DANTE – November Red.

Dante produce one of the finest Prog Metal albums you will ever hear.

 

Formed in 2006, Dante have previously released two albums to notable acclaim in their native Germany and beyond. ’November Red’ marks the bands debut release for new label, Massacre Records and a thoroughly accomplished and moving album it is to.
The band have found a wonderful balance between the more traditional elements of Progressive Rock and a really current and technically faultless display of Progressive Metal that is practically jaw dropping. Listening to ‘Beautifully Broken’ for example, I was genuinely moved to tears, such was the emotion and depth of feeling on offer. Tracks like ‘The Day That Bled’ and album opener ‘Birds Of Passage’ exude such power and boundary pushing riffs that it is impossible not to be swept along by the tide of experimental adeptness surging through the entire album.
Getting the balance right between Metal and Progressive is not an easy task and many fail to achieve it but Dante truly nail it with this record. Some mind blowing keyboard work from Markus Maichel, sometimes reminding me of early Deep Purple funnily enough, is just so perfect in its application and composition that the whole album just flows beautifully along, throw in some real hard edge Metal riffs and percussion work and the picture is complete.
‘Shores Of Time’ is probably the best example on the record of that partnership of Metal and Prog, just shy of eight minutes worth of sumptuous head banging riffs leading into mesmeric piano passages of such delicate beauty and soaring heights that you will be captivated from beginning to end. The vocal delivery is just as important as the instrumentation on an album such as this and Alexander Göhs delivers a master class, managing to combine subtle and emotional parts with power and sometimes psychedelic elements that only serve to cement the overall stamp of quality on the album.
From my perspective however, the best is saved for last, with the title track and album closer, over twelve minutes of mind boggling, intense and complex music that is pure, stunning and truly a joy to sit and listen to. Songs such as this really do leave an indelible mark on the musical soul of the listener, such is the feeling encased within each and every note.
Albums such as ’November Red’ come along, sadly, too infrequently these days, which is why, when they do, we should really sit up and take notice. Highly recommended.

Rating 9/10.

Track Listing;

1. Birds Of Passage.
2. The Lone And Level Sands.
3. Beautifully Broken.
4. The Day That Bled.
5. Shores Of Time.
6. Allan.
7. November Red (In Praise Of Dreams).

Dante are;

Alexander Göhs – Vocals.
Markus A. Bader – Guitar.
Markus Maichel – Keyboards.
Markus Berger – Guitar and Bass.
Christian Eichlinger – Drums.

Out now via http://www.massacre-records.com

http://www.facebook.com/danteprog

 

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLYVtv_fekM&w=560&h=315]