Epidemia - Zhizn' V Sumerkah (2005)CD-Maximum

"Zhizn' V Sumerkah" ("Living In Twilight") is a collection of Epidemia's tracks taken from their three works: "Volya K Zhizni" EP (4 tracks), "Na Krayu Vremeni" (4) and "Zagadka Volshebnoy Strany" (2). The album was recorded by four musicians known from "Elfiyskaya Rukopis" (Yuriy Melisov on guitar, Ilya Knyazev on bass guitar, Maxim Samosvat behind the mike, Dmitriy Krivenkov on drums) and one new guitarist, Ilya Mamontov of Arda.

At the very beginning of this review, I'd like to stress that it is not an usual "the best of" stuff. Even though here is no new compositions, all of previous ones were re-arranged and re-recorded. In other words, they got a new life. One of the most distinguishing factors of the album is a mighty sound produced by a guitar duo extraordinaire Melisov-Mamontov. Their solos are clearly emphasized and enriched by completely new orchestrations. I could describe guitar solo parts with three qialifications: lightning, hitting and finger-twisting. Maxim's singing, as always, is strong, yet poignant at some moments. The title track is played in two versions - sang in Russian and English. The latter one was originally put on "Zagadka Volshebnoy Strany", however its newest edition surprisingly includes sombre vocal parts making this version disparate in comparison to the original.

Releasing of "the best of" albums is often indicative of label's avarice, but not this time. It is the next occasion when the Russians deliver us with a lavish material filled up with invigorating guitar solos and a lot of freshness in their elder tracks. The sound is rich proving that this album has got the most powerful production so far. Epidemia's new label announced it as fantasy heavy metal. In my opinion, heavy metal is not as fast and mighty as contemporary power metal, but style's descriptions aren't so important if the music is really fantastic! Fortunately, there are no superfluous elements, so this CD can be regarded as a regular album!