THE FORBIDDEN CITY

All the staples of the progressive metal genre are present, but Twinspirits knows how to pull back just enough so as not to overwhelm the listener (well, sometimes). The band is impeccably tight and the production is unimpeachable. While the electric guitar remains the most important instrument, the keyboardist adds very much to the overall sound. With a few exceptions (some for better, some for worse), the compositions themselves are average progressive metal works with nothing innovative or unique to offer. One source of displeasure is the vocals though; it isn't that the guy cannot sing, but rather I simply don't care for his voice at all. Fans of Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity are highly encouraged to see what Twinspirits is doing.

"The Forbidden City" Deep piano and various other keyboards move around one another until the obligatory distorted guitar rushes in. The lead synthesizer sounds so much like a violin that it had me fooled for a while. This is by far my favorite song on the album- well done!

"Taste the Infinity" Delicate piano and soon a deep baritone begin the second work. The acoustic guitar lead is an especially nice touch.

"Number One" Perhaps one of the most laughably unoriginal metal songs I've heard in years, this has terrible vocals and lame guitar charging through the whole time. "Number One" is definitely a track to pass.

"Everything" Fortunately, the keyboards return here even if the uninspired guitar must remain, but to be fair, the latter isn't nearly as bad as it was on the previous track.

"One of Us" Heavy guitar and a thin synthesizer lead begin this one, which has a pleasing organ hanging out in the background adding substance to the sound.

"BTR" The electric guitar and drums provide the beastly side of the piece, while the keyboards offer a gentler touch, with both of them warring it out in a great musical display. The solo piano is gorgeous as it invites a decently-executed lead guitar passage. This is an above-average instrumental that for some reason reminds me a bit of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

"Hide This Feeling" Lovely acoustic guitar introduces the best vocal performance of the album, largely because it includes a woman who, while very good singing on her own, serves to offset the deep voice of the lead vocalist. Admittedly, it does become a bit of a cheesy power ballad toward the end, but it is still an enjoyable song.

"My Future" After a dynamic introduction, stark piano and that baritone are paired up alone until the heavy guitar and keyboards come in- a lackluster song.

"Reaction" This composition is a return to the goodness of the beginning after the many dry spots in the middle of the album. It features a clear, solid, strong series of melodies and easy-to-follow chord progressions.

"I Am Free" The final track offers the most aggressive guitar and vocals, such that this piece sounds completely unlike anything that came prior. Barked and angry lyrics, overdriven guitars, and constant double-bass drumming produces a barrage of sound, and even the keyboard playing is over-the-top. In fact, I would say that the entire piece is over-the-top, especially given the operatic final few minutes.

Twinspirits , this italian prog metal band with their second album to date, release at Lion music last year - 2009 named The forbidden city. This album must be one of the deseppointed releases from 2009 from my collection. I was expecting something better, and instead I get an usual , almost boring power metal album with keybords added here ad there. If the first album was a very good one, showing a good debute with intristing ideas, this second offer is almost an mediocre album. The arrangements, the guitar solos, everything is good but damn usual, I heared this version hundred times before on hundred bands. A new member arrived on this album, again a non italian singer, I guess the main man of the band Liverani has a special atraction to forign vocalists, after all is his choice, this new voice of Goran Nystrom is ok, but too unpolished , and very predictable arrangements. I don't see him as the best vocalist from the band, I prefer the former one, who was more versatile and has a better range for Twinspirits music. Anyway if the voice is ok in places, some great parts here and there,are boring to death and only the instrumental passages save the album to be a total average one. Teh arrangements are ok, but to predictable and too usual if not unintristing verall. The sound is cristal clear, this is a good thing of course,, but doesn't save the album to became only one or two spining releases from my collectiuon from 2009. The best pieces, are the opening track, The Forbidden City , nearly 11 min, from it sox are totaly unintristing, but the first 3 min of the piece is very good, the instrumental one BTR, absolutly the best piece from here, showing that they still mean bussines in this prog metal field, not enough for me from the whole album, but very strong instrumental arrangements, and I think that all, the rest are from ok to average, not necesarly bad but with lack of choerence in song writting and with no originaluty at all, not even in keybords section and guitr where Liverani always shines on his every project involved, but not here. So, overall I will give 2.5 rounded to 3, I rounded up becaus e I like the band, and the musicians of Twinspirit, each one has great skills but this this time they didn't used properly like on their first album. A good album overall in the end, 3 stars but with indulgence. Sad but if the next album will sound like this Forbidden city , I tell you I will forget about this band for good, and I'm not saying only to fill the box, I'm damn irritaited by this forgetable album by one of the best bands from young generation in prog metal.