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VEXILLUM
The Bivouac
Folk Power Metal
21. September 2012
Limb Music
various- depending on territory
Biography
Pisa is primarily known for its leaning tower. But for
Heavy Metal? No, no civic points have been awarded
for that until now. VEXILLUM want to change that. With
their second album "The Bivouac" the band has an
opulent piece of Heavy Metal in their hands. Although
the general term "Heavy Metal" is a misnomer. The
Italians create their own style. Dashing Euro-Power
Metal interwoven with Celtic-/ Nordic-/Folk ingredients
is not exactly a common or garden variety and has, as
far as we know, has hardly ever been mentioned in
articles of the worldwide metal press. VEXILLUM, the
name for the legionary banner of the Roman army
which, carried before the troops, proudly bore the
legion's name, will also surely lead the field with this
album which bears their realisation of hmynic Heavy
Metal with an unmistakable stampe of their own.
Compared with its predecessor, the musical
advancement of "The Bivouac" is enormous and the
band's concentrated work on its own identity is
beginning to bear fruit.
The band was founded in Pisa in 2004 by Michael
Gasparri under the name of "SHADOW VEXILLUM".
The founding was followed by several line-up changes
before they became a stable group in 2005. In that
year the band recorded their first demo CD entitled
"Tales" which already showed a musical uniqueness:
the combination of Celtic-Nordic-Folk influences with
fast, melodic Power Metal elements. The band
underlined the sound optically at live shows by
appearing on stage in Scottish kilts - and still do so
today. In 2006 Dario Vallesi joined SHADOW
VEXILLUM as its new singer and still puts his own
unique stamp of style and sound on the band. 2006
also saw the beginning of the work on the album,
"Neverending Quest", and during the same period the
Italians changed the band's name from SHADOW
VEXILLUM to VEXILLUM, once again changing some
band members in order to form the best possible
conditions for the planned EP. Musical support was
gained by the two VISION DIVINE musicians Alessio
Lucatti and Federico Puleri, who made guest appearances
on "Rising From The Ruins". The EP was released in 2007
and received good to very good reviews from all over the
world. Their first important shows were played with bands
such as ELDRITCH. In 2010 the band began work on their
first album, which kept them busy all through the summer
before releasing "The Wandering Notes" on the Italian
label My Graveyard Productions at the beginning of 2011.
The lads' style had made enormous progress and the
international press pricked up their ears in interest.
Positive reviews confirmed that VEXILLUM had done
everything right. The album had again given the band the
chance to work with friends from other bands, such as
Fabio Lione (VISION DEVINE, RHAPSODY OF FIRE) and
Alessio Lucatti (VISION DIVINE). As a result of the
excellent reaction of the press VEXILLUM went on their
first European tour in February 2011 supporting
RHAPSODY OF FIRE. When the tour ended, they needed
to find a new drummer at short notice and it was in the
new formation that the quintet sat down to write the songs
for the successor to "The Wandering Notes". From May
until July 2012 the highly motivated Italians worked on
"The Bivouac", which was to appear on the shop shelves
under the label of Limb Music. The band stayed on track
musically and thematically and so one once again meets
up with many of the same figures in the stories. Stylistically
the band has taken yet another step forwards in order to
avoid being mistaken for any other band, and, with "The
Bivouac" they have a true ace up their sleeves.
"The Bivouac" is certainly an album which will cause much
discussion but isn't that the whole point of music? To
shake things up, eliminate narrow-mindedness, tear out
barriers? Their style can be compared to bands such as
RHAPSODY OF FIRE, LABYRINTH, HEIMDALL and
VISION DIVINE, without, however, copying them. The
album, recorded in the "Wanna Rock" studios, is melodic
but has an edgy sound and Darrio Vallesi's voice imresses
the listener more and more with his unmistakeable style.
Most of the up-tempo songs begin with sound fragments,
which imparts the mood of a story before flipping over to
galloping, furiously driving riff attacks. Built primarily on
hymn-like melodies, bombastic themes are the soul and
body of every song. "The Oak And Lady Flame" could
easily be used as background music for a battle scene.
One of the highlights of the album is The Marketsquare Of
Dooley" which impresses by its abrupt change of pace, a
driving rhythm and perfectly incorporated storyboard parts.
"The Hunt" has such an enormous speed that it almost
borders on the limit of melodic Speed Metal, yet here too
melodies and harmonic parts dominate the scene. "The
Bivouac" is an absolute must-have for fans of the genre,
because every possible wish of fans of the style is fulfilled.
And the tremendous production by the band, plus the
mastering by R.D. Liapakis & C. Schmid (Mystic Prophecy,
Devils Train, Orden Ogan) has brought out the quality of
these speed tracks even more, making the eleven songs
truly a metallic dream. VEXILLUM's diary already shows
two tours confirmed for 2013.
Besetzung:
Andrea Galvanico - Guitar
Dario Vallesi - Vocals
Efisio Pregio - Drums
Michele Gasparri - Guitar
Francesco Ferraro - Bass
Discography:
VEXILLUM
"The Bivouac"
Album 2012
LMP 1209-133 CD
UPC: 884860069120
Tracklisting:
01. The Wanderer's Note
02. Dethrone The Tyrant
03. Dancing Goddess
04. The Oak And Lady Flame
05. The Hunt
06. The Dream
07. The Marketsquare Of Dooley
08. The Way Behind The Hill
09. Valhalla
10. Letter From The Earth
11. Megiddo
12. The Last Inn
Total playing time
5:49
6:26
5:03
6:40
5:05
4:59
5:11
5:40
5:45
5:58
5:30
5:37
67:43
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