hell, tore apart by the contrast between the wish to go back home
and the fear to loose his celestial peace... Well, in my opinion this
is by far the best track of the album and a perfect conclusion for
this interesting work.
Røsenkreütz:
Back To The Stars (2014). Other opinions:
Michael
“Aussie-Byrd-Brother”: Some may find the lack of a clear sound or direction a little confusing, but it's really a band trying to
appeal to as wide an audience as possible and tick a number of boxes. The album is full of strong
compositions, slick playing and skillful vocals with a modern polished production, and the band is
proudly unashamed of aiming to catch the ear of more accessible music listeners. Røsenkreütz are
a very promising band to watch in the future, and `Back to the Stars' is a near-perfect example of
how good crossover bands can be when they get that balance of progressive technicality with
melodic commercial appeal just right - no easy feat!... (read the complete review HERE)
Jason Spencer: This album is flashy, somewhat cheesy, but rich musically
and serious where it counts. It explores both the deep and shallow end of the prog pool, but
I think it comes out a winner in the end... (read the complet review HERE)
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