Ancient Bards returns after a 6 year break to continue The Black Crystal Sword Saga in Artifex, a symphonic power metal album built around fantasy themes and filled with choirs, orchestrations, and some metal.
Ancient Bards is an Italian symphonic/orchestral power metal band started by Daniele Mazza in 2006 with first stable lineup in 2007 bringing on Sara Squadrani for vocals. Based on a fantasy world, The Alliance of Kings (2010), Soulless Child (2011), and A New Dawn Ending (2014) introduced Daniele’s The Black Crystal Sword Saga and completed the original trilogy. In 2019, the band released Origine – The Black Crystal Sword Saga, part 2, and now six years later the saga continues with Artifex. Artifex was produced by Daniele Mazza with Simone Mularoni handling recording, mixing and mastering at Domination Studio.
If I’m being honest, concept albums, especially fantasy-based ones aren’t really a genre I enjoy as often the songs really don’t stand up on their own when played outside the context of the whole story. There are exceptions like Truthless Heroes from Project86 and Operation:Mindcrime from Queensryche where many of the songs work outside the story. Then again, neither of those are mythical/fantasy-themed, so maybe that’s why. So here I am, jumping headfirst into part 2 of the Black Crystal Sword Saga, which runs over an hour. For those looking to get into the story, The opening track “Luminance and Abyss” gives a narrated intro, but with its symphonic elements, does little to provide the listener what is to come.
“My Prima Nox” opens up the story and the band make excellent use of the 42-person choir which is in full glory from the start along with pounding drums ringing out in dramatic fashion. Orchestral elements abound backed by a solid rhythm section with the drumming of Federico Gatti standing out. Sara Squadrani immediately lets the listener know through her fast, clean vocals that she has the voice to pay attention to The band make good use of choir for chorus, and the death growled vocals that send the song down a different path before a great bass line and some guitar solos lead song back to the opening. This will be a common song organization throughout the album which did grow a bit repetitive for me by the end.
“The Vessel” more standard power metal opening rich in drums with keyboards and symphonic elements setting the stage.The metal music abruptly quiets with soft and beautiful vocals being almost acapella until Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose guest vocals come in and take the song in the direction of something you’d hear from Wind Rose bringing a folk metal feel and contrasting his deeper baritone chanting like gang vocals nicely with Sara Squadrani’s softer vocals.
By this point, in the album I can see Daniele Mazza’s orchestral/symphonic and choir arrangements are the lead elements in the overall song structure and sound throughout much of the album to the point they overshadow some great guitar work from Claudio Pietronik and the solid rhythm section of Federico Gatti on drums and Martino Garattoni on bass.
“The Empire of Black Death” Choir opening much like “My Prima Nox”, until a dirty guitar riff takes over and the song heads into power metal territory and in the end sounds a lot like some early 90’s hard rock until the death growled vocals come in. Similarly “My Blood and Blade” with its bouncy vocals as a similar feel until the death growled vocals come in and then the interplay feels a bit forced. Much the same can be said about “Under the Shadow”.
The album does feature some slower parts with “Unending” being first ballad with choir followed Immediately by “Ministers of Light”, a second ballad, and the placement and timing of these does seem to kill the momentum the album was building although Sara Squadrani’s vocals are on full display and showcase her range and power nicely. “Proximity” strats to pick up the intensity and power from the two previous songs and has a power ballad with choir feeling.
“Soulbound Symphony” has choir-heavy opening (again) which is beautiful but now feeling repetitive. Song goes into a faster power metal vibe then veers toward folk with guest violin work. The drums power the song along, and unfortunately, the guest guitar solo feels a bit forced compared to how well the others are integrated into the songs.
Artifex is a definitely ambitious effort looking to bring in complex orchestral and symphonic arrangements into power metal all while continuing a fantasy-themed story that now runs through five albums. Sara Squadrani’s vocals and raw talent combined with some great drum work from Federico Gatti and guitar work from Claudio Pietronik bring life to the songs on the album but tend to be almost hidden at times by the choir and orchestral elements.
Rating: 6/10
Written byJohn Jckson
Tracklist
- Luminance and Abyss
- My Prima Nox
- The Vessel (feat. Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose)
- The Empire of Black Death (feat. Mark Jansen of Epica)
- Unending
- Ministers of Light
- Proximity
- Soulbound Symphony
- My Blood and Blade
- Mystic Echoes
- Under the Shadow
- Sea of Solitude
- Artifex
Release Date: 25 April 2025
Record Label: LImb Music, 2025
Band Members
Sara Squadrani – Vocals
Daniele Mazza – Piano & Orchestrations
Claudio Pietronik – Lead Guitars
Simone Bertozzi – Rhythm Guitars & Growls
Federico Gatti – Drums
Martino Garattoni – Bass
Additional musicians
Solo Violin on “Soulbound Symphony”: Gabriele Boschi (Winterage)
Solo Guitar on “Soulbound Symphony”: Simone Mularoni (DGM)
Choir: N.S.D.F. Choir
Video for “Unending”
Video for “Soulbound Symphony”
Video for “Ministers of Light”
Bandcamp:https://ancientbards.bandcamp.com/album/artifex
Band site: https://ancientbards.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ancientbards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ancientbards/#
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AncientBardsOfficial