Label: Art Gates Records
Date: January 29th, 2021
Music as the most syncretic kind of art is rich playground for the best artists. As professionals know, metal has its origins in classical music. From Mozart, Bach to Apocalyptica, symphonic metal bands and at the end, as the most complex, rock operas. Musicians find their inspiration in different themes, from history, love to science and that makes this sort of music so wonderful and powerful. I didn’t have that pleasure to watch rock opera on live concert but here we have one candidate for a magnificent show.
When my friend recommended this masterpiece to me, my eye was caught by the name Legado de una tragedia. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s life and work this project, written by Mister Padilla, has history from 2004 and its first to the fifth part is surely something excellent. Edgar Allan Poe is part of this story on purpose. From my point of view, Mister Poe was writer from the age of romanticism and the main idea of this movement was history and emotion. This opera has all that in a package. Also, the mysticism and darkness of Poe’s poetry is all present and applied in proper way. “Britania”, one land where the most dangerous battles for freedom are fought from Roman invasion of Celts to WW2, that place speaks stories for itself. Concept of the album is indeed interesting, three the same parts but also different. Singing on Spanish through English to orchestral instrumental let us, listeners to pay attention on everything separately. Theme as like as the musicians who participate here made it rock but this one has strictly only orchestral instrumental parts, it’s different from “Goditha the rock opera“ or Therion’s work and even the opera in classical music terms. Where the green Celts are, there is also a little bit of folk parts on flutes which make “Ave Roma“ my favorite song from the album. The power of that never forgotten army is shown here in its glory. “La Terra de los Druidas“ is leading us through green deep woods where these fearless warriors fight, live and worship their land. “Britania“ libretto is explaining what happened between Claudius and Caractus the druid and that intense of the fight ‘til the ashes, so it’s the most ceremonious song on the album. “El Llanto de los Ancestors“ is a song where we hear the importance of performers who participate on the album, their voices are made for power metal (both English and Spanish version), also orchestration is so dark and strong, combined with vocals is Like lightning and thunder, perfect.
One enormous masterpiece must have beautiful cover photo. Of course, green as Celtic color with “triskelion” on the Roman eagle. The eagle is the biggest on the picture and it’s showing us victory of the Roman Empire. One detail is important and that’s the raven on the right wing of roman eagle, dedicated to poem “Raven” of Edgar Alan Poe, his most famous one.
I hope that Mister Joaquin Padilla will hear my prayers and make one theatrical piece of his entire project Legado De Una Tragedia because this opera deserves it. Opera made one refreshment in the world of rock and metal and showed us one more time the values and power of the rebel movement that we metalheads expand every day.
