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HOW DID THEY
DO THAT ????
Having a glance to the cover, I bet this was a product calibrated
for the US radios, with a music filled with California sun, with
a full load of girls... I lost!
Even, looking for well-known names in the crew performing this
album, you can find the Maestro Johnny GIOELI at the vocals. He
participated in high class bands, with HARDLINE and Axel Rudi
PELL's albums; from a quite US style for HARDLINE (particularly
DOUBLE ECLIPSE) to very melodic though heavy with the blond guitarist.
By the way, HARDLINE... Michael T. ROSS is also in this band'
line-up. Two members from HARDLINE in this band cannot produce
but quality!
Let's come back to ACCOMPLICE. If one's would play the "label
game", this band is classified in Prog Metal. I fully disagree!
This denomination is too reducing for ACCOMPLICE. Or is the band
too broad for this? This band gathers so many influences in its
music that it is impossible to place it in a compartment that
shall be ANYWAY too narrow for it!
There is a progressive touch, it is evident. But no psychedelic
guitars nor flying high keyboards patches. There are also parts
of rude metal, with heavy rhythms (« Party's
Over »)... some sunshine (from California,
of course!), some classical influences, perfectly mastered (« Last
Hurrah »). You can find (at last something
known...) a nice ballad, that will perfectly fit to the US radios
(« Everywhere »)
... And this...thing (« Cry Again »)
that starts as a blues, paced by inspired keyboards, which, for
the chorus, pushes up to a heavy rock before slowing down to the
sticky blues rhythm! The album single («She's
On Fire ») is to be placed directly into the
great tunes of this album, with choruses, piano and everything
And Johnny GIOELI masters it all, he is at his best. This guy
is actually born to sing all the colors of rock. Imperial, he
acts so naturally that no one can imagine a second that things
could be different.
From this album comes a really particular mood, in some ways,
darker than one's could hope to find in a band from southern California,
at the limit of melancholy. Is it because of Sean CLEGG's writing?
Is it due to Johnny's voice, to Michael's keys that are discreet
but essential? Is it owing to all these influences that they mix
with high skill and so intimately imbricate? Is it due to the
sound, purposely veiled, differing from the usual glossy US productions?
To my feeling, all these reasons together do... And I want to
add that the rhythm section is perfect, Richard ARBUCKLE and Scott
SNYDER are quite gifted musicians. On top of this, the production
is done by a real musician, Derek SHERINIAN himself!
If you are looking for a clone of HARDLINE, pass along. As Michael
T Ross says, you can definitely hear resemblances. No more. ACCOMPLICE
gives us, with "She's On Fire" the proof, if needed,
of its identity and skills. Let me grant to Johnny GIOELI's
and Michael T. ROSS's genius to have produced something different
from HARDLINE with common elements.
What ??? I was not clear enough ??? I DO LOVE THIS ALBUM !!
Metalefice - 27.02.2007
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Musiciens:
Johnny GIOELI (vocals)/ Sean M. CLEGG (guitars,
backing vocals)/ Scott
J. SNYDER (bass, backing vocals)/ Michael T. ROSS (Keyboards,
backing vocals)/ Richard ARBUCKLE (drums, backing
vocals)
Producteur:
Derek SHERINIAN
Label: MTR/Sonicvibe
Records
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