Noage: From Darkness to Life (2023)

Earlier this year I reviewed the debut album by keyboard player and singer Massimo Pieretti, ‘A New Beginning’, and he has now sent me the debut album from one of the bands he is in, Noage. Formed by singer Germana Noage (Aetherna), the rest of the line-up is Massimo (keyboards), bassist Michele Raspanti (Graal, S.O.S., ex-Tular, ex-Secret Rule), guitarist Michele “El Diablo” Serra (Mindcrime, ex- Daylight Silence), and drummer Daniele Zangara. They released a single in 2021, and another in 2022, neither of which appear on this release which came out at the end of 2023. They describe their music as, “metal with gothic hues but which pays great attention to the melodies, never banal arrangements with influences ranging from Nightwish to early Queensrÿche and Fates Warning”.

There is no doubt that Germana is a professionally trained singer with a great range, but she is less Tarja Turunen or Floor Jansen and more Anette Olzon although she sings in a higher level. This is commercial symphonic metal, and I must admit not hearing much in the way of gothic overtones, although there are some nice banks of keyboard sounds. The drums are thundering with nice triplets and fills, Daniele is obviously someone who is always looking to add to music as opposed to just sitting at the back and being a human metronome, while bassist Raspanti switches between providing foundation and counter melodies to keep it interesting. With that foundation behind them, Serra can crunch away with nice riffs, attacking the music while Pieretti gives us the curtain of sounds with Germana in full control at all times.

“Never Too Late” is a more dynamic piece with far more space within, showing a very different side of the band. It also features a guest in Kate Nord whose vocals take the song in a very different direction – she also performed on Massimo Pieretti’s solo album, and her appearance here is both a delight and a surprise (what an operatic range she has). We also get a guest guitarist on “Superhero” where Francesco Mattei (Noveria) joins to bring us another attack. That we finish with the biting and hard-hitting number “Fuck This World” which is packed full of aggression is nothing but a delight as the band lay it on the line, knowing it is never going to get airplay but is sure to be a favourite in concert.

If you enjoy female-fronted symphonic metal by the likes of Epica and Nightwish then this is a band to look out for, available on Bandcamp.

Rating: 8/10