Dionysus Anima Mundi
Afm Records AFM074-2 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
Do you remember Olaf Hayer? He came into fame as the lead singer in the two Luca Turilli solo albums, and I had no clue what else he was doing with his time. Well he is now fronting the band Dionysus; Anima Mundi is actually their second release, and fans of symphonic power metal should take note, because this is actually a very solid and enjoyable album.
The one thing that I enjoy about Dionysus is that while in the back of mind there is the nagging thought of having heard all of this before, I find the music to be extremely engaging. This has to be attributed to the talent of the band, especially guitarist Johnny Öhlim and keyboardist Kaspar Dahlqvist. Both of these players show a lot of skill and confidence with their particular instruments, and there are plenty of moments for both of them to showcase their chops. For those looking for a fix of duelling solos and memorable melodies then Anima Mundi is just what the doctor ordered. Olafs singing has also improved from his days with Luca, at least from what I remember. To me he sounds like a totally different vocalist because he sings in a higher range and he does a very good job at it. He doesnt sound all over the place and out of control - rather he knows what his voice can do and excels at it. The very capable duo of bassist Nobby Noberg and drummer Ronny Milanowicz round out the rest of the band.
Some of the best moments on Anima Mundi are when speed is the name of the game, and songs like Paradise Land, Divine, What, Anima Mundi, Heart is Crying and Eyes of the World are where Dionysus shine. Another good moment is the anthemic and slow-paced March for Freedom, that will surely be a huge live favorite. The weak links in the album are Forever More for being way too cheesy, while Closer to the Sun is just average. Bringer of War is too slow, and doesnt showcase the bands talents all that well being the one song that Olaf sounds really poor.
Despite these few gripes and the nagging thought (mentioned earlier), I really enjoy Anima Mundi. That said I dont know how often I will go back to it due to the fact that there are other bands in my collection that I would rather hear before Dionysus.
7.5/10
Dionysus Official Website
AFM Records Official Website
Afm Records AFM074-2 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
Do you remember Olaf Hayer? He came into fame as the lead singer in the two Luca Turilli solo albums, and I had no clue what else he was doing with his time. Well he is now fronting the band Dionysus; Anima Mundi is actually their second release, and fans of symphonic power metal should take note, because this is actually a very solid and enjoyable album.
The one thing that I enjoy about Dionysus is that while in the back of mind there is the nagging thought of having heard all of this before, I find the music to be extremely engaging. This has to be attributed to the talent of the band, especially guitarist Johnny Öhlim and keyboardist Kaspar Dahlqvist. Both of these players show a lot of skill and confidence with their particular instruments, and there are plenty of moments for both of them to showcase their chops. For those looking for a fix of duelling solos and memorable melodies then Anima Mundi is just what the doctor ordered. Olafs singing has also improved from his days with Luca, at least from what I remember. To me he sounds like a totally different vocalist because he sings in a higher range and he does a very good job at it. He doesnt sound all over the place and out of control - rather he knows what his voice can do and excels at it. The very capable duo of bassist Nobby Noberg and drummer Ronny Milanowicz round out the rest of the band.
Some of the best moments on Anima Mundi are when speed is the name of the game, and songs like Paradise Land, Divine, What, Anima Mundi, Heart is Crying and Eyes of the World are where Dionysus shine. Another good moment is the anthemic and slow-paced March for Freedom, that will surely be a huge live favorite. The weak links in the album are Forever More for being way too cheesy, while Closer to the Sun is just average. Bringer of War is too slow, and doesnt showcase the bands talents all that well being the one song that Olaf sounds really poor.
Despite these few gripes and the nagging thought (mentioned earlier), I really enjoy Anima Mundi. That said I dont know how often I will go back to it due to the fact that there are other bands in my collection that I would rather hear before Dionysus.
7.5/10
Dionysus Official Website
AFM Records Official Website
