Adagio - Sanctus Ignis 2001

Genre: Neo-classical Metal, Progressive Metal
Format: flac + cue + log
Released: 2001
Label: SPV

01. Second Sight

02. The Inner Road

03. In Nomine...

04. The Stringless Violin

05. Seven Lands of Sin

06. Order of Enlil

07. Sanctus Ignis

08. Paneut et Circences

09. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover)

10. Niflheim [Instrumental-Demo]

Dirk Bruinenberg: Drums
Stephan Forte: Guitars, Keyboards
Franck Hermanny: Bass
Richard Andersson: Keyboards
David Readman: Vocal

Sabine Hartel: Violin

Fans of Adagio do know that its leader has always been Stephan Forte. A French guitarist heard Yngwie Malmsteen in his youth and was convinced what he should do in the future. He studied at CMCN (International Music Academy in Nancy) and graduated from it in the year 1997. His musical taste surely took a right shape after listening to the greatest world's composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paco De Lucia, baroque, jazz and fusion music. Stephan recorded an instrumental demo "Visions" in 1996 that was a herald of Adagio in a sense. It was the same with another guitar virtuoso - Michael Romeo who recorded the instrumental album "The Dark Chapter" before the debut of Symphony X. Mr. Forte played as a support artist for Yngwie Malmsteen and he has been unfairly compared to a Swede since that moment. Both Stephan and Yngwie play neoclassical elements in their music, but the French guitarist comes from more extreme and progressive school, however the Swedish wizard derives from classic hard rock tradition. You needn't be a music critic to pick out these differences between them. Moreover, Adagio performed live with the likes of Majestic, Double Dealer, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Matthias Eklundh, Misanthrope, Uli Jon Roth and others.

In the year 1999, Mr. Forte went to Philadelphia in order to record a 4-track demo alongside Vitalij Kuprij. They were going to found a new band together, but never happened so far. Fortunately, their efforts didn't go to waste, and both men's talents were used in Adagio's music. To be formally correct, I inform that the band was founded in the year 2000.

I'd like you to be aware that "Sanctus Ignis" ("Holy Fire") was written by 25-year old Stephan Forte (guitars, keys programming; Red Circuit). As you see, it doesn't matter if you are young or elder, the most important thing is to be a gifted artist who can express his (her) emotions in a right way. I have no doubt he is a talented instrumentalist, and its proof are many musicians who are and were willing to cooperate with him: David Readman (vocals; Pink Cream 69), Dirk Bruinberg (drums; Elegy, Patrick Rondat, The Consortium Project), Franck Hermanny (bass guitar; Cyril Achard, Venturia), Vitalij Kuprij (keys; Artension, Ring Of Fire) and Richard Andersson (keys; Majestic, Time Requiem, Space Odyssey). There is also less known violinist player - Sabine Härtel whose solo can be audible on one of tracks. I don't believe that the Stephan Forte crew could produce something mediocre. Such a conviction accompanied me before the listening, and I confirmed myself in this conviction after it. I am also not surprised that Mr. Forte called his band Adagio, since the music is full of dramaturgic elements and solemnity, and most compositions are performed in minor keys. Listening to the likes of "In Nomine..." and "Seven Lands of Sin", we come back to more extreme Stephan's roots and convince ourselves that he ably managed to transfer death metal heaviness to progressive music. Here are impressive and complex orchestrations varied by Andersson's and Kuprij's keyboard progression. To be honest, I can't imagine myself Adagio's music without the keys. We can pick out some similarities in Stephan's playing to Michael Romeo's and Roger Staffelbach's manners, however his performance is characterized by an absolute precision in execution (typical of a mentioned three instrumentalists). We can't forget about David Readman whose vocal is as melodic and expressive as John West's and Russell Allen's. An unquestionable advantage of "Sanctus Ignis" is a diversification within the genre. Beside the traditional fundament of progression, on which a whole Adagio's output is grounded, we can as well select the baroque influences, oriental ones (on instrumental masterpiece "Order of Enlil"), film ("Niflheim" demo version) and even more direct inspirations by a Hungarian composer - Bela Bartok's violin concertos. A great surprise turned to be one of Led Zeppelin's classics - "Immigrant Song" that sounds like Adagio's original track. This one immersed into the progressive sauce discloses us a completely different face of the first version, keeping only a faint outline of the original.

With this stuff Adagio opened themselves the doors to the progressive world lining up next to Symphony X and Artension. It's great that Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Vanden Plas, DC Cooper, Symphorce, Axxis) produced "Sanctus Ignis", since he secured a solid and own sound for Adagio. Such a professional producer can't let himself any shortcomings. The international crew did a work very well and presented us neoclassical progpower made of a pure ore.

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