Antonius Rex - "Switch On Dark" Review

Artist/ Band: Antonius Rex
Title: Swith On Dark
Label: Black Widow
Year of Release: 2006
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Antonius Rex has a long history starting in 1968 as Jacula. Jacula was short lived and in 1974 band leader/multi-instrumentalist/singer Antonio Bartoccetti dissolved Jacula and reemerged as Antonius Rex. Antonius Rex stayed together until 1980 and recorded seven studio albums, "In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum" (1970), "Tardo Pede in Magiam Versus" (1972), "Neque Semper Arcum Tendit Rex" (1974), "Zora" (1976), "Anno Demoni" (1978), "Ralefun" (1979) and "Praeternatural" (1980)..

In 1980, Antonio disbanded the group until 2004 when they released Magic Ritual and in 2006, a brand new album, "Switch on Dark". Switch On dark is said to be a concept album about a haunted castle and it’s inhabitants. The music is based in a dark atmospheric symphonic style which borders on the gothic or dark wave genres. Most of the album is instrumental with some ghostly whispered voices provided by vocalist Monika Tasnad.

The album has various lengths in music, going from almost 4 minutes to almost 20 minutes. The longer pieces the title track and Fairy Vision, are more suites than epics. Fans of early/classic Goblin, Daemonia, Univers Zero and Nox Arcana as well as the more symphonic sounds of Black Sabbath will be very pleased with Switch On Dark. Also like the bands I mentioned, Antonius Rex will provide a perfect soundtrack to Halloween.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on September 30th, 2009

Tracks:

01. Perpetual Adoration

02. Damnatus In Aeternum

03. Switch On Dark

04. Darkotic

05. Fairy Vision (Esoteric Edit)

06. Mysticdrug

Bonus Video track:

Perpetual Adoration