DREAMSHADE "THE GIFT OF LIFE" ALBUM REVIEW

I must confess I literally fell in love with this band. These guys are just too good! In my opinion, "The Gift Of Life" (brought to you by Spinefarm Records) is one of the best melodic death metal albums to be released in the past couple years. Through this intelligent, high quality music, Dreamshade have revived a genre. They made it modern, noble, mighty, and beautiful again.

The whole album plays out like a lively daydream. It's strongly supported and carried on by intense, deep singing, delivered by highly talented Kevin Calì, who's capable of pulling off awesome harsh and clean vocals. His versatile ability might remind you of an early Phil Labonte or Björn Strid. The rest of the band delivers too. With incisive, fast drumming, precise and agile without being dispersive, "Sera" Chiommino follows through the amazing guitar riffage provided by "Fella" Di Cicco and Rocco Ghielmini, bringing magic sounds and unforgettable melodies. And you can't forget about Ivan Moccia with the rumble from down under.

The album is opened by the first single, "Photographs", which should be relatively well known by now. It's a beautiful song which can fully show you the amazing skill of this band and how wonderful their music can be. Especially the first half manifests this album as the masterpiece it actually is. After "Photographs", you'll find other awesome tracks like "Your Voice", the title track "The Gift Of Life", "Sandcastles" and the second single "Consumed Future". After a small, well-placed break with the song "Our Flame", it starts again with "Late Confessions", one of the heaviest song on the album and then it goes on till the phenomenal ender, "Wants & Needs".

This album might be rememberd as a new milestone in the genre. Either way, it will definetly compete with Soilwork for the title of best melodic death metal release of the year.

Among hundreds of scene-core band sounding all the same with fake and mechanical music, bombastic production and autotunage like there's no tomorrow, this band brings an enormous and outstanding amount of talent and passion. They most definitely deserve the recognition they're getting through the success of this sophomore album. brought to you by Spinefarm Records, an authentic and surprising work from a swiss band, sounding like they're swedish, singing in english but also speaking italian. Fall in love with their music, now!

- MATTIA

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