Search - White Skull :: The Dark Age

Pleasant new direction for these Italian power metal vertera

Pearly White | Northwest USA | 09/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing the other four CDs in the WHITE SKULL discography ("Dark Age" being their 5th studio release) and reading the other reviews here, I decided I'd like to throw in my thoughts on this disc.



WHITE SKULL have been around for about ten years now and were one of the original bands signed to the now thriving Underground Symphony label out of their homeland Italy.



In the past I have found myself really getting into the music on their CDs, but the female vocals of singer Frederica that were a trademark of this band until the release of "Dark Age" were really a bit in the way I always felt. Her vocals weren't bad at all, nor was the music certainlly, but the two never seemed to find a power metal bliss when working in tandum.



On "Dark Age" Frederica has departed from the lineup and we mark the enterance new vocalist Gustavo "Gus" Adrian Gavano into the fray. On his back the band finally realizes it's more than capable talents in full. He's not the greatest singer I have ever heard in this genre, but seems to be just the tonic that WHITE SKULL was looking for to refresh their sound. His vocals are a bit coarse but have plenty of range. Other reviews here reference Matthew Barlow from ICED EARTH, and I don't think that's a bad comparison in general, but don't expect a Barlow clone here...he's not quite that good!



Aside from the vocals what I really seem to apreciate is the music at work here. It's the kind of stuff that I think many fans of this ilk are searching for. If you're looking for something that straddles the line between the syrupy "happy" power metal that's out there like RHAPSODY or HELLOWEEN and the more aggressive chop-layden stuff like ICED EARTH and PRIMAL FEAR but gleans out only the best parts of both, then I would highly recommend this latest effort from WHITE SKULL.



There isn't a weak moment or song on the album and this band may be going bigger places with their new vocalist solidly at the helm for the future."

A Better Singer Makes All The Difference. 4 Star Rating.

Pearly White | 01/31/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"No one really could get into this band before with the female singer they had. No disrespect to female vocals, this one just didn't cut it. She left, apparently, for personal reasons and on this CD they list her in the thank list, so I don't it had anything to do with herself and the band. Gus, the new singer, puts a completely heavier and smoother twist on this band. I don't think he sounds at all like Matt Barlow from Iced Earth, no one does, that guy's incredible. But, he's unique, I can't really think of another singer who sounds like him. I would rate his singing as a good power metal voice, with higher levels when called for, but nothing that would make your ears bleed! The only thing that kept this from a 5 star rating is, that they didn't shred on all songs. If a lot more effort had been put into all songs, it might have gotten a 5 from me, but they all needed a lot more for 5 stars. It's a solid, hard hitting release that any power metal fan should have, hence the 4 stars for essential owning. Enjoy if you can get your hands on this one. And the cover isn't that bad! If you have a kid, he'll see (and possibly throw up) worse on almost any cover from some stupid, death metal band. The cover gets a PG-13 rating!?! 4 STAR ESSENTIAL POWER METAL RATING FROM SCRAGGY'S TOMB! Cheers."