WILL'O'WISP - "UNSEEN" (BEYOND PROD.)
Having been around since 1992, Italy's Will'O'Wisp deliver their second full length album. I am in two minds about this album with some aspects of this very appealing while at other times it verges on annoying.
With musical influences such as Coroner, VoiVod, Cynic and Pink Floyd, they produce a sound with elements of Thrash, Death, Gothic, some melodic and atmospheric passages which sometimes melt together perfectly yet others seem totally disjointed. The same goes for the use of the male/female vocal combination which is also a hit and miss affair.
The first four songs are definitely the standout tracks. The opener "Night Walking" starts with an eerie keyboard sound and some chunky slow riffs before heading in a totally different direction. It changes from a chorus with female vocals that is almost pop but with the rest of the song offering some strange sombre moments and some Metallica sounding underlying riffs at times.
"Celestral Bride" has a mix of gothic, doom, semi-thrash and funk while "Nusku" has to be the standout track. Once again starting with some excellent slow-mid paced riffs it also darts around the place with some nice melodic guitar and semi-thrash; while "Paatah" is a relaxing instrumental.
From here things go down a touch with the lowest point being the very average "Through The Wall". Although it starts out positively with a great riff it soon is destroyed with an awful cheap sounding casio keyboard sound and vocals that sound really flat and only the underlying thrash riff redeems it a little otherwise it is a hard song to listen to. "Lost In Sands" brings the level back up again with some nice metal moments and the rest of the album just gets a pass mark but without being anything memorable or outstanding at all.
While they have some good ideas and pull it off in parts it just seems to be lacking in the overall end product which can make it an album that can be easily dismissed and will just end up being another metal album amongst the many. You can contact the band via email: studiotecnicosta@libero.it or check the label : http://www.beyondprod.com
Ian Busch
Having been around since 1992, Italy's Will'O'Wisp deliver their second full length album. I am in two minds about this album with some aspects of this very appealing while at other times it verges on annoying.
With musical influences such as Coroner, VoiVod, Cynic and Pink Floyd, they produce a sound with elements of Thrash, Death, Gothic, some melodic and atmospheric passages which sometimes melt together perfectly yet others seem totally disjointed. The same goes for the use of the male/female vocal combination which is also a hit and miss affair.
The first four songs are definitely the standout tracks. The opener "Night Walking" starts with an eerie keyboard sound and some chunky slow riffs before heading in a totally different direction. It changes from a chorus with female vocals that is almost pop but with the rest of the song offering some strange sombre moments and some Metallica sounding underlying riffs at times.
"Celestral Bride" has a mix of gothic, doom, semi-thrash and funk while "Nusku" has to be the standout track. Once again starting with some excellent slow-mid paced riffs it also darts around the place with some nice melodic guitar and semi-thrash; while "Paatah" is a relaxing instrumental.
From here things go down a touch with the lowest point being the very average "Through The Wall". Although it starts out positively with a great riff it soon is destroyed with an awful cheap sounding casio keyboard sound and vocals that sound really flat and only the underlying thrash riff redeems it a little otherwise it is a hard song to listen to. "Lost In Sands" brings the level back up again with some nice metal moments and the rest of the album just gets a pass mark but without being anything memorable or outstanding at all.
While they have some good ideas and pull it off in parts it just seems to be lacking in the overall end product which can make it an album that can be easily dismissed and will just end up being another metal album amongst the many. You can contact the band via email: studiotecnicosta@libero.it or check the label : http://www.beyondprod.com
Ian Busch
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