MINUETUM - review added 10th August 2010
Album Review: Haunted Spirit (2010)
For fans of: Power Metal... and, er, characterful vocals
Minuetum, formed in Greece in 2007, was created by keyboardist Dimitris Melidis and singer Dimitris Zacharopoulos. Joining them for Haunted Spirit, their debut album, is a respectable cast list.
On bass is Argentinian Nacho Lopez (from Lord Kraven), on guitars there's Jason Mercury and - with a few guest pieces - Bob Katsionis (both from Outloud). There are also female vocals from Iro Kalligeri. Drummer Nick Parotidis completes the main band. Bob Katsionis pops up again on production, and the resulting recordings were mixed and mastered by Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius, Revolution Renaissance).
Bearing the line-up in mind...in fact regardless of who plays on this LP...the result is an utter disappointment. The musicianship is okay, with the only highlight the often impressive keyboard passages. The big problem is with the vocals. Dimitris Zacharopoulos doesn't come across at all well. I don't know how much of it is down to him, and how much is the recording/production process, but he often sounds out of tune and frankly poor. It's actually uncomfortable to listen to.
Highlights? Er, I'm afraid to say the only one I can think of is the moment the record finishes. This really is a very substandard release and, even after several pained listens, I struggle to find any song worth recommending.
I went into Haunted Spirit not even knowing who created the record. Now I know, it's even more of a let down.
Avoid.
Check out... Er...
Track List:
01. Sky Minuet
02. The Dark Half
03. The Tribe Is Calling
04. Follow Us
05. Key To Glory
06. Hero Divine
07. Time To Fly
08. Ghost King
09. Into The Night
10. Eternal Twilight
Label: 7Hard
Artist's website(s): MySpace
