Rise Above The Sea
Rhenium
Rhenium is a one-woman-band. The England-based Italian musician Cristina Pucci has launched this project in 2014. She writes all the songs herself, plays all instruments and sings. Only for live performances she has worked with guest musicians. In March this year her debut EP “Rise Above The Sea” was published.
One can argue whether an intro at 23 minutes playtime makes sense. The EP starts at least with spherical keyboard playing. And keyboards are use intensively in the following songs. This fits very well with the voice of Cristina Pucci. So to hear in “Nobody Can Hear Me”. The songs are often ballads or created in the mid-tempo range. The keyboard then appears to be the favourite instrument of the musician. From the guitars are often only rhythmic sound walls heard. That there is another way, one can hear i. a. in “Once Again“. A beautiful, melodic and quiet guitar solo can be heard at the end of the song. With the title track the EP ends. Here the tempo gets a little raised, choruses are heard, there are ordinary guitar riffs. For me this is the best song of the EP.
The experiment one-woman symphonic metal band is partially successful. Pleasant-sounding vocals are backed by keyboard carpets. The guitars kick selectively accents, either as lead or as a rhythm guitar. Only the drumming sounds frequently uninspired and reminiscent of drum machines. Maybe Cristina should invite one or two fellow musicians into the studio for other recordings. And I miss harder and faster played songs, so that one can actually speak of Metal.
Release date: 27-03-2016
Reviewer: Rainer Kerber
Score: 7
