Relic - "Relic" & "Only Dreams" Review

Artist/ Band: Relic
Title: Relic/ Only Dreams
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2003

(click on the link above, for ALL band information on this and the band's other cds)

The Review:

Relic, a "Medieval Art Rock", hails from the San Francisco Bay area who not only play in full armor, they also use medieval poems and other texts for their lyrics. You can see the photos on their website. I’m sure it’s a task in itself to play with all that extra metal gear. They are compared to many bands on their website but to me they have the qualities of those bands while adding their own identity. The only flaw, for me, is the vocals. Sometimes they’re clear and melodic, other times harsh and distorted. According to the band there is a reason for the different style vocals. It's portray different characters within the songs.

The purpose for the variation is that the vocalist changes his character in the song like he does on stage......so for instance in "Dance of Death", he is the voice of death, bellowing out to mankind "MORTALITY BEHOLD IN FEAR WHAT A CHANGE OF FLESH IS HERE......" when on stage he comes charging out in a grim reaper costume with a sickle and severed head in his hand.....is very dramatic! The whistling in "I want to be an angel" is Satan walking among mankind, enjoying his tasks. In St. Stephan and King Herod' again his voice is distorted in the end because again, Satan is influencing the act of the killing (stoning) of St. Stephan. So, as you may have figured out, the theme of the first CD is in simple terms good Vs evil, whereas in the second CD the theme is of victory, dreams and light.

This quote was from an email from the band's management to help clarify things for you the reader. They’re already planning on third and fourth disc, hopefully longer than 40 minutes.

Relic can be thought of a novelty act, if they played a simpler form of music. But theses guys rock out in the vein of 70’s Progressive Art Rock with a hard rock slant. If you need a idea of their sound, just imagine them as part Yes, part old Pink Floyd, some Led Zeppelin-aspects. Plus they site, King Crimson as their heroes. There are some early Genesis as well as a bit of early Rush (2112 era).

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on July 24th, 2004

Tracks from Relic:

1. Overture

2. Dance of Death

3. Kill them All

4. I want to be an Angel

5. St. Stephen and King Herod

6. Interlude

Tracks from Only Dreams:

1. Triumph of Pain

2. Only Dreams

3. Night & Day

4. Where is The End?

5. Light Finds The Way

6. Music Makers