Souls Of Diotima hail from the island of Sardinia, a place which I’m told has 300 days of sun a year on average. Whether this, or the complex and intriguing history of the place has influenced the band in any way is hard to tell, but one thing is for sure; Souls Of Diotima are not just another Italian power metal band. I fully expected Rhapsody mark five, or something even more generic, but this is definitely not the case.
The band have a pretty sophisticated and eclectic approach to their metal, and it is showcased fairly well on this, their debut album. For a first album it is extremely polished and professional sounding, with a top notch production to boot, in which every instrument shines. Of course you can hear a lot of neo-classical virtuosity, as with many other Italian melodic metal bands, but you can also hear a lot of other elements which make it quite different from the run of the mill.
A lot of the songs on the album, have an unhurried vastness about them, which brings to mind the more recent output from The Gathering. In a similar fashion, the music seems expansive, heavy yet mellowing at the same time. The influence of bands from the Netherlands does not stop there however; I can also hear a lot of the theatrical drama of bands like Epica, and even some of the heavy groove of Orphanage. This album is not just about diverse influences and epic, complex songs however. The band also know how to write a riff, and there are some definite killers littered throughout this album; when cranking it up Souls Of Diotima can rock out with the best of them.
The musicianship is also excellent, and the listener is treated to an amazing display of guitar gymnastics, but this is never to the detriment of the song. It seems that the band have already mastered the art of being technically impressive without being self-indulgent, something other bands could learn from! The keyboards really add an extra layer of atmosphere without dominating, and there is a distinct absence of parping keyboard solos I’m pleased to say. Vocalist Claudia Barsi has a great voice, which is not operatic and belting, but is still powerful and tuneful in a feminine way and goes very well with the music.
If I have any criticism at all, it is that occasionally the album doesn’t succeed in holding my interest all the way through, and I find that it sometimes becomes background music. Maybe I’m more used to melodic metal that pounds all the way through each track, but I found myself drifting in and out of this album a little. When I did tune back in, however, I always enjoyed what I heard. There is no doubt that this band are creative, talented and fairly individual in their blending of Italian neo-classical melodic metal and the more epic styles of bands from other countries. There is a lot to enjoy on their debut album, and I look forward to seeing more from them.
http://www.myspace.com/soulsofdiotima
Jon Butlin
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