Label : Orion Belt’s Records/RNC Music
Review By Tony Cannella
Awesome! Simply Awesome! That is the word I would use to describe the debut release by Italy’s Deva, “Between Life and Dreams”. The band combines the Operatic lead vocals provided by Beatrice Palumbo, set to a Progressive rock/metal background. It is certainly not an original concept, but Deva has used this formula to perfection on this debut.There is no doubt that Beatrice Palumbo is a phenomenally talented vocalist and will be the focal point in Deva, but for me the highlight of “Between Life and Dreams” was the multi-faceted, multi-layered musicianship that is being performed with progressive flair. Everything just clicked for me, and I came away from this CD pretty much speechless. The 11-songs and 54-minutes worth of material featured here is bombastic, with many intricate arrangements and some orchestral moments. In short, this is a CD that never gets boring. After a brief 30-second intro the band launch into, “Your Voice”. Here, lead vocalist Beatrice goes with more of a mid-range style, mixed with her Operatic approach. The next track is 7-minute “Dancing Lane”, one of my favorites as Beatrice really delivers a dazzling vocal performance. “Out: In Fog” features some great orchestration and changes in tempo. The CD is brought to a beautiful and epic conclusion with the trilogy “Karma”.Okay, as you probably have guessed, I really liked this CD – a lot! Of course Deva are sure to draw comparisons to a certain Finnish band that at one time employed an Opera singer. Those comparisons are inevitable, but with “Between Life and Dreams”, Deva has recorded a stunning debut that I am sure will eventually stand out on its own.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Breathe
- Your Voice
- Dancing Lane
- New Essence
- Out: In Fog
- Love and Faith
- Fading From Here
- Karma Pt. 0
- Karma Pt. 1 – 1969 – Escape
- Karma Pt. 2 – 1949 – Open Water
- Karma Pt. 3 – 1996 – In Veins
Line Up
- Beatrice Palumbo – Soprano Vocals & Violin
- Federico Salerno – Guitar, Piano & Vocals
- Marco Castiglione – Synthesizers
- Myriam Stallone – Bass & Backing Vocals
- Thomas D’Alba – Drums
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