(Power Metal) Arthemis - Heroes - 2010, WavPack (image+.cue), lossless

REVIEW FROM WWW.RAGNAROKRADIO.CO.UK:

I just got back from an interview with Andrea Martongelli the guitarist of Arthemis and I decided to sit down and review the album after listening to it constantly for 2 weeks.

Arthemis are a power metal thrash crossover band from Italy. They have just released their 5th studio album entitled ‘Heroes’ which went on sale on the 7th of June in the UK. The album is described as the most meaningful and heavy side of Arthemis you will see. The songs are powerful, the music is skilful, the lyrics are heart touching and the band are on top form.

I would like to talk about the lyrics on some of the songs first. Andrea told me a bit about why the album was called Heroes. Andrea’s puts it best: “You don’t have to be a superhero to help someone. You can be a hero if you save a life of someone or do something good in your normal life”. This message is quite a powerful one, when the music and the lyrics are combined it really hits home that its important to participate in life’s events rather than be a bystander. Another powerful song is ‘Scars on Scars’ which talks all about how even though life may be bad sometimes you have got to carry on living and try to be happy. Which to me best sums up humanity as a whole.

The musicianship on this album is very good and it is clear that all the members of the band are talented at whatever instrument they play. The album is heavy as anything, the solos are wild, the drumming is insane - it’s your basic thrash album all over.

Arthemis are an incredibly tight band and their tremendous skill is best heard on the instrumental track ‘Crossfire’. Andy is an insane guitarist, the song is fast paced and heavy as fuck. The drumming sounds like the FBI kicking down your door and the bass is simply ground shaking. If you’re unsure about if this band then definitely check out this song.

If we compare ‘Heroes’ to some of Arthemis earlier albums like ‘Black Society’ and ‘Back from the heat’ it is clear to say that they have added a more thrash elements to the music rather than their usual power metal vibe. We can see this on blistering songs like: ‘Scars on Scars’, ‘Vortex’, ‘This is revolution’ and the title track ‘Heroes’. The blisteringly fast-distorted riffs from Andrea add to the whole mosh pit inducing atmosphere. Its the kind of album that would be better played in an intimate venue rather than a stadium as the music calls for intense crowd interaction. Can we get a UK tour soon please?

In my eyes Arthemis are a band that can match and even overpower songs written by the big 4 in thrash (Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, and Megadeth). They have stepped away from their old power metal roots, which seems to be the best way forward for the band. We can see over the years the band has developed - the music has got heavier, the musicianship has gotten better and the vocal hooks have got more meaning to them. I have to say I reviewed the Rock Sugar album a couple of months back and said it was my favourite album of the year so far, but Arthemis I have got to hand it to you. You have just piped them to the post. Well done for a classic Thrash metal album.

REVIEW FROM WWW.METAL-TEMPLE.COM:

Starting from something that began as a rather normal Power Metal addition, it became something fiercer, darker and intensified over the years. The Italian ARTHEMIS, led by the shred guitarist Andrea Martongelli (also heard and seen on POWER QUEST), are not what you would call "ultimately diverse" in their prospects, yet, their shifting from the a form of banal Euro Power into a sort of mixture of modern Heavy and Thrash, might add something positive to their long repertoire.

Unlike their previous releases of the late 90's and the beginning of the new millennium as "Church Of The Holy Ghost", "Golden Dawn" and even their two years running, "Black Society", a change had been made in their approach. Besides becoming more modern on both musical and production terms, ARTHEMIS's new "Heroes" presented a new spirit and a new voice for their callings. Modernity became the band's best of friends.

When I heard "Heroes" for the first time I was rather pleased to see that a positive change was made here. Also it made me think how different this album sounds in comparison to "Black Society". What I found mostly recommendable with ARTHEMIS's efforts is the fact that even though they became more aggressive than before, it has not bothered their will to stay melodic following high-complex solos by the you-know-who shred man. Although I am not a huge fan of the modern sound, ARTHEMIS made me like it a little more.

After all these years, ARTHEMIS stayed bound to the production of catchy oriented tracks. Although they didn't succeed on all the presented list of tracks, they did a rather good job. In the future they should leave out the "too modern" aspects and more concentrate on their older musical style while infusing it with their new face. With the addition of the new voice, Fabio D, and the everlasting ability of Martongelli, various mighty tracks as "Scars On Scars" (Also check out the video), "7days", "Heroes", "Home" and "Resurrection", kept on the flame of the band going. Even the band's instrumentals showed that beyond their wish to stay time updated, didn't interfere with writing something worth hearing. As I wrote earlier, this is not ultimately diverse, yet there is still something to look for here, no banality with ARTHEMIS any more.

ARTHEMIS left the station of Euro Power Metal and went on to search for something new, fresh and assorted (at best). Calling this band Heavy / Thrash is not that accurate. "Heroes" is an assorted album of different Modern Metal styles, while not breaching into the stinky areas of Nu-Metal or the Core parade. The most important is that this band has talent, good material and reliable source to keep on getting good music in the road ahead. If want music with balls of steel, and you do not have an recollections of their previous albums, come check this band out. A new breed is rising. This is a revolution… (So says the song).

Fabio Dessi: vocals
Andrea Martognelli: guitars
Damiano "Damian" Perazzini: bass
Corrado "Conrad" Rontani: drums