CIVILIZATION ONE is a German melodic Power Metal band, formed in 2006 by singer Chitral Somapala together with guitarist Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE), Pierre-Emmanuel Pélisson (MALADAPTIVE, ex- HEAVENLY) and Luca Cartasegna (SECRET SPHERE). You may know Chitral Somapala from such bands as IVANHOE, FIREWIND, AVALON, POWER QUEST, DOMAIN, RED CIRCUIT (still a member) and more.
The debut album “Revolution Rising” came out in 2007. But not too long after the release, the line-up changed drastically. And it continued to do so as the years passed. Since Chitral also had his hands full with other bands, it took a while to work on and finish album no. 2, “Calling The Gods”.
It is said that work began in 2009, but due to industry changes, the release was postponed. Limb Music Products saw hail in the material and so a deal was made. Since the 16th November 2012, the new album is out and even contains three bonus tracks.
“Calling The Gods” begins with the atmospheric intro “Aazis”, consisting of chanting guided by the piano and symphonic backing. This links nicely with the melodic, Proggy tunes of “Calling The Gods”, where guitars and drums are key ingredients. Keyboards reside in the back. Think of VANDEN PLAS, RED CIRCUIT, and similar and you’ve got an idea of how it sounds. Typical for this song is the screamy guitar in the chorus. A rhythmic part precedes the solo after which the road to the end is selected. Another good and catchy song, for which a video was shot (see here), is “The Land In Flames”. This is a melodic Metal track, straight-forward, nothing fancy. The riffing is firm and Chity’s vocals go well with the music, also in the melodic chorus. Drumwise nothing changes throughout the song. This is one of the more accessible songs, comparable to PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER, and similar.
“Archangel” is a dark song with sharp guitarwork. Musically it’s more Power than Progressive and the tempo is relatively high. Like the others, it’s quite linear, but that’s a detail. The band delivers and that’s what matters. “Evil Eye” is a nice power ballad, where the guitarwork stands out. As you can imagine by looking at the title, “Hell Awaiting” is a not a Pop song. Here you get pounding Power Metal with double bass and backing keys for melody. The focus does lie on the guitars and drums, as it has to rock! The chorus, however, was given a light Progressive touch.
“True Believer” is a midtempo song with a faster, Power Metal bridge that links up with a slower, melodic chorus. I do like how the guys implemented an atmospheric break before solo. As if you’re in space or something, reaching a new dimension. “Reunite” is a semi-acoustic ballad. Not super, but certainly not bad either. Back to some fierce Metal then with “The Supernatural Virtue”. It’s Thrashy and melodic and this sounds so tasty! Chity’s vocals are also a tad more aggressive here and there, contrasting with the cleaner singing in the chorus. Bonus points for the deep lyrics.
“New World” is a midtempo, groovy and Prog-influenced track with enough room for melody. “Spirit In The Wind” is another very accessible song where melody reigns. It’s comparable to VANDEN PLAS, SILENT FORCE, … “Believing The Dream” is another accessible song, though not Metal at all. More of a Pop ballad and semi-acoustic. But it’s good. And here too, the lyrics stand out, in my opinion. Last but not least, “Dreams Of Fire (We Unite As One)”. This is more of a tribal kind of song. It does sound happy with the exotic influence and African chanting. I get a “Hakuna Matata” feeling when listening to this song.
I’m not familiar with CIVILIZATION ONE’s debut album, but I can say that this new one, “Calling The Gods”, sure is worth checking out and purchasing. The quality of the material is very high, the production is very good (by Markus Teske, also known from RED CIRCUIT, VANDEN PLAS, and so on). Definitely one of the better/best albums of 2012.
Tracklisting:
- Aazis
- Calling The Gods
- The Land In Flames
- Archangel
- Evil Eye
- Hell Awaiting
- True Believer
- Reunite
- The Supernatural Virtue
- New World
- Spirit In The Wind (bonus track)
- Believing The Dream (bonus track)
- Dreams Of Fire (We Unite As One) (bonus track)
Line-up:
Chitral ‘Chity’ Somapala – vocals
Nicklaus Bergen – guitar
Oliver Marmann – guitar
Pierre-Emannuel Pélisson – bass
Michael Stein – drums
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