ANTIQUUS - Ramayana

According to their web site; Antiquus' ambitious first album "Ramayana", a 60-minute epic that takes the listener from the bazaars and palaces of India's history to the future-realms of cyberspace. Without a doubt - it is quite unlike typical indie records.

Typically, the self-hype bands and publicists toss out there for public consumption is a bunch of adjectives and adverbs use to cover up a big heap of mediocrity. In the case of British Columbia, Canada's Antiquus, the above blurb may be an understatement. Ramayana is one challenging slab of power metal to interpret and digest. No obvious "rock radio" tracks stick out and comparisons are a bit difficult to draw. From the point of view of weighty content, a similarity could be struck with perhaps The Glorious Burden by Iced Earth. Although the bands play a similar style of metal, they do not sound alike. Apparently all the members have a love of Iron Maiden, but there are no galloping riffs to indicate a clone of the mighty British legends.

Vocalist Jesse White has a voice that can handle the highs and lows virtually with minimal effort as shown on the quite challenging Tanlin Bridge. Guitars Jeff Dormer and Dave Priban execute their instruments with precision and during Ramayana, Part I utilize a sitar as well. Ramayana, Part III has the vibe of Black Sabbath's Children Of The Grave to it. Closing segment Ramayana, Part VI is very heavy with its doomy aura.

Ramayana will require multiple listens, so patience is required to unlock the secrets that Antiquus has hidden within the tracks of this disc. Perhaps an ambitious metal label would like to take on the challenge of marketing this most complex album.