The Epic: A Drum Opera CD by Dragon Ritual Drummers
(www.dragonritualdrummers.com) Limited Edition
I probably should have reviewed this CD before I did "Passage" (see my
previous review) since it preceded it. There were two reasons I put it
off,
however. Both of those reasons were person, but only one had any real
validity to it. The valid reason was that I wanted to hear "Pagan
Soldier,"
but didn't want to have to ****ft gears after listening to it. The
non-valid
reason was a reaction to the word "opera" in the title of this CD. I'm
not
a huge fan of opera in general, so I allowed that to influence my
judgment.
Before you slip this CD into your player, take a few minutes to read, and
experience, the booklet which accompanies it. It explains the source of
inspiration for both the opera and the group which has brought it into
existence. As with a y opera, an understanding of the underlying story is
an im****tant part of appreciating it.
Unlike most operas, knowledge of a foreign language is not beneficial for
appreciating "The Epic." This is, after all, a drum opera. The language
is
that of rhythm and tone; of pacing and volume; and of emotion. The range
of
sounds drawn from these human-powered instrument (you won't find any
sampling or synthesizers on any of their CDs) is amazing.
I listened to this CD as I lay on my bed, with headphones on, and was
swept
up (and into the story) by the power and subtleties of this group. I will
be looking to add more of their work to my library. I strongly recommend
this CD, and all their work.
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