Trick Or Treat
Rabbit’s Hill Pt. 2
Frontiers Music Srl
2016
Well apart from being a little curious whether this had anything to do with that Fastway soundtrack of the eponymous horror film, (no it doesn’t), I was a little curious about it, anyway. Turns out this Italian band started out as a tribute to Helloween with some three albums under their belt and even a tour with their heroes and a guest appearance on two songs on their sophomore by one & only Michael Kiske. It didn’t hurt that their singer Alessandro Conti was chosen by Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody to be the lead singer on the album “Ascending to Infinity” in 2012, the year that also saw the release of the first chapter of the concept “Rabbit’s Hill pt.1,” based on Richard Adams’ novel “Watership Down”.
Some four years later, the second chapter impacts us, after the signing a worldwide multi-album deal with Frontiers Music. I had to double-check that it wasn’t Kiske guesting again on “Inle’ (The Black Rabbit of Death)” that is a sort of up-tempo and not too shabby, but on the other hand charts a bit high on the cheese factor. Several other songs that pass seem to have something going on, but none on a conclusive level. The duet of Conti with Sara Squadrani of Ancient Bards on “Never Say Goodbye”, a superior ballad is a fair highlight. While “They Must Die” (feat. Tim “Ripper” Owen) that comes later seems to be another song worth pointing out, even if it gets a bit too repetitive on the chorus. “United”, feat Sonata Arctica’s “tuned” Tony Kakko, isn’t too bad either, but he’s not on par with the rest of the vocalists here. Oddly three of the better songs are not handled by Conti but by guests. The ten plus minutes “The Showdown” mini epic about rabbits (?!) (who don’t come easy!?) is both daft and gets really boring past the sixth minute. And the last song, the “Last Breath” features some more Kiske impersonation.
A decent enough band, doing Helloween average to badly. It’s not original and it’s cornier that corn syrup… so…
Some four years later, the second chapter impacts us, after the signing a worldwide multi-album deal with Frontiers Music. I had to double-check that it wasn’t Kiske guesting again on “Inle’ (The Black Rabbit of Death)” that is a sort of up-tempo and not too shabby, but on the other hand charts a bit high on the cheese factor. Several other songs that pass seem to have something going on, but none on a conclusive level. The duet of Conti with Sara Squadrani of Ancient Bards on “Never Say Goodbye”, a superior ballad is a fair highlight. While “They Must Die” (feat. Tim “Ripper” Owen) that comes later seems to be another song worth pointing out, even if it gets a bit too repetitive on the chorus. “United”, feat Sonata Arctica’s “tuned” Tony Kakko, isn’t too bad either, but he’s not on par with the rest of the vocalists here. Oddly three of the better songs are not handled by Conti but by guests. The ten plus minutes “The Showdown” mini epic about rabbits (?!) (who don’t come easy!?) is both daft and gets really boring past the sixth minute. And the last song, the “Last Breath” features some more Kiske impersonation.
A decent enough band, doing Helloween average to badly. It’s not original and it’s cornier that corn syrup… so…