Twinspirits -
The Forbidden City


(CD 2009, 68:39, LMC268)

The tracks:
  1- The Forbidden City(10.18)
  2- Taste The Infinity(5.54)
  3- Number One(4.39)
  4- Everything(7.44)
  5- One Of Us(6.31)
  6- BTR(5.40)
  7- Hide This Feeling(4.41)
  8- My Future(6.39)
  9- Reaction(6.02)
10- I Am Free(10.25)

Twinspirits Website        samples        Lion Music


Daniele Liverani is the mastermind behind some major Italian bands like Khymera and Cosmics. He also recorded some fine instrumental guitar albums, but he acquired some notoriety after releasing the Genius-trilogy. This is an epic story, spread over three albums with a wide range of guest vocalists, which is a real treat for every progressive metal fan. Along with the recording of this trilogy, Liverani started to write for what later became Twinspirits, named after one of the characters in the Genius-trilogy. Twinspirits is meant to be a real band without the guest performances that made the trilogy so special.

While rehearsing with drummer Dario Ciccioni, with whom he played for years, they discovered Tommy Ermolli, a very young guitar player, who was fourteen years old at the time. This promise for the future was enlisted on the spot. Bass player Alberto Rigoni, who played in a Dream Theater cover band, was the next one to join. A vocalist was harder to find, but in the end they found a Danish vocalist named Søren Adamsen and finally they recorded the first Twinspirits- album The Music That Will Heal The World. Not being able to perform live with the band, Søren was replaced in 2008 by the Swedish vocalist Göran Nyström and together with him The Forbidden City was recorded a year later.

The music on this second album contains no surprises for people who are familiar with the Genius-albums and the first Twinspirits-album. It’s a continuation of the same high level of progressive metal. The new vocalist could easily compete with some famous names in the music industry, like Marc Boals or Jeff Scott Soto. Nyström’s voice reaches from a whispering part to some high notes in Taste The Infinity. The title track is a bombastic, melodic and heavy epic that deserves our attention. It’s an outstanding song in the best Italian tradition and an appropriate way to begin this album with. The song contains a story based on the impact characters with different natures can have on each other, so check the lyrics to get the whole story. Pay special attention to the slow, ballad-like song Hide This Feeling with an additional female vocalist, which takes Göran Nyström’s vocals to the next level. This song also contains a short, but fantastic emotional guitar solo. The keyboards are multi-layered and show the compositional talents of the band members. The rhythm section does a great job on the album: double bass drums, adventurous bass playing, steady and powerful, but the most attention goes to the numerous interplays between guitar and keyboards. Just listen to Everything and I’m not meaning only this song...

Like I wrote above, this album might not surprise you if you are already familiar with Liverani’s previous work. This is powerful, bombastic, Italian progressive metal of the highest level comprising great musicianship and compositions. This is just what you expect when you buy one of his albums. I love to listen to this kind of music, so my CD-player is on repeat again. If you are into these musicians, I would as well recommend Step Ahead and Something Different, the solo albums by guitarist Tommy Ermolli and bass player Alberto Rigoni.

**** Pedro Bekkers (edited by Peter Willemsen)

Where to buy?






All Rights Reserved Background Magazine 2013