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The Rock Alchemist: Elements
The Rock Alchemist - Elements CD Album Review

The Rock Alchemist: Elements

Melodic Progressive Rock
4.0/5.0

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Lion Music
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 09.08.2017

You might suspect that The Rock Alchemist is a person, a solo artist, but you would be wrong. The Rock Alchemist is a collective of five Italian musicians working together to create melodic progressive rock. The band was formed in 2009, and released their first album in 2012, Eyes Of Mind. Now, five years later and signed to the prestigious Lion Music label, the band drops their second album Elements.

The Rock Alchemist Band Photo

The Rock Alchemist

There's much to enjoy about Elements, with the strength of the the album being the musical arrangements. By this I mean, the music excepting the lead vocals. While vocalist Aldo Garrone's voice is strong and melodic with good tone, and a significant presence in each song, I couldn't understand one damn thing he was singing. Maybe if I had the lyrics, which I did not, my listening experience would have gone better. Or not. But that's not to say the band vocal harmonies were bad, quite the reverse actually, and Garrone's vocal tone coupled well with the music. In the end, however, my concentration was directed to the instrumental side of the songs.

The first thing that I found exceptional was Beppe Geracitano's guitar parts, from his harmonious riffage to thrilling solos which illuminate every song. Clearly, to these ears, the guitar lines were the best and most prominent part of the songs. But that's not to dismiss other players or instruments. For instance, as for the keyboards, there's a pleasant piano line within Eclipse and some nuanced orchestration within Phoenix and The Temple. Within Phoenix, there's a prominent and killer bass line that rises throughout the song. Additionally, in terms of simple song composition, there's a strong thread of melody and harmony flowing through the creative and pleasing, lightly complex arrangements. Essentially, and musically speaking, Elements is an easy album to listen to and enjoy, a fine platter of melodic progressive rock. I simply wished there was more clarity to the vocals. Listen to the video below, you may hear things differently.



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The Bottom Line

Essentially, and musically speaking and excepting the vocals, Elements is an easy album to enjoy, a fine platter of melodic progressive rock. I simply wished there was more clarity to the vocals.

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