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An enjoyable surprise out of Italy (Milan) is ‘Flies In A Jar’ of Soul Takers. I never heard about the band before, but they have released a demo and a well-received debut album ‘Tides’ before. They talk about the extraordinary voice of singer Dino Brentali and right in the first track ‘Heaven’s Pillars’ it is obvious: he sounds like Jon Anderson (Yes). But fortunately the material demands more power in his voice and I can live with that timbre. And… in many songs he sings way lower, mainly in semi-ballads, so that it reminds us more of melancholic bands like Anathema and The Wounded.

Now we have an idea for which part of the metal fans ‘Flies In A Jar’ will be interesting. Soul Takers has an own identity and sound and a line-up worth mentioning. The classical piano parts of Federica Badalini and the graceful violin strokes of Jari Pilati have a huge function in nearly every song. This band brims with talent, because except for the fact that we are dealing with classical trained musicians, they are able to write some fetching songs that go straight to the heart, but with enough heavy riffs and inventive guitar ornaments (once again a woman!) to keep on listening with interest. After a few spins ‘Staring Eyes’ and ‘The Chasm’ turn out to be songs that pop up in the back of my memory long after the record stopped playing. Catchy classical music indeed. Songs like ‘Icon’ and ‘Floating’ do have some decent heavy metal parts, but as I said, violin and piano often assist the beautiful vocal-lines in a melancholic atmosphere. I got the impression that the best songs can be found in the first part of ‘Flies In A Jar’, around the sixth song it gets a bit too much of the same thing, despite some incidental female background vocals now and then. During the last track ‘Another World’ however, I am all ears again, for this is a marvellous ballad in which — again — violin and piano create some ravishing moments.

The album has a dramatic nature. It includes many songs that feature intense feelings in a sensitive way, more than it is a proper metal album. The otherworldly artwork and lyrics that dive deep into the human soul invite to reveries and think about the things in life. The sound is perfect, and so the production is, thanks to Luigi Stefanini and the New Sin Studios where numerous famous Italian bands have perfected their sound before. This is a special album that speaks to the imagination!
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