Search - Adagio :: Underworld

A predictable, though still enjoyable, continuation from the

Justin Smith | Boston, MA USA | 06/26/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"One thing is for certain: Adagio know exactly what they want to sound like. Underworld continues the classical-influenced, darkly-themed, progressive metal begun on Sanctus Ignis. The production quality sounds a little bit tighter here, and the composition of the songs is slightly improved.



What I find to still be lacking (though not quite as much as the first album) is variety of sound. The exception here is the beautiful ballad "Promisses" (sic). Even though the lyrics are just a bit over the hill into the realm of the sappy, David Readman's voice lends itself very well here, and Forte plays a subtly glorious solo, demonstrating the full capacity of emotional power the electric guitar is capable of.



There are a few other tracks that stand out. "From My Sleep... To Someone Else" has a great riff that picks up a few times in the song (and is repeated once in variation in the album's title track that follows this song). Stephen completed his instrumental "Niflheim" (which was released on the debut as a rough demo, shorter in length). It is a pleasant song with a decent climactic buildup.



Why only three stars? My complaint still stands that there is a general lack of variety. Most of the songs on both albums are fairly interchangeable. I don't feel like they are trying to push many new boundaries with this album. Also, the thematic content of the lyrics is starting to get a bit cliche.



Besides that, people on this site are generally too liberal with their grading systems, and as a result, every album has the same average rating. I give this album 7.3/10 or 3 stars (A recommended purchase, even though you may not listen to it all that often)."

Symphony X, they are not...

Boris Kaplun | Reston, VA | 12/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It seems like everywhere I turn there's some kind of comment claiming that Adagio are a cheap offshoot of Symphony X. Well, even though both bands are quality, it's sort of like comparing a chocolate cake to a giant turd - sure, they're both moist and brown, but that's about where the similarities end. That's also the first and last thing I'm going to say about Symphony X here.



Adagio are essentially a neoclassical metal band with heavy progressive tendencies and leanings to the dramatic and elaborate. Stephan Forte, Adagio's guitarist and primary songwriter, is perfect for the job - not only does he have amazing aptitude in composition, making his arrangements come across soundtrack-like in scope and cinematic in execution; but he also possesses an immaculate sense of melody, making for highly memorable riffs, leads, and solos. The synths, strings, pianos, choirs, and orchestral elements are integrated seamlessly, making Underworld play out almost like theater. Indeed, while metal and orchestra are often found side by side, the progression of this album sees the two trade off in a far more distinct fashion - upon the end of a song, the band will depart the stage, allowing the orchestra and choir to arrive in their place for a transitionary performance, only to have the band move in once more for their part, and so forth. This approach does wonders for the album's sense of scale and really refines the entire concept of "orchestra meets metal".



Both sides of the coin are equally plausible. The orchestral portions are authentic-sounding, powerful, and enveloping... featuring strings, classical piano, brass, and other forms of classical instrumentation. The choral portions are performed by an actual professional choir, and sound very rich. The metal is highly complex from a compositional point of view, is arranged elaborately, and executed flawlessly. As already mentioned, guitarist Stephan Forte puts heavy emphasis on melody, which melds wonderfully with the classical elements... just listen to that solo towards the end of "From My Sleep... To Someone Else" - wow. Keyboardist Kevin Codfert maintains a role in the background for the most part, providing symphonic backing, though he also performs some beautiful piano pieces (such as in the intro to the opening track "Next Profundis", or throughout the ballad-esque "Promises"), and also has his share of proggy keyboard leads. Bassist Franck Hermany doesn't exactly indulge himself, but he does an admirable job of working with drummer Dirk Bruinenberg to establish a dynamic rhythmic pulsing, and actually does have several moments throughout the album where he shines (check out "The Mirror Stage"). Speaking of Dirk - he is the real highlight for me. I tend to be very picky about my drummers, but Dirk's playing here is phenomenal. Specifically, his footwork. I'd be lying if I said that Underworld is completely devoid of typical double-bass marathons, but far more often you hear Dirk working out some very intricately crafted double bass patterns with his feet that add considerable depth to the music. Impressive performance on his end.



That leaves vocalist David Readman, who's sort of the odd man out here as he came into this project from a hard rock background. Considering that, I must say that he performs here effortlessly. He brings all the brooding power, mid-range aggression, and dramatic delivery without the over-extended histrionics you find in many metal bands of this sort. There's also a guest vocalist who rears his head for some throaty screaming on several occasions... he isn't anything special, and doesn't really detract from the overall experience as his appearances are few and far between.



...and that's Adagio's Underworld in a nutshell. A dark concept album with a brilliant balance of orchestral and metal elements that should satisfy neoclassical fanatics, prog lunatics, and orchestra enthusiasts."