Album review : SECRET SPHERE – Blackened Heartbeat

Frontiers [Release date 10.11.23]

Blackened Heart is the tenth studio album from the EU’s Power Metal poster boys, Secret Sphere.

It’s also the second with original vocalist, Roberto Messina, who reunited with the band on 2021’s Lifeblood, after an 8 year absence.

Driving force, guitarist/writer/producer, Aldo Lonobile has again sharpened his songwriting pencil and fine tuned his skills at the mixing desk.

When we reviewed Lifeblood we commented that the album’s instrumental opener, ‘Shaping Reality’ “blurred the boundary between classical music and rock/ metal”.

This time, Lonobile leans back into his acoustic guitar in a Classical Gas moment, bringing an unexpected texture to the album’s intro.

It’s in total contrast to what follows. He’s not (and never has been) a musician who favours the slow burn. When he lights the fuse leading to ‘Bloody Wednesday’ and ‘Confessions’, a blitz of power metal, dark and operatic at the edges quickly follows, with the massed voices rising and falling as the drama unfolds.

Antonio Agate’s orchestrations add considerable depth to the music, giving songs like ‘Aura’ and ‘Captive’ a symphonic spin

Messina is right at home delivering on Lonobile’s theatrics, whether his voice is chewing the scenery (One Day I will) or soaring over the nearest mountain top, (Blackened Heartbeat).

We’ve not said much about the “Concept” here. The nature of the performance is such that the narrative from track to track is not easy to pin down. What we do know, with considerable certainty, is that the galloping beats, much wailing from the backing singers and scything strings of ‘Dr.Julius’ make it the album’s standout track by a considerable distance. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)