After
a definite silence toward studio activities, the
Italian quintet ANCIENT DOME crystallized with a new cosmic conception.
However
musically they did not change. The thrash riffs are locked
in a heavy metal arrangement from the type:
couplet-chorus-couplet-chorus-solo-chorus-chorus-chorus. There
is a break up in the measures into more complicated forms, lost because of
the above mentioned structure. The vocals are rather monotonous with
repeatable decisions. The candidate for intellectual track „Dead Zone“ is
with clear vocals that makes it more mainsreem. Besides
the vocals of Jerry, the only original member of the band – the
guitar player Paolo Porro also sings. He makes good diphthongs with
affinity to the clear singing. All these characteristic features change the
type of the style of ANCIENT DOME to heavy metal.
Looking
at the details we could find lots of virtues in „Cosmic Gateway To Infinity“, as good guitar decisions, non-standard
solos, implemented Oriental motives and skilful use of
different drum measures. The monotony singing and the repeating choruses as
if from one and the same song, as well as the clichés in the structure of the
songs makes from the album a boring experience. Even more that the whole
works of the band carries these characteristic
features. Stephen King and the cosmos do not change the situation at all,
although the distance from their previous album.
I
will be glad if there are fans that enjoy the stability of ANCIENT DOME,
and that want to hear exactly this from the band. The combination of monotony
and a rather primitive technique of recording makes from this release just a
statistics, at least for me.
