Secret Sphere - Blackened Heartbeat (CD)

Following a beautiful acoustic intro ("The Crossing Toil") full force progressive power metal emerges. The Italian outfit around Aldo Lonobile (g, SWEET OBLIVION, ARCHON ANGEL) puts out their hardest and fastest album to date. Original singer Roberto Ramon Messina, who took a longer break is back now for the second time, knows his stuff and does one hell of a job. Their fellow countrymen LABYRINTH and to a certain degree also RHAPSODY can be considered as fitting comparisons. SECRET SPHERE have never disappointed but for whatever reason, they have always been a little bit under the radar. Beautiful is the ballad "Anna", too. (MS)