Impellitteri - Venom (2015) [Japanese Ed.]

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Impellitteri - Venom (2015) [Japanese Ed.]

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The ultra dynamic label Frontiers Music is excited to announce the release of the brand new IMPELLITTERI, the ninth studio album entitled “Venom” on April 17th in Europe and April 21st in North America… Ok, first I must confess that I’m a die-hard of this guitar-alien-hero and Italian-American shredding monster, hiding under the name of Chris Impellitteri and consequently, I'm a big supporter of his band, featuring as vocalist, the one and only Rob Rock (DRIVER/ex M.A.R.S./ex JOSHUA).Their latest masterpiece “Wicked Maiden” was one of my favorite CD of 2009, however, I will do my best to write an unbiased review and a fair evaluation useful for the non-guitar addicts.

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Impellitteri - Venom (2015) [Japanese Ed.]

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Secondly, kudos to the Frontiers guys for the early batch of 2015’s hot releases with impressive stuff like REVOLUTION SAINTS/ECLIPSE and most of all Jorn Lande/Trond Holter’s DRACULA “Swing Of Death”… Obviously they have reached the optimum climax of the melodic Valhalla!

Frontiers Records will release the album with two superb new exclusive bonus tracks… ”Rock Through The Night” & “Reach For the Sky”, once again I believe that “Venom” will make some kind of consensus around its wake in the experts circles.

I think the best way to describe this album is to take a minimalist approach, unrelated to the demanding music style, but don't think that it's very complex because it’s mostly and clearly focused on riffage before anything else, then it's full of intricate melodies courtesy of some catchy chorus full of hook mania, constantly delivered with passion by Mr Rock.

This is Pure American Metal! Clearly in concordance with today's standards but mostly related with the last thirty years of Steel supremacy (the 80’s influenced “Face The Enemy”/”Holding On”)…Energy is also a big part of this album, enhancing the dynamics with many changing shifts of heaviness and variations in thickness (the excellent modernist "Nightmare"), keeping the strong interest and the great equilibrium of sensations !

The venerable Chris Impellitteri (ANIMETAL USA), the lightning fast virtuoso, the six strings maestro and shredder in chief, had adopted years ago a more edgy composing method, axed around hyper intense riffs with more Metal density and a slightly darkest direction, this new vision already helps to built the solid foundations of the fascinating pair of albums like ”Crunch” and of course the emblematic “Wicked Maiden”.

The title "Jehova" is a good example of a smashing song where the band really turns it on like a full blown nitro engine, staccato and razor sharp riffage, tortuous, lethal as a viper, expanded with a damn addictive refrain and a perfect alchemy between the guitar and bass parts !

"Empires Of Lies", the title track and “Domino Theory” also features some typical explosive guitar licks, a few Neo-Classical Harmonies (”Holding On”), full of spectacular fast paced double-kick patterns by new drummer and also ANIMETAL USA partner John Dette (ex TESTAMENT/ ex SLAYER) yet enhanced by the gorgeous mesmerizing arrangements of harmonized choirs and the high pitched technical vocal parts in the sublime tradition of Rob Rock.

The traditional sound of “We Own The Night” or “Rise” reveal another side of the band, a more groovy and Classic Hard Rock sensibility with still some dangerous and furious smoking leads, not a weak song in sight !

During the writing session for the unmissable “Venom” the band pushed the limitations of their artistic abilities to the maximum, a boost in both the performances and compositions skills, finally reaching different music areas and focused on quality over quantity, exploring each creative ideas in full, with only the same focus to record the best album possible in order to honor American Melodic Power Metal in its purest integrity .

As always my only criticism is about the short length of the brilliant solo spots, in my opinion way, way too short : Indeed, I always feel a little frustrated that Chris don’t follow his unique art for just a few more bars… In ”Time Machine” the amazing solo section could have last forever, more reasonably it could been twice longer!

After the superb and highly exciting 2009’s “Wicked Maiden”, the almighty IMPELLITTERI is about to demonstrated to the skeptical world, full of cynical unbelievers ,deaf and unfaithful impostors, that the most clever and passionate style of music ever played, is still alive and kicking today… Still highly venomous!

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Impellitteri - Venom (2015) [Japanese Ed.]

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Impellitteri - Venom (2015) [Japanese Ed.]

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