ELEGIA BALCANICA

Band steming from Serbia and comprised of very skilled musicians, AlogiA play a slightly prog-oriented power metal, bringing back to memory the best moments of Kiske-era Helloween with a dash of early Dream Theater or Crimson Glory. The band seems to have gained some fame in their own country, even topping the charts and performing sold out gigs in stadiums. The reason for this success lies probably in the delivery of catchy choruses in serbian, and a strong focus on the balkan Identity in their lyrics.

Regarding the music, we are in for some catchy tunes, where shy verses (like on "Galija") or more agressive (like on "Vreme je") turn to anthemic choruses with cheerful vocals. All along the record, we are exposed to galloping rhythms, hasty drumming, above-the-standard guitar playing, at times harpsichord-sounding keyboards when they are not filling out the space in an orchestral or enchanting way, and singalong-driven chorus. Some arabian-sounding violins in the first half of the album also add a traditional touch to the whole ("Callis ad Astra", "Galija", "Elegia Balcanica"). Altogether, all those elements interlock quite well, even if originality is not outstanding.

On a final note, this album can be recommended to anyone who is into the more melodic branch of power/prog metal. The use of local language is not so common in this category, and we can salutate the band for this courageous endeavour.