Sage’s Recital
Winter Symphony
Independent Release
2016
Niels Vejlyt is the mastermind behind Sage’s Recital, who he formed in 2012, intent on creating an over the top Neo Classical/ Symphonic sort of metal fusion joined by Jakob Vand on drums and John West (Royal Hunt, Artension etc) on vocals for the eponymous debut album. The sophomore coming a few years later maintains the members and the style, while adding a bassist Franck Hermanny on bass (Adagio) and Fabio Leone (Rhapsody, Angra etc) and Henrik Brockmann (ex-Evil Masquerade) on vocals and choirs.
It’s clearly geared towards all neoclassical (read: Malmsteen) and “fantasy” metal freaks and while the quality of performances cannot be denied the overall tone can tire a bit while the production/mix sounds a bit too glassy and hollow, kind of weak.
“Kings of Old” has a bit of “fire” in it and while the 20 minute title track is interesting, it’s a bit of an overkill in places, sort of losing all its gains, by just being that long and convoluted. The final track “Etude” is ahem, well an étude and as such obviously quite complex and challenging, but for some reason it’s billed as a bonus… whatever.
Strictly for neoclassical freaks, who will probably foam in the mouth, but probably not for many others, unless you follow John West religiously.
It’s clearly geared towards all neoclassical (read: Malmsteen) and “fantasy” metal freaks and while the quality of performances cannot be denied the overall tone can tire a bit while the production/mix sounds a bit too glassy and hollow, kind of weak.
“Kings of Old” has a bit of “fire” in it and while the 20 minute title track is interesting, it’s a bit of an overkill in places, sort of losing all its gains, by just being that long and convoluted. The final track “Etude” is ahem, well an étude and as such obviously quite complex and challenging, but for some reason it’s billed as a bonus… whatever.
Strictly for neoclassical freaks, who will probably foam in the mouth, but probably not for many others, unless you follow John West religiously.