Crimson Wind
Last Poetry Line

There is something poetically beautiful about the cover art for the second album from Crimson Wind. The folded out book written in steady hand by a feather pen, filled with words of wisdom and beauty. Also the placement of the book, in front of a window in the tower room of a dark medieval castle – there is beauty and there is poetry but also a bit of darkness in the cover art. But we are dealing with an Italian power metal band after all, these things is in their genetic makeup it seems. They are often very serious in their medieval dreams, though there are no rules without exception even though I think the cover art holds an alarming amount of seriousness. And we all know what a recipe for disaster power metal and too much seriousness is.

It doesn’t start very poetic or beautiful; the band instead uses a tried and tested method of attack with a distinct riff bringing the listener into the album. It is classic Italian power metal in all its tried and tested methodology, they do not really advance that art just takes what others have established and make their own album. Lovely production, typical Italian singer which could just as well be named Fabio Lione as anything else and while at the subject of things from other bands, think Rhapsody, Labÿrinth, Vision Divine, Thy Majestie or any of the other established bands within the Italian power metal family and you can imagine just about how this band sounds. Catchy melodic power metal with some undertones of classic music and lots of keyboards is probably the best way to describe this album stylistically.

Maybe it is a tad long the album, the songs are varied enough and they are good but you cannot help but growing tired of it fairly quickly. Sure you got to love the joy and energy that this band show, the melodies and choruses, catchiness, works really well but without and real depth it doesn’t quite have the longevity of the better bands in the same genre. Not that I think you should just dismiss the album as it has a lot to offer and it is enjoyable to listen to, but it is not as poetic, beautiful or deep as it appears at first glance. But the Italians know what they are doing when it comes to power metal and these guys are not exception, it has been a good listen but I have had enough now – still I recommend that you who confess to being a fan of the European school of power metal give this album a chance, I think that you might find it agreeable.

It is a well-made product, the cover may be somewhat better than what is inside it but it starts with a great song and the other songs aren’t bad either. It is quite enjoyable to have it as background music. But no matter how enjoyable the first impression is, the lack of depth will sooner or later become tiresome and I have found that I have grown quite tired of this album now and I haven’t listened to it more than maybe ten times and that is over a month’s time. It feels a tad like Last Poetry Line should rather be First Poetry Line as it doesn’t quite feel like a written piece of art that has grown from years of experiences and pain writing a great poem, it is more like a work in progress. I think the band needs to keep searching for an own identity because it doesn’t matter how catchy it is because as a reviewer it becomes impossible to overlook the lack of originality that becomes more and more apparent for each time you play this album.

HHHHHHH