Chrysilia: Et In Arcadia Ego 2017

 

Chrysilia is a symphonic prog - folk - metal band formed in Athens, Greece in 2016.
The band was founded by musical actress and rock performer Chryso and composer/keyboardist

Elias Pero (Sovereign), but eventually Chrysilia evolved to a band with a full debut album. In the initial stages of the project, producer and multi-instrumentalist Bob Katsionis (Firewind, Outloud) played a major role in the formation of the band. He arranged and produced most of the album, together with Elias Pero, Jim Loop and John Skalkotos, and he also composed one of the album’s songs, "The Fifth Season", which is based on his solo work.
                                      

Chryso Stamatopoulou (in Greek: Χρυσώ Σταματοπούλου) is a Greek rock singer, composer,

musical theatre actress, vocal coach and lead singer of romantic prog metal band Chrysilia. She is mostly known for her two greek rock studio albums (San Anemos 2001 and Akatorthoto 2012), her participation in the popular prime time live music show Amstel live on Greek National TV for three seasons, but came to international success with heavy metal band Chrysilia in 2017. The band has rave reviews internationally, especially for Chryso's voice and composing skills. On 21 and 22 September 2018, Chryso performed at the Herodes Atticus Odeon, one of the world's most historic and prestigious

theatres, together with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Athens State Orchestra in symphonic renditions of classic rock anthems by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Europe and more. Both shows in the 5,000 capacity ancient theatre were sold out.
                                    

The debut album "Et in Arcadia ego" was released by Finland's Lion Music in October 2017. It is

a concept album inspired by Arcadia (utopia) as it is depicted in the Renaissance. The album, having worldwide distribution, has been received with excellent reviews internationally, having been compared quality-wise to the likes of Avantasia, Ayreon, Eluveitie and Nightwish. It is regarded as one of 2017's best metal albums, based on the cinematic complexity behind apparently catchy tunes and characterized

by Chryso's voice, that has been compared to the genre's best. In the album, Chrysilia paid their tributes to one of Greece's extreme metal flagships, Rotting Christ, covering a black metal track in an alternative, folk/symphonic way.
                              

After the album’s live release event with progsters SL Theory, Chrysilia were invited to play live in

prime shows in Greece and Europe, including Voices of the Mist in Athens and the FemME festival in Eindhoven, NL. Chrysilia's live shows have been praised as being dynamic, dramatic and professional. Chrysilia have chosen to visualize most of their songs, having five official video clips to date. On December 6, 2018, Chrysilia was confirmed as a special guest for the Athens show of British rock legends Uriah Heep.
                          

The band's line-up currently consists of Chryso, Sergio Tellis, John Skalkotos and Nick Teteris.[On

December 12, 2019, the second full album was announced for a 2020 release, under the production of Devon Graves (Psychotic Waltz). The first single “Dragunera: Act II” was released on November 20, 2020, accompanied by an official video.

ET IN ARCADIA EGO 2017

                                                

[When the woeful winter weather bestows itself upon us, bringing along with it courageous colds

equalling the temperature of the Antarctica (or so we Brits like to think), there's nothing better than locking yourself away, wrapping up in the warmth of a blanket, with a cup of tea and a book in which you can escape for days on end. You wish to write the tale of your very own 'Never Ending Story', with yourself as the protagonist, ready and willing to conquer all that stands in your way.
                                                 

Brewing up this escapists dream, Chrysilia distil their tales of epic adventures across nine bottled-up

tracks, ready for your nourishment in the form of 'Et In Arcadia Ego'. A dash of Orden Ogan's epic Power Metal, a hint of Tobias Sammet's song-writing, a drop of Eluveitie's Folk finesse and the essence of audacity and skill that comes only from an accomplished orchestra; these are the secret ingredients which Chrysilia has utilised to bake their debut album, a masterful work that even the veterans of the scene would be envious of.
                         

It is around the halfway mark, during 'Arcadia' when you realise you've totally forgotten you're only

listening to a record and aren't journeying through mysterious lands on quests unknown, writing tales yet to be told. The complex compositions that make up this ambitious debut will seem simplistic on the first listen, but as you repeat your journey a second, third and fourth time, you'll find yourself lost within the structures, a labyrinth of sounds that become sights that overlap around the inner creases of your mind.
                                                 

The titular track is grandiose, a six-minute instrumental capable of causing seismic earthquakes in your mind as colourful explosions of your imagination take place while violins and keys wage war with Folk

traditions. The eponymous track is a magical menagerie of beautiful sounds; violinist Odysseas shining as bright as the stars the music soundtracks, complementing the mesmerising vocal performance of Chryso, who is one half of the visionary team, along with Elias Pero, behind the ambitiously dexterous display that washes over us throughout the album.
                            

Twisting the traditions of Folk and Classical together in a tornado of Symphonic Metal, Chrysilia have

crafted the tale Nightwish have been struggling to tell for all of their existence, and yet, this is only their first foray into storytelling. Simply put, this is a masterpiece.]
Jack Press (ROCKTOPIA)]
                             

Chrysilia – Et In Arcadia Ego
Label:  Lion Music – none
Format: CD, Album
Country:  Greece
Released:  Oct 12, 2017
Genre: Rock
Style:  Symponic, Prog, Melodic Metal

TRACKS

                            

01. By The Gates Of Ypsus    6:20
02. The Menalon Trail    4:49
03. Desperate Wings    5:08
04. Arcadia    4:34
05. Et In Arcadia Ego    6:05
06. Chrysilia    5:23
07. Altar Of Silence    4:38
08. King Of A Stellar War    5:50
09. The Fifth Season    5:39
10. Desperate Wings (Orchestral Version)    5:08
                                

KING OF A STELLAR WAR    LYRICS

 

                         

The king of the inner dominion
The circle of the lost lovers
Those who start the monarchy
Melodies of them who gave up the ghost

A new sovereign
Son of the first king
After the seizure plague
Dressed in serrated armour

Sensual descendant
Of carnal love
Semaphore
Of all unearthly souls
Married
To the divine war
King of a stellar war

Dedicated to his father's vow
Swear in power to low
Asylum in his world
Dazzle his hordes
Emeron

MP3 @ 320 Size: 127 MB
Flac  Size: 344 MB