Age Of Sinfonia - Capriccio: An End & A Beginning

The much awaited EP from Singapore symphonic metal band Age Of Sinfonia is finally here and with Capriccio: An End & A Beginning slated to launch on Feb 11 2011, I had the opportunity to receive a sneak peek on what to expect from the talented sextet that has been constantly performing and gaining recognition from their peers throughout 2010

For starters, the line up is comprised of Savvia Lenore (vocals), Rasen John (guitars) Andy Swift (bass), Elfie Corleone (drums), Dr Jackyll Hyde (keyboards) and JC (violin) and have been performing together as a band for a couple of years with Capriccio being produced by the folks from Snakeweed Studios and also in the form of Martin Pullan and Rupert Coffey of Edensounds. In a metal community where thrash and extreme music becomes the focal point for most listeners in Singapore, how does a symphonic metal fit into the scheme of things? In a very well orchestrated manner, to say the least. The opening track Fair- Weather Love has been played on a regular basis on their gigs and the album treatment of this familiar ode does not disappoint the ears as none of the atmospheric vibe and lush sounds are being compromised. Cradle Of Filth fans might find the introduction of Fair- Weather Love slightly similar to Nymphatemine and a little surprise midway through the song as Rasen John unleashes a solo that is brief yet complementing the music arrangement of the song with a touch of vintage warmth to the proceedings. The enthrallment does not end there as Unfrozen unleashes a blast from the past reminiscent of classic symphonic metal bands and providing the bridge for the epic finale: Forevermore. Combining metal, classical music and sprinkled with the element of folk, this track is undoubtedly the ace of spades for Age Of Sinfonia and cementing their position as one of the bands to look out for in 2011. The beastly appearance on Forevermore provides an unique facet with Savvia Lenore drawing out the contrast with relative ease

To sum it up, Capriccio: An End & A Beginning banishes the long held stereotypical mentality of what music must be like and introducing various elements to prove that experimentations to a core genre type can bring out the desired emotions if the heart is there to soldier on. Despite being an EP, Age Of Sinfonia has given listeners a glimpse of bigger things to come and could very well spearhead a new generation of music enthusiasts