When the Italians published their exquisite debut album “Lost Eden” in October 2013, the POWER METAL world listened abruptly.
Finally, ALTAIR, founded in 2008, debuted with all-around high-quality material, which bundles all the virtues of the genre. An abundance of enthusiastic reviews was the deserved result.
But otherwise, the heavily ambitious authors were able to score on a wide range, which resulted in a large number of followers and enthusiasts who loyally respect the guys.
For the second album “Descending: A Devilish Comedy”, the sextet from Ferrara succeeded in optimizing the exciting, pretty progressive overall sound.
The new compositions shoot themselves liquid-virtuosic as also metallic-cheering in varied wise into the ears.
And there is no lack of punctual pressure, high-rising epic, or skillfully elaborated melody. For the latter, all sorts of inspirations from the Classical world were given free access to the radiant sound cosmos of ALTAIR.
Keyboarder Enrico Ditta, an experienced actor at the electric organ, makes the nimble fingers dance as fast on the keys as if he stands under high voltage. His not infrequently solemnly, theatrical performance is integrated with the perfection of a Swiss clockwork into every nuance of the tracks.
Noble guitar duels, gloriously harmonious leads and ecstatic drumming make the wonderfully organic sounding disc a real jewel in the field of tastefully and aesthetically oriented Power Metal.
The fact that the new, great animating discus has definitely the content for a classic, is proved song by song. Example compliant? The inevitably overwhelming number “Flame Of Knowledge” testifies to the outstanding flair of the formation for the highest, timeless class.
Even vocalist Simone Mala can do anything. He covers on “Descending: A Devilish Comedy” the whole range of possibilities with his far outstanding, multi-mutable voice.
Master Mala, always animated by frenetic fervor to the marrow, completes every single song to a real, delightful experience. From massive-voluminous over full-bodied expression, to siren-like passages, the man can just sing as few!
With their compositional and instrumental mastery performances and the high level of playing culture, ALTAIR raise more than subtle reminiscences on the early works of the famous Brazilians of Angra or the countrymen Rhapsody. A powerful fact, which should provide positive inner unrest among connoisseurs and gourmets of the metier. (Markus Eck)
The official release date for is June, 30th 2017.
Read our review here.
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!