ASTRAL DIVE - Trauma

Astral Dive hail from Italy and “Trauma” is their first step into music business. I fact “Trauma” is a self financed and self produced 5 track EP of well performed but typical female fronted power metal with some symphonic parts, something that, more or less is becoming a trend as more and more bands are added to the pile of the genre while only few of them manage to make an impression. Astral Dive are not the exception to the rule. Their compositions are mediocre and the same goes to the production as well. The band’s lead singer Chiara Manese, despite her attractive appearance, doesn’t manage to impress with her singing since in some parts she tries to push her unquestionably excellent voice, to the limits resulting in sounding “too much”.
\r\nIt’s surely tough to stand out when you’re serving this particular genre, especially when there are rival bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica etc. it is almost impossible. Perhaps with their upcoming full length release they will prove me wrong, though I doubt it.
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\r\nDimitris Karantounias\r\n