Sartori – Dragon’s Fire
Rockshots Records
Release Date: 28/01/22
Running Time: 30:30
Review by Laura Barnes
7.5/10
I think I speak for us all when I say: I miss Dio. Hence why Sartori’s debut album, “Dragon’s Fire” made me grin from ear to ear. Never before have I listened to a non-Dio album that is so, well, Dio-esque! With it’s delightfully crunchy riffs and messages of strength and positivity, listening to this album is like stepping through a time portal to the 23rd of May, 1983, the day that Dio released his own debut solo album.
Much like Ronnie James Dio himself, Sartori founder and guitarist Andy A. Sartori is inspired by classical music, citing Mozart as his biggest inspiration. This influence is one that absolutely shines throughout this album and is enough to separate Sartori from the immense pack of power metal bands out there. The guitar work in “Dragon’s Fire” is intricate, sophisticated and emotional, especially on tracks like ‘One Distant Heart’, ‘Through The Eyes Of My Soul’, and ‘Battle In The Distant Lands’. Whilst the guitars, naturally, take musical lead on this album, a word of praise must also be given to vocalist Scott Board, who sings his heart out on each and every song.
With guitar and vocal expertise combined, Sartori take simple song structures to new heights. Much like the flying dragons that Sartori like to sing about, their choruses soar through the air before settling in your head like a ferocious earworm. For a band still very much in their infancy, Sartori have the songwriting skills of a much older band. I’m sure we’re all familiar with what I fondly call ‘Debut Album Syndrome’: overly long songs, self-indulgent intros, outros, interludes and intermissions and a slight dominance of filler over killer. Clocking out at just over half an hour, “Dragon’s Fire” has achieved the nigh impossible feat of avoiding all these pitfalls. The band has limited themselves to a single interlude, fourth track ‘Little Aria in G Major’. Unlike the rest of “Dragon’s Fire”, ‘Little Aria in G Major’ features clean guitars and provides a moment of mellow contemplation before the fist-pumping, rifftastic anthems fire up again.
In future releases, I would be interested in seeing Sartori fuse these two sides to their music together. ‘Little Aria in G Major’ showcases a lot of potential for further experimentation in Sartori’s music. With “Dragon’s Fire”, Sartori have firmly distinguished themselves as a band worthy of the metal’s scene attention. Having earned their place, Sartori now have the licence to play and explore, to take the sounds of their incredible influences and make them their own. I can’t wait to see what they do next.
‘Devil In Disguise’ Official Lyric Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Evil Heart
02. One Distant Heart
03. From Hell To Heaven
04. Little Aria In G Major
05. Devil In Disguise
06. Through The Eyes Of My Soul
07. Castle Of Lost Souls
08. Dragon’s Fire
LINE-UP:
Andy A. Sartori – Guitars
Scott Board – Vocals
Rod Viquez – Bass
Dino-Castano – Drums
LINKS:
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