ADRIAN BENEGAS – Arcanvm

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The keyboarder from Paraguay ADRIAN BENEGAS got his first spurs with the gothic metal band PERGANA and later with the symphonic metal band TRAGUL and with the Holzwarth brothers in ABRACADABRA. His first solo album “The Revenant” followed in 2019, for which he hired prominent singers Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR), Henning Basse (FIREWIND, METALLIUM) and singer Zuberoa Aznáres (DIABULUS IN MUSICA, TRAGUL) and caused a stir.

Now follows the second work “Arcanvm” for which he only invited one frontman, but none other than Ronnie Romero (among others RAINBOWLORDS OF BLACK, SUNSTORM), who put his ingenious stamp on this work with his smoky and unmistakable voice.

Benegas offers flawless and catchy Melodic Power Metal that has everything you would expect from the genre. A slightly somber undertone is always present, but it’s still a fairly positive-sounding work somewhere in between MASTERPLAN, THUNDERSTONE and STRATOVARIUS. The latter come into play thanks to the mastermind’s strong keyboard work, but the rest of the team, consisting of Timo Somers (ex-DELAINCARTHAGODS), Anis Jouini (MYRATH) and Michael Ehrlich (THE UNITY, GAMMA RAY) does excellent work. Even the fast opener just puts you in a good mood and mercilessly drills into your ear canals the first time. With “The Secret Within” follows a cinematic track that underlines their own pigeonholing called Theatrical Power Metal. Ronnie goes to great lengths and is reminiscent of a mix of Ronnie James Dio and Nilk Patrik Johansson (ASTRAL DOORS), while a dash of neo-classic and a progressive list create excitement, but the refrain is catchy again.

Unfortunately there isn’t much more information, not even who the lady is who sings along here and there, but maybe Zuberoa is at the start here anyway. I couldn’t find out whether there was a concept either, it would make sense anyway and the intro “I Am The Revenant” and the subtitle “El Mantra Secreto De Los Esperítus”, which also serves as the title of the epilogue, also point to this .

Going into all the individual songs would go beyond the scope, even if each of these grandiose compositions deserved it. But “Caravan Of Doomed Souls” should be mentioned because of the strong growls and the pounding rhythm and the ingenious orchestration as well as the dramatic ballad “At The Mount Solitude” or the melodic Power Metal firework “The Spirit Of Visions”. But the other songs all have their very own charm and are worth discovering.

ADRIAN BENEGAS managed to pull off an absolute surprise. A mature, varied and intense Power Metal work that actually has what it takes to be a Metal opera with ten singers. But also Romero has the material more than perfectly under control with the support of the few female vocals and the growls.

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Tracklist „Arcanvm“:

1. I Am The Revenant (Prologue)
2. Sanctum
3. The Secret Within
4. Pain Is The Key
5. Alchemy Of Spirits
6. Caravan of Doomed Souls
7. At the Mount Of Solitude
8. The miracle of knowing how to wait
9. The Spirit Of Visions
10. Eternal light
11. The Secret Mantra of the Spirits (Epilogue)
Total playing time: 56:45

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Band-Links:

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