Metalcatto
One of our readers asked us for an honest assessment of their new single, Lost Guardian (I wonder where he is). This is the latest offering from an Italian Power Metal project, and although there are currently no plans for a full-length album, an EP should be coming soon. So, if you Power Metal nerds are looking for something to throw your money at, keep an eye out. Those are your options for now. Alright, let’s embark on this dramatic journey!
Right from the get-go, one thing becomes apparent: it’s surprisingly rare to find Power Metal that hasn’t been overproduced to death. Fortunately, Lost Guardian avoids falling into that trap. The production is rather raw, but we’re not talking Black Metal potato-quality recording here. It’s humble, admittedly a little rough around the edges, and clearly working with a limited budget. But you know what? You can actually hear the bass, people! And not just during those occasional moments when the guitarist decides to take a break. It’s present throughout the entire track, giving the composition a bit more body. There’s also something slightly more serious about the overall atmosphere than your usual castles, dragons, and heroic warriors nonsense.
Perhaps it’s the drumming that contributes most to this impression. It almost feels like something lifted from a more lo-fi production, which changes the entire character of the song. It makes everything sound a little more opaque and subdued. Usually, that’s not necessarily a good thing, but I find it rather interesting here. It gives Lost Guardian a somewhat different personality, even if I’m not entirely convinced that this was the intended result.
Now, the vocals have me a little conflicted. On one hand, they’re peculiar and different from what you’d typically expect from a band operating within this genre. That’s a good thing! We don’t necessarily need another vocalist trying to impersonate every Italian Power Metal singer who has ever walked the Earth. On the other hand, the enunciation occasionally makes it difficult to understand what’s actually being sung. I imagine the lyrics deal with some sort of existential misery, but these are merely the fragments I’ve managed to decipher.
At least we’re not dealing with an unnecessarily bloated composition. Lost Guardian might have some technical ambitions, but there’s only so much we can evaluate from a single track. That’s perfectly fine, though. There are enough ideas here to keep your head moving, particularly if you enjoy the slightly darker side of the Power Metal spectrum. I also appreciate some of the riffs, which occasionally flirt with a MeloDeath sensibility. It’s an interesting direction that I’d encourage the band to explore further.
So, where do we go from here? I believe Lost Guardian has a decent foundation to build upon. There’s a recognizable identity starting to emerge, but a few elements still need polishing. The drums could benefit from a more natural sound (the eternal struggle of smaller bands, and yes, I’m looking at you, Bragging Rights), while the vocals could use a little more clarity. None of these issues are necessarily dealbreakers, especially considering that we’re talking about an emerging project.
My advice? Keep working on the craft, experiment with that darker sound, and don’t rush things. An EP should give us a better idea of what Lost Guardian is capable of. And who knows? Perhaps in a year or two, we’ll have a full-length album to discuss. Just make sure the guardian finds his way home first.
Bandcamp here
