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Track Listing
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· Without Me Today
· The Right Place (2)
· Paradox
· Twin Spirits Land
· All Your Acts (3)
· Dreams
· My Pride (1)
· There's A Human
· Father
· Terminate
· I'm Afraid
(*) Best Tracks
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Former Bands
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Empty Tremor
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Buy it if you liked:
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Nikolo Koztev - Nostradamus
Dream Theater - Scene's From A Memory
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Line Up
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· Daniele Liverani: Guitar, Keyboards, Bass
· Dario Ciccioni: Drums
· See Above: Vocals
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GENIUS
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A Human Into Dreams' World
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Frontiers Records FRCD112
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· Produced By: Daniele Liverani
· Running Time: 78.59 · Genre: Rock Opera
· Release Date: October 23 · Released: EU
· WebLink: Genius · LabelLink: Frontiers
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Genius is a hugely ambitious project, written and starring Italian heavy rock guitarist Daniele Liverani.
The story has been written to run over 3 albums, which will delight fans of extended progressive rock epics, but make fans of 3 minute power pop songs run for cover.
This is Episode One and as far as showcasing Daniele's instrument playing, production and songwriting talents go - it's a big success.
The album features some fine progressive moments, some outstanding guitar soloing and some equally fine more melodic passages.
Joining Daniele (Guitars, Bass, Keyboards) in the base band is drummer Dario Ciccioni.
The Cast of Characters (Vocals) consists of: Mark Boals, Lana Lane, Daniel Gildenlow, Chris Boltendahl, Joe Vana, Steve Walsh, John Wetton, Oliver Hartmann, Midnight and Philip Bynoe as 'The Storyteller'
The vocal choir features Olaf Senkbeil, Hachy Hackmann & Chris Boltendahl. Additional vocals are supplied by Rita Celli and Thom Griffin.
This is a big epic production. The sound is well mixed, excellently produced by Daniele himself, with help from Frontier's own Serafino Perugino.
The emphasis is on big progressive friendly European hard rock, with touches of the other elements mentioned.
Song wise, the vocals are going to appeal to heavy European rock and progressive music fans.
All Of Your Acts features Joe Vana and is the album's most melodic or AOR friendly song. It still has a progressive twist to it and Joe sounds great. It's a new element to his vocal talents.
The style, tempo, vibe, direction and feel of the album changes wildly throughout it's 78 minute running time. There are moments of soft ballad-esque melodic rock, European hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal and progressive metal.
Another favorite track is Lana Lane's big vocal moment on the hook filled atmospheric progressive ballad The Right Place. Fine vocal effort.
Another interesting track is when Steve Walsh comes to the mike for My Pride. It's an excellent progressive rocker, with a good hook, but in this instance at least, Walsh's vocals sound quite strained and somewhat weathered. It doesn't sound like he has aged well!
The track however features some great guitar moments, but riffing and fine melodic soloing.
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The Bottom Line
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Naturally, comparisons will be made to the 'other' recent rock opera Nostradamus. Yes, this will appeal to those that liked that album - no doubt about it. But they are also quite different. Nostradamus was more mainstream hard rock, whereas I think this has a stronger progressive edge to it and is definitely more European in it's base sound.
Fans of progressive hard rock and long epic songs should check this out forthwith.
Additionally, the running time is about as long as you can get across one CD, the artwork suits the release.
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