DISTANT PAST - ALPHA DRACONIS
KAYFABE SOUND SWITZERLAND
Metal To Infinity
The
Metal scène is without any doubts overcrowded. Yesterday for example I was
reading some Metal magazines and I was astonished how many bands are releasing
new albums, bands I have even never heard about.
Some of them are very popular or at least they're immensely pushed by the
big labels. Anyway, even if you’re in one or two subgenres it is so God damn
difficult to follow the scène and even specializing yourself in one specific
country or continent became a mission impossible. So I realize that I still have
a lot to learn and I’m quite sure I will discover bands in the future who
already released several great albums, even gems, in the past.
Maybe
Distant Past fits perfectly in that row because this is the first time they’re
crossing my path and I am pretty impressed by them. Switzerland is not the
ultimate Metal country but they’ve delivered us goodies before, think for
example about Coroner and Krokus. Another Swiss formation I have a CD from in my
racks is Emerald and no doubts it was more than a decent Heavy Metal band.
I’ve read reviews about their latest silver disc and I will purchase it one
day because the articles about it were very positive. Anyway Adriano
Troiano
left Emerald a few years ago to start Evil Eye with some school friend and to
form Distant Past a bit later. Meanwhile the circle is closed again and this
bass player joined the forces of Emerald again.
This
is the third official release of Distant Past and as I’ve said before “Alpha
Draconis” made a serious impact on me. Overall the arrangements aren’t
renewing or whatever but the way this music is written deserves all of your
attention. Distant Past hits every single instrument pretty hard and they
contain some kind of mysterious charisma. This is Heavy Metal in the first
place, melodic and foreseen with one after another good and emotional played
guitar solo. In and between the tracks Distant Past adds progressive elements
and they’re flirting more than once with either extreme either alternative or
even darkened boundaries. Don’t stand back now because the way Distant Past
performs it will strike you down and they’re not one or another ‘wannabee
alternative’ band, this is pure Heavy Metal in the first place. Without any
reasonable similarities bands like Deadsoul Tribe and Psychotic Waltz were
crossing my mind, yet Distant Past is less ‘special’ but still remarkable
enough to sound different . At least it is an impossible job to label Distant
Past.
It’s
not exactly clear to me if this is a private pressing but that doesn’t matter
anyway. This band deserves everybody’s attention because it overgrows a style
and there aren’t many negative points to mention. The production is good and
every single instrument is played by skilled musicians. Singer Angelo Shafer has
a great and variable voice with a personal touch. The way he uses different
vocal sounds, from grunts to high vocals in the back ground, is astounding.
Every single song contains its own attractive details and I am impressed by the
guitars, performed by Alain Curty and Christof Shafer. Check them out at http://www.distant-past.ch/
or http://
www.myspace.com/atdistantpast.