When it comes to melodic symphonic metal, the name TEMPERANCE may not have yet caught your attention in the sea of other bands that try to break through the over-saturated genre. However, 2021 offers a new perspective from this band, as they are releasing an acoustic EP entitled “Melodies of Green and Blue.” Due for release on February 19th, the band is offering up something new and delightful for fans, taking a different perspective from their regular releases.
So let’s be frank. I was in a good mood and felt like tossing on something new to listen to and I picked this album purely for its artwork, because it was colorful and vibrant and it simply stood out. That said, my immediate impressions were that I enjoyed it and I am very interested in checking out more from this band.
The album features eight acoustic tracks, all under 5 minutes in length, with the longest running at 4:15. The album is led by strong acoustic guitars and the dual vocals of Aleissia Scolletti and Michele Guaitoli, often joined by Marco Pastorino (guitars), all of whom are forefronted and harmonized to very nice effect, which can be seen right away in the first track, “Paint the World.” The track is very feel-good and positive and the combined vocal and guitar lines make it stand out right away. The album moves on to “Evelyn,” one of the two original tracks on this EP, featuring some really gorgeous singing from both vocalists. It’s very easy to sit back and enjoy melodic tracks like these.
While the album was pleasing to the ear right off the bat, the first real stand-out track was “Let it Beat,” which I can only assume is a nod to John Lenon‘s “Let it Be” in one way or another. The song is gentle yet so strong in its dynamics and emotion, really capturing the listener right away, and the vocal harmonizing between both vocalists is fantastic. The album then bounces ahead with the very perky and lively “I Am the Fire,” which has fun rhythm percussion and really upbeat guitar strumming that’s so easy to move or dance to. “Nanook” gets off to a quicker start, with a general peppy and upbeat feel. Meanwhile “Start Another Round” has a rather western, almost country music -feel to it that really works for them as they steer into the new sound potential.
“My Demons Can’t Sleep” starts winding the EP down, with its very straightforward acoustic sound that has what I would call a bit of a Spanish/flamenco flare to it, which feels a bit fun coming from an Italian band, and then they close the album up with “Gaia,” which is pure ballad cheesy and super overdramatic – you’ll either love it or hate it based on your general feelings towards ballads. Let’s say that, if you like Tobias Sammet (EDGUY, AVANTASIA), you’ll dig this. It’s a dramatic end to the album, but could be a bit of a groaner if you’re not into ballads, so take it with a grain of salt. At least the band sounds sincere, which is my personal main concern with ballads.
So to sum things up, despite having picked this album at total random and having no previous experience with these guys, I really enjoyed this. If you like strong melodies and great vocals, it’s hard to go wrong with this acoustic release – highly recommended if you want something short and easy to enjoy, as it’s not remotely offensive to the ears (unless clear, popish production is offensive to your ears, of course). Metalheads may enjoy the strong guitars and vocals, while its gentle acoustic flavor makes it a great choice to play for those who aren’t into heavy music. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go check out this band’s other material!
Written by Bear Wiseman
Tracklist
- Paint the World (acoustic)
- Evelyn (acoustic)
- Let it Beat (acoustic)
- I Am the Fire (acoustic)
- Nanook (acoustic)
- Start Another Round (acoustic)
- My Demons Can’t Sleep (acoustic)
- Gaia (acoustic)
Lineup
Alessia Scolletti – Vocals
Michele Guaitoli – Vocals & Piano
Marco Pastorino – Guitar & Vocals
Luca Negro – Bass
Alfonso Mocerino – Drums
Label
Napalm Records
Links
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