THE DARK PRESENCE

Warning: this is not Neo-prog!

This Italian septet is a musical project that started in the Nineties when multi-instrumentalist David Del Fabro (backing vocals, piano, keyboards and duduk) in fact wrote all the material on piano. The story and music are inspired by symbols and images from ancient history. From the very first moment I am delighted about this blend of Old School symphonic rock, prog metal and folk. The 13 tracks alternate between mellow, up-tempo beats and sumptuous eruptions (creating lots of tension and dynamics), embellished with outstanding work on vintage keyboards, harder-edged guitar play, and fuelled by an often thunderous rhythm-section.

My absolute highlight is the opener, the epic titletrack, close to 12 minutes. It starts atmospheric, including delicate sequencing, followed by a slow rhythm with distorted guitar and synthesizer flights. Then the mood changes to dreamy with tender piano and soaring strings, the English vocals are pleasant, I have no problem with the obvious accent. Gradually the music turns into more lush and compelling, culminating in a bombastic up-tempo with propulsive guitar riffs and awesome work on the Hammond, Minimoog and Mellotron (choir section), Old School keyboards rule, wow! In the end a heavy metal solo and a swinging rhythm with an exciting duel between a fat Minimoog and fiery guitar.

Another strong track is Golgotha. It begins in a mellow climate, wonderfully coloured with first a catchy piano and soaring keyboards and then the sound of the Indian tablas, blended with Mellotron strings, I love the sultry atmosphere. Next heavy guitar work and flashy Minimoog runs, followed by a mellow part with high pitched female vocals, gradually turning into bombastic with heavy guitar. The end is subtle featuring a blend of sequencing and soaring strings, a fine musical idea.

I am also pleased with the other epic composition entitled Possessed By Time, close to 18 minutes. The moods frequently alternate between dreamy and bombastic, embellished with Grand piano, ominous soaring strings, howling guitar runs, fat Minimoog flights, classical orchestrations and flute. The final part delivers strong female vocals, blended with hypnotizing drums, tender piano and a choir sound, a very compelling atmosphere, with a lot of tension, this is 'trademark Blacksmith Tales'!

Most of the shorter tracks sound mellow, like the ballad Rain? Of Course! (sparkling piano and Minimoog flights), Interlude (wonderful blend of warm vocals, flute, piano and twanging acoustic guitar), Chapter LXIV (sitar sound, whispering vocals and sequencing) and Last Hero's Crusade (melancholical vocals and piano, topped with folky acoustic rhythm guitar).

The final composition Book Of Coming Forth By Day (8.27) is a strong goodbye, it showcases the huge potential of the band, and its dynamic and varied sound. The song starts with a fine blend of folk and classical featuring warm vocals, tender piano and twanging classical guitar. Then Heavy Prog rules with blistering guitar, swirling Hammond and fat Minimoog, topped with powerful vocals. Next the band returns to a mellow atmosphere with delicate piano work, but soon a heavy outburst follows, it sounds like 'classical meets prog metal' with howling and biting guitar, a thunderous rhythm-section, classical orchestrations and a Minimoog solo. Gradually the music turns into a slow rhythm with emotional vocals, a very compelling final part, the end of a varied, dynamic and exciting musical adventure, what a promising band, I highly recommend this album!

Nice symphonic slice of Italian icy folk metal. More symphonic than folk. More folk than metal. David Del Fabro composed the entire Dark Presence. Fabro's singular vision bubbles through a smooth production, a piano dynamo, and devilish guitars. Lyrics reveal a tragic hero questioning his accent into a religious icon.

Beatrice Demori's breathy sultry vocals salt and diversify the instrumentation. Michele Guaitoli's vocals vacillate between menacing and narrative. The Dark Presence is definitely a night album under a dry Mediterranean sky, wettened with honeyed keyboards, howling winds, and intermittent thunderstorms... dramatic in intensity. Impressive debut. Totally worth several listens.

I'm awarding The Dark Presence three stars for the same reason I keep bestowing three stars on Neal Morse albums. The singularity of Fabro's vision saturates the album. The velvet, honeyed production dulls jagged chainsaw guitar solos, drowning the sonic landscape...if you know what I mean. I encourage lovers of romantic, dramatic neo, symphonic prog to indulge. Many will find more to love than I.

What a surprise! This a near perfect album. The album is a mix of neo prog and symphonic prog. Some of the tracks also have a medieval feeling. The instrumentals are all fantastic here too. The guitar, keyboards, drums and bass are all played very well. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being the album of the year for 2021. My favorite tracks would be the first 4. But they are all great! I'm hoping their next album will even top this one! Everyone who wants to hear some spectacular new prog should listen to this album right away.

Warning!, concept album or almost that hides real pearls! An album out of nowhere that mixes neo-prog, yes, yes, quite stunning medieval folk and symphonic in the background. David Del Fabro does almost everything and does it very well, he who has spent many years reflecting on the dinosaur bands that are PINK FLOYD, GENESIS, on the prog metal bands of the 80's before the appearance of progressive metal; neo that is not from the RPI:

"The Dark Presence" for the enjoyable start with a mixture of solos on a rather slow rhythm, which explodes the meter of emotion; old keyboards which flirt with an angry guitar and you have a bomb. "Golgotha ​​' 'impressed me for this musical crescendo where old sounds intersect with some female voices, all sprinkled with a good guitar riff; bombastic and worked. Other titles pass one after the other with ballads, sequencing, more or less relaxing musical interludes, where the folkloric side gives a certain freshness. '' Possessed By Time '' is inserted by offering a mega title of more than 17 minutes with an alternation of neo and folk rhythms, even classical ones; a bit of MARILLION at times for the lyrical and instrumental flights, a bit of heavy atmospheres, others soaring, relaxing, post before a more nervous restart, a title that asks only to be listened to again. ''. Book of Coming Forth by Day '' and this final which will alternate soft and strong, tender and nervous, melodic classic with heavy metal for guitars, delicate and grandiloquent symbiosis, accomplished and perfectionist yes.

BLACKSMITH TALES is thus releasing a fantastic album on a common ground by allowing itself to mix pleasantly various progressive sounds and to release a sound apart, between all. The spirited trendy story adds to the depth of the music, the voice of Beatrice gives more openness to the sound while Michele narrates more than he sings and intensifies the notion of the concept album. To immerse yourself in the long term to remove all the musical nuances.