Maybe not everybody knows that Christos Antoniou from Septicflesh is a multitalented musician with a Master’s Degree in concert music and an honorable classical background. With the band Chaostar, and the latest release entitled “Anonima”, Christos Antoniou fully satisfies his natural desire to explore the countless ever fascinating facets of classical music.
“Un Pensiero Per Il Destino” could be easily labeled as a classical operetta in which the main elements are the flawless soprano vocals in Italian (as in the traditional opera performances) and the delicately intricate composition where flutes and strings deliver epic undertones.
“Medea”, obviously inspired by Euripide’s unforgettable drama, presents an ominously dark atmosphere since the very beginning featuring a narration by David Vincent from Morbid Angel. The rest of the song could sound hostile to the average listener with its cathartic, often insane with so many elements mixed together, descent through a relentless haunting musical exploration ranging from classical to jazz and beyond.
On “Dilate The Time”, the delightfully familiar voice of Fernando Ribeiro from Moonspell gives you a sense of hope and a much needed break to breathe. From a musical point of view, there is a sort of comforting recurring melody with a straight forward classical approach that dwells in a controversial experiment.
“Les Reminiscences Extatique” feels like a bittersweet heartbreaking drama. The highlight here is the tragically spellbinding vocal performance by Androniki Skoula emotionally well supported by a cascade of elegantly classical orchestral backgrounds.
“L’Idee Fixe” is an extremely poetic piece with a soothing melodic theme. Yet, the second part of the song unfolds an ambiance obscurity that holds a Byzantine or simply archaic style.
“Misery’s King” has a cautious approach with a well defined melodic theme that can be easily accepted, maybe even loved, at the first listening. It feels almost like a ballad focusing on delightful arpeggios, melancholic keyboards and emotionally charged vocals.
It is obvious that “Anonima” is not suitable for an easy everyday listening with all the experimental orchestral arrangements that truly leave no space for catchy melodies widely accessible. Nevertheless, this is an absolutely stunning collection of classical soundscapes that courageously embraces multiple modern elements.