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| Drakkar
was born in late 1995. They had a goal in mind: to become a great
power-epic metal band. So they started working real hard, and in a short
time, they began to gain a good reputation in Milan, due to the main gigs
they were doing all around. The band also won a contest for newcomer,
unsigned bands, and placed second in another one. The first demotape
(out in the middle of 1996) was entitled "Sailing Alive", and it was a
little live-recorded stuff done for a radio show, that later on the band
decided to sell due to the many requests from the fans coming to the
shows. The second demo came out in the beginning of 1997; it was entitled "We Sail At Dawn". This was a more "serious" demo, recorded on a 16 tracks-tape, and did even better the first. It was this demo to bring the band to the attention of Dragonheart Records, a young but promising label in Italy. They offered Drakkar a good deal, giving what they wanted the most: total artistic freedom. So the band decided to sign, and started (in January '98) the recordings of "Quest For Glory" with this line-up: Dario Beretta (guitars and backing vocals), Christian Fiorani (drums), Alex Forgione (bass) and Luca Cappellari (vocals). Being still without a keyboard player, the band asked to their good friend Emanuele Rastelli from Crown Of Autumn to join 'em just to record the album, and so he did. In the June of that year, shortly after the publishing of the album, they took part as opening band to the "Monsters Of Rock" festival in Turin (Italy), supporting bands like Saxon, Deep Purple, Primal Fear, Hammerfall, Dream Theater, etc., with a very good response from the crowd. In September, a few line-up changes occurred; Alex Ferraris took place of Forgione as bass-player, and Eleonora Ceretti was hired as keyboard player, officially becoming part of the band. The sellings of Quest For Glory were very good, and the band was claimed by many journalists to be a big promise for the future. While they were working on the songs for the second album, they continued to play live in Italy, making lots of good shows. Among the others, stood the great gig as support band for Scorpions on their Italian date of may 1999, where the band received a great vibe from the crowd and convinced also the Scorpions drummer, who personally congratulated with them. In September 1999, they finally entered the studio to record the long-awaited follower to Quest For Glory. The new album, called "Gemini", was a great step forward, being much more mature of the debut and much better produced and arranged, and it was released in the middle of March 2000. On the album, there was also a special guest appearance by (now former) Helloweens guitarist Roland Grapow, who placed two great solos on the song The Voice Of The Wind. Despite the fact that Gemini was selling good and having very good reviews, June 2000 saw the ending of the bands partnership with Luca Cappellari and Alex Ferraris, due to personal problems. But this was not an end, just a new beginning. As they've always done before, the band immediately started to search for new members, worth to carry on the legacy of the former ones. Soon the new bass player was found: Daniele Persoglio, a young and talented musician coming from a power-progressive band called Holy Gates. Just a few days after, also the new singer was found. His name: Davide Dell'Orto (also known as Dave Shot), from Exile, another good italian progressive-metal band. He has a great range and a very powerful voice, more aggressive and deep compared to his predecessor. Since they first hear him on their songs, Drakkar knew that he woud have been the best choice to keep the Dragonship sailing. Unfortunately, the line-up problems were not settled yet, cause Eleonora, too, was forced by heavy personal problems to quit the band. But soon Corrado Solarino was in to take her place on the keys, with his unique, original and personal style, taking inspiration noth only from the modern epic-symphonic sound that was typical to the band, but also from all kind of rock and progressive keyboard wizards like Keith Emerson, Jon Lord, and many others. His choice of using a lot of Hammond organ, both for riffs and solos, was enthusiastically approved from the rest of the band and contributed to create a new, original sound for Drakkar. A sound which was fully displayed in the new album "Razorblade God", released in April 2002. An album that proved, beyond doubt, that Drakkar was stronger than ever. Aggressive riffs, catchy melodies, original keyboards arrangements and the first-class singin of Dave all flow together in a 100 % METAL album. Included in the album, as a CD-Rom Mpeg file, the first Drakkar Videoclip, for the song To The Future, was included. A wonderful one, top-class between the heavy metal clips of those years: another step forward for Drakkar. Unfortunately, after some shows to support Razorblade God, the most difficult period in the life of the band was to begin. Chris decided to change his life and departed for Mexico City, therefore leavin' the band; the quest for a new drummer was goin' to take a very, very long time. In 2004, as a signal of still being there, the band released a cover version of Alice Cooper's classic "Poison" on "A Tribute To The Glory Of '80's Metal", a tribute album published from Adrenaline/Steelheart Records; at the same time they began the recordings for the fourth album, but life and regular jobs were taking a heavy toll, slowing down the band which was still strugglin' to find a replacement for Chris. The first of those brand new songs to be released was Killer Elite, which was available for download to those who would buy the italian comic book of the same name, starting from september 2005. In the end of that year, unfortunately, Daniele and Drakkar parted ways - in a very friendly manner - for his lack of time to dedicate to the band. But that was not the end: only a new beginning. Giulio Capone from Bejelit stepped in as the new drummer, after being rehearsing for some months with the band, and in the beginning of 2006 Simone Cappato was chosen as the replacement for Dan. Finally, Drakkar had a full line-up again and was ready to start over! May the 13th brought the first live show after more than 2 years, and the fans answered the call with a loud scream when the band stepped on stage: it was the proof that Drakkar was still alive in their hearts, and a big adrenaline shot for the band. Now, the Dragonship is sailing again; other shows are on the way and the recordings for the new album have began anew. Metal is forever! |
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  Name: Corrado "Lo Sciura" Solarino Born: Classified Information Occupation: Not Your Business Favourite Bands: Van Halen, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Kiss, Whitesnake Favourite Albums: Deep Purple “Burn”, Van Halen “F. U. C. K.”, Iron Maiden “Live After Death” Favourite Keybord Players: Tommy Barbarella, Jon Lord, Sviatoslav Richter, Roy Bittan, Keith Emerson Other Favourite Musicians: Glenn Hughes, Sting, Robert Schumann, Tom Waits Equipment: Yamaha SY 85 Synth, CODSM88 Master Keyboard, Farfisa Matador, Kary Tube Amp, Yamaha Budokan Power Amp, Midi Buddy MP128 |
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Produced by Drakkar
and Enrico Paoli. Recorded,mixed and mastered at "New Sin
Studios", Loria (TV), september/october 1999, by Luigi Stefanini.
Photos by Emilio Beretta. Booklet conception and layout by
Christian Fiorani and Drakkar. "Gemini" tale
written by Dario Beretta. |
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"GEMINI": the Whole Tale by Dario Beretta |
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After a century of peace, it's war on the Island of Alteria. The evil
minister of the reign of Kardia, Kamen, has taken the throne, killing
the old, heirless king Marn. To do this, Kamen did use the power of the
Evil God Marth, a power evoked by an ancient spell found after years of
searching.With his new powers, Kamen raises a mystical shield all around
the royal castle; nothing could go through it, nor anybody uninvited.
Then he decides to set out to conquer the whole island. His troops,
protected by the power of Marth, are guided by Slayn, a young warrior of
unknown extraction, the adopted son of a nobleman of Kardia. Amazingly
quickly, the reign of Eridan falls under Kardia's blows, too quickly for
the other reigns of Alteria (Varnia and Lysia) to come to help (Beginning/Eridan
Falls). Randall, king of Varnia, and Amon, king of Lysia, decide to join
forces to hinder Kardia's advance. However, they both know that the
force of arms may be useless against an enemy clearly protected by an
evil power. The only hope is to turn to the Oracle of the Mountain of
Spirits, in the reign of Varnia. In the past, none of those who dared to
climb the mountain did return. Nobody knows who or what the Oracle is: is it real or legend? Anyway, somebody has to try. Though many warriors come forward for this mission, choosing the right one is hard. The legend says that only a man whose heart is pure can reach the top of the mountain. After proving his ability with the sword, every warrior has to face a much more difficult test: he must put his hand in the holy Water of Purity. Only if its colour doesn't change, will he be considered worthy of the mission. One by one, the warriors face the trial, but the water always becomes cloudy; then a young soldier, Artan of Varnia, decides to try. His extraction is uncertain: he's a foundling, brought up by some monks. Moreover, he's very young and not as good as the others are with the sword. But he's the only one to pass the trial of water: he is the chosen one (Pure Of Heart). Meanwhile, Slayn and his troops are fighting the united armies of Varnia and Lysia. This foes are valiant, but the Soldiers of Death know that the power of Marth will make them win in the end (Soldiers Of Death). After a short journey, Artan finally arrives to the Mountain of Spirits, and begins a long, hard climb (The Climb). As he finally reaches the top, he discovers that the Oracle is the wind itself. Its prophecy is clear: to end the war, he must go to the roots of evil, and beat Kamen. To do this, the prophecy continues, he has to reach the Crystal Sea, travelling through the iced land of Aryon. There, he will find something that will help him to pass through the shield and enter the royal castle. But he must beware, because even if he wins, he will lose (The Voice Of The Wind). At the same time, Slayn has a strange feeling that something important is going to take place; he leaves the battlefield, and spurs his horse on towards the royal castle. In the meantime, Artan has reached his destination. On the shore of the Crystal Sea, he watches the Dragonship breaking the ice, and rising from the water to the air by two great wings. Soon he discovers that his thoughts can control the ship, and so he boards and sails towards the royal castle. As he gets near the shield, he orders the ship to break it. A magical, cold flame erupts from the Drakkar's jaws, and soon the shield is gone (Dragonship). As he enters the castle, in the hall he finds Slayn. Both are determined to win, and both their faces are covered by a full helmet. The battle starts, and from the beginning it's clear that Slayn is much stronger than Artan. Artan knows it, but he also knows that he can't just surrender. Soon, a mighty blow from the blade of Slayn's sword throws him to the ground, breaking his helmet in two. As Slayn sees his adversary's face, he stops, and turns pale. After an entire minute of silence, he announces to Artan that he has decided to let him pass. "I am with Kamen -he says- because only a strong power could bring order to this land. If he can't even beat you, maybe he's not strong enough. Go, now! His throne is right behind that door!- (The Secret). Artan knows that he has to act quickly, and not ask himself how Slayn came to that decision; so, he opens the door and enters the hall of the throne. Kamen is there, waiting for him. He sneers at Artan, proclaiming that he will not leave alive. Then he begins to sing an ancient wail, and in a few seconds he turns into a big demon, with a great, blazing sword in hand. A terrible battle takes place, and though Artan does his best, once again he's far inferior to his enemy. But, when everything seems lost, Slayn puts his body between Kamen and Artan, taking himself Kamen's deadly lunge. Immediately, Artan whirls his sword and cuts off the demon's head. The evil body falls to the ground, and begins to burn; in less than a minute, only ashes remain (Until The End). Artan kneels down, near Slayn. "Why? he asks- why did you save my life, and risk your own?- "Take off my helmet, please.- says Slayn. As Artan removes the helmet, he sees what he never thought he would see. Looking into Slayn's face, is as if he were looking into a mirror! How could I let you die? You're my twin brother...- says Slayn, and then he dies, in the Artan's arms. Artan shouts to the sky, and he cries for a very long time. Now, he finally understands the Oracle's words. Then, taking the body of his brother, he returns to the Dragonship, and sails towards home (Death of Slayn). As the Oracle said, the troops of Kardia, without the power of Marth to protect them, are easily defeated in a couple of days. The war is finally over. Bitter is the taste of victory for Artan, who lost the brother he had just found; but King Randall consoles him. After all, even for a short time, they were reunited; and it was their brotherly love that defeated Kamen (The Price Of Victory). |
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A Commentary to “RAZORBLADE GOD”
's Lyrics by Dario Beretta 1) Razorblade God Hyperion: A planet which is a true mystery. Upon it, the Tombs of Time: mysterious constructions that seem to move backwards in time, constantly generating Time-Waves. In the valley where the Tombs lie, it lives an incredibly powerful creature, called The Shrike, aka The Lord Of Suffering. It is a humanoid creature, but made of steel, blades and razors, with four arms and ruby red eyes. Every year, seven pilgrims go to him; the legend says that he will grant a wish to one of them, killing all the others on his razor tree of eternal suffering... This song was inspired by Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Saga. Published in the very end of the eighties, this saga is already a science-fiction classic... And one of my favourites! To know who or what the Shrike really is, you only have to read the books. Believe me, you won’t regret doing it. 2) Man and Machine When the evil Machine’s Empire kidnaps his brother to exploit his scientific skills, Teppei decides to go into the Empire’s lair, the Area, to save him. By his side, he has a powerful B’t (a living machine) called X, shaped in the form of a mythical animal: the Kirin. They must learn to fight together, and to trust each other to reach a perfect union of man and machine, if they want to have a chance to beat the evil Empire. Just like “Lo Shan...” this song has been inspired by a Japanese manga by Masami Kurumada, called Bt’X. The Kirin is an oriental mythical animal, more or less like a horse with wings. 3) To The Future Approximately in the year 1000, Leif Erikson (son of Erik the Red) was the first man to travel from Europe to America. In 1492, almost 500 years later, Cristoforo Colombo, trying to reach the shores of India, did the same thing, never caring about those who called him crazy because he believed the earth to be a sphere, and not a plate. Both the Viking Leif and the Italian Colombo were great sailors, man whose life was on the sea... Man that made history. I wanted to have a very fast, pounding song, with screaming vocals and a catchy refrain in the Drakkar’s trademark... And I wanted this song to be linked both to the name of the band (the Viking ship) and to our Italian origins-of which, by the way, we are very proud of. The topic of the discovery of America, made by vikings first, then by an Italian sailor, was just perfect for it! In the opinion of the whole band, “To The Future” is already a Drakkar-classic! 5) The Matrix A young hacker, whose nickname is Neo, has been searching the meaning of the word "Matrix” for years. One night, he’s kidnapped by Morpheus and his allies: men and women who know the secret behind the word. The Matrix is a virtual reality, in which all men are kept like prisoners from the machines; while they think to be livin’ their lives, they are used as human batteries by the self-concious, uncontrolled computers they created centuries before. But Neo is the Chosen One. Infact, being the Matrix a virtual reality, man inside it should not really conform to any natural law; if you really believe that nothing is real, than you can do anything. And Neo is the one who can really bring this fact to its extreme consequences, and free all humanity from his sylicon tyrants. This song was obviously inspired by the movie with the same title. The Matrix is a real masterpiece of the sci-fi cinema, and it has changed the way of making movies with its technical innovations. It is also a great story, very close to be a “comic book on screen”. Really great! 6) Galadriel’ Song The Fellowship of the Ring has to leave Lorièn behind. Their mission awaits them: the Dark Lord must to be stopped before it’s too late. But before they go, Lady Galadriel, queen of elves, sings a beautiful song to them. A farewell that they will never forget... Galadriel, the queen of elves living in the wood of Lorièn, is one of Tolkien’s most fascinating characters. The lyrics of this track are mainly inspired by the original Galadriel’s song you can find in The Lord Of The Rings. It is all in all a homage to the father of modern fantasy literature, J. R. R. Tolkien, whose words will forever live in the hearts of all fantasy-freaks around the world. 7) Lo Shan Shen Long Pa (Great Dragon Rising From The Mountain of Lo) A young warrior has finally completed his training. He is ready to wear the legendary Dragon’s Armor, and fight the evil in the world. He has learned powerful fighting techniques, and his armor has two invincible weapons: the dragon fist, which is like the sharpest lance, able to pass through every shield, and the dragon’s indestructible shield, able to stop even the strongest lance. Through him, lives the power and the wisdom of China, its history and its tradition. He is Shiryu, the knight of Draco. The main inspiration for this song comes from Masami Kurumada’s Saint Seiya, a very popular Japanese manga that has inspired an even more popular (and wonderful) animated series. The only difference is that I wanted the character of Shiryu to be more linked the great history of China, making him a representant of the power and wisdom of the ancient Chinese Empire, and of all the tradition of that fascinating country. “Lo Shan Shen Long Pa” is Chinese: it means (as you probably guessed) “Great Dragon rising from the mountains of Lo”. 8) The Next Generation The Next Generation Project is finally completed. Genetic engineering has created a new breed of perfect soldiers, combining human intelligence with the physical power of the strongest animal predators. But this new breed cannot really be controlled. Soon they kill their own creators and head out to conquer the world... Whether we like it or not, genetic engineering is not going to be stopped. It will develop more and more in the future. And since the dawn of time, man has always used his intelligence and skills to create more and more perfect ways of killing. These are lyrics that I have written thinking about what could happen, if somebody should decide to use genetic engineering to create a new, deadly generation of perfect soldiers. The dreadful thing about all this is that it could really happen in a near future: it’s not so unlikely... We can only hope never to see such a terrible event. 9) Witches’ Dance Three beautiful witches dance in a circle around a big, black pot. Their seductive voices and their dark fascination can charm even the purest of men... Inspiration for these lyrics came directly from the main riff in the song. It is very different from everything we’ve done before, very aggressive and “groovy”. It immediately made me think about a dance of some evil, but in the same time fascinating, even sexy, creatures. Witches! Obviously not like those in the ancient fairy tales, so old and ugly, but more like the sirens in Homer’s “Odyssey”, mesmerising men with their beautiful chants. |
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