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Opera

Where Our Family Comes From: Solemn Pledge is destined to rule on Brother Enemy

Posted on 19 May 2023

Taken off the recent soul-stirring 5 song concept album called Cleopatra, Solemn Pledge returns with inspiring fire and has dropped a superb single to turn up on full volume due to the quality on offer with Brother Enemy.

Solemn Pledge is a Michael Justin Lee and Maria Genevieve Elia-fused indie rock opera-like duo who make spellbinding music which seems destined for blockbuster movies.

”Our previous 3 Rock opera albums have been very gratifyingly embraced by the public. They, along with Cleopatra, are streaming on Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and on over 150 other platforms worldwide.” ~ Michael Justin Lee

Solemn Pledge is rather wonderful here. They get emotions out and have brought the world something to hold onto with both hands. With intricate guitar excellence and pure singing to match, this is a no-brainer release to embrace forever.

Brother Enemy from Solemn Pledge is a song made with true intentions and shall rocket into the hearts of many. This is a moment which requires all listeners to take a second to visualize the outstanding aura on offer. This is a land-loving experience which shows us the strength needs when evil forces try and destroy everything.

Sung with passion and projected by terrific musicianship, this is a special single to return us to a graceful world.

Listen up on YouTube.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Cameron Owen diaphanously covered Les Miserables’ Bring Him Home

Posted on 8 May 2023

After Cameron Owen’s cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water left us insurmountably arrested, we couldn’t wait to feel our emotions swell with the orchestral crescendos in his latest single, Bring Him Home.

The compellingly diaphanous ballad is as graceful, delicate, and powerful as an angel’s wing for the way the theatrical pop cover of the Les Miserables prayer comes to life through the minor piano keys and his unfaltering vocal lines fusing as the ultimate aural redemption story for humanity.

Just as Les Miserables conveyed the resilience of the human spirit and its ability to endure heartbreak while still keeping courage, love and passion at our core, Cameron Owen’s reworking of the number will serve a poignant reminder of our innate inner capacity for beauty.

Bring Him Home was officially released on April 21; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Fly Away to Neverland with Solemn Pledge’s Stunning Rock Opera

Posted on 13 March 2023

Michael Justin Lee and Maria Elia, together known as the band “Solemn Pledge,” have created a stunning adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale with their rock opera, “Peter Pan.” With its modern sound and captivating vocal performances, “Peter Pan” is a musical journey that is both faithful to the original story and innovative in its approach.

Maria Elia’s voice is the centerpiece of the production, and her performances are nothing short of outstanding. She brings a raw, emotional power to every song, infusing each lyric with a sense of urgency and intensity. Her vocal range is impressive, and she effortlessly transitions between soft, delicate passages and full-throated belting. Elia’s standout tracks include “Wendy’s Nessun Dorma” a seductive ballad that showcases her sultry lower register, and “To Neverland,” a rollicking anthem that allows her to cut loose and let her voice soar.

But Elia is not the only star of “Peter Pan.” Lee’s instrumental arrangements are equally impressive, and they provide a driving energy that propels the story forward. The guitar riffs are electrifying, the drumming is thunderous, and the basslines are infectious. The opening number, “Welcome to Neverland,” sets the tone for the rest of the show with its upbeat tempo and catchy hooks.

What makes “Peter Pan” such a remarkable production, however, is how well it captures the spirit of Barrie’s original story. Lee and Elia have crafted a musical journey that is both faithful to the source material and innovative in its approach. The story is brought to life in a way that is engaging and emotionally resonant, and listeners will find themselves swept up in the adventure and wonder of Neverland.

Overall, “Peter Pan” is a triumph of musical storytelling. With its exceptional instrumental arrangements, stellar vocal performances, and faithful adaptation of the source material, it is a must-listen for fans of musical theater and rock music alike. The partnership between Michael Justin Lee and Maria Elia, known as Solemn Pledge, is a powerhouse collaboration that has produced an enchanting and unforgettable experience.

Ten(or)s Across the Board for Cameron Owen’s Striking Rework of Bridge Over Troubled Water

Posted on 2 March 2023

After growing up to the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, listening to Cameron Owen’s classical reworking of Bridge of Troubled Water was an evocative trip of nostalgia. Yet, it was the cinematic crescendos which gripped the senses tight enough to leave a mark which made this a truly unforgettable release.

Tuning this consolingly dulcet classic into a cuttingly intense orchestral masterpiece that is enough to stun you into arrestive awe was undoubtedly no easy feat, but Cameron Owen, armed with his beguilingly commanded operatic tenor range, stunningly succeeded.

With the number of accolades and awards under the British Pianist and singer’s belt, we’re hardly coloured surprised by the international virtuoso’s talents, but God damn, he epitomised visceralism with this dramatical reinvention. I genuinely can’t bring myself to stop listening to it.

Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prepare to be torn from passive slumber with Cielo Pordomingo’s orchestral alt-electro feat of world music, Wake Up

Posted on 9 July 2022

Here to tear us from our jaded slumber with her spiritual synthetics is the alt-electro trailblazer, Cielo Pordomingo, with her latest single, Wake Up.

‘Enlivening’ scarcely cuts into the alchemy that the composer, singer, and producer used to reflect her soul in the orchestrally heightened single. It’s Europop meets Depeche Mode via Bond soundtrack with a classical chamber outro; need we say anymore? If we want to do Cielo Pordomingo justice as a lyricist, definitely.

Wake Up is far more than your average cry to people letting their lives pass them by. Pordomingo practically takes you by the hand to guide you through your awakening while addressing the problem of our tendency to waste existence by branding it as just another day. At this point, if she started a cult, I’d jump right into it.

Wake Up is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Holding My Heart: Brookyn’s Elly Kace is absolutely wonderful on ‘I’

Posted on 22 November 2021

Taken off her just-released 11-track concept album named ‘Nothing I See Means Anything‘, Elly Kace simmers down all of our distress with her exquisite 3rd single that will have your heart feeling so much more relaxed than before with ‘I‘.

Elly Kace is an award-winning Brooklyn, New York-based world-class opera singer, pop artist and certified JM Vinyasa yoga instructor.

We find a thoroughly engaging musician who has just taken the brave step of moving into the pop realm – and she certainly defies all the odds stacked against her – with a truly mesmerizing performance that puts you into a transformative state of new-found awareness.

”Elly Kace’s musical life so far has been defined by ceaseless curiosity and passion. Already an established and acclaimed opera singer, her winding and award-winning career has found her performing across the world.” ~ Elly Kace

After having to flee her brand new career in Italy due to this horrid pandemic during 2020, Elly Kace took time to reinvent herself during this time at home. We find a truly excellent talent who was spurred on by her absolute love for yoga, as she uses her outstanding vocal ability to bring us a wonderful single that is one of the best so far in 2021.

‘I‘ from the Brooklyn, New York-based indie-pop artist and all-around star Elly Kace, shows us an extraordinary singer who sounds reborn from a restrictive environment that is in the rearview mirror now. She flourishes to mind-bending heights with a vocally-advanced single that has your whole body in absolute euphoria, with an ear-bending encounter to truly behold and remember forever. This is that soul-healing track for us to be inspired with, as Elly leads us into a better place than before.

Hear this stunning effort on Spotify and see more from the superb creative on her IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Niadomi has released her theatrical, hyper pop single, The Beast and the Grind.

Posted on 14 September 2021

Just when I was starting to think that I had heard it all, alternative artist Niadomi appeared on our radar with her theatrical, hyper pop single, The Beast and the Grind.

With her operatic vocals that verse fantastical, poetic lyrics meeting the happy hardcore-style beats, I now know how Emilie Autumn would sound if Dune remixed one of her archaically fierce singles. The Beast and the Grind may not be your average earworm, but that doesn’t remove its infectious potential; you can’t help being hyped by the aural presence of Niadomi. We can’t wait to hear what follows this seminal release.

Check out the official lyric video to The Beast and the Grind via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A Dramatic Crescendo Of Enveloping Sonority: Virginia-based composer/pianist Martin Graff takes us places beyond our current mindsets with ‘Sonare’

Posted on 13 September 2021

Taken off his recent eight-track album called ‘Trips for Piano‘, Martin Graff brings us much enlightened peace for our worried souls with a song that will have you feeling purified again with ‘Sonare‘.

Martin Graff is a mightily skilled composer-pianist, illustrator, writer and spoken-word performer, who based in safe and flourishing Arlington, Virginia.

With one of the most impressive chin-beards you will ever see, he uses these superpowers to make the type of music you can just sit back with, and let it lather a web of pureness all over your willing body.

”At four, his family inherited an old, anonymous piano, and Marty surged with an uncontainable energy to climb onto the bench and dig his hands into those eight-eight bits of clay, instinctively molding them into little aural landscapes. Crude and square at first; at last, faceted gems after a lifetime of practice, polish, and love.” ~ Martin Graff

With a calming ambiance and featuring a wizard-like level of genius proportions, which certainly has you dazzled and perhaps a tad flustered at times. His remarkable style is truly translucent – as he picks up your bad mood to flip it around – and brings you back into a much happier space in the world, where you may feel so much more satisfied with life.

”Making this music is the opposite of death, like the centrifugal force around the sharpest bend of the greatest roller coaster. A re-harmonizing of my most tumultuous internal cacophonies and maybe yours. So, listen up as I bang on this gong from the Gods! As the resonance of these radiant compositions fill your ear and make their way to your heart.” ~ Martin Graff

‘Sonare‘ from the multi-skilled Virginia-based composer-pianist Martin Graff, is a lovely piece of art from a highly skilled artist who brings so much joy to many. His excellent technique is truly incredible and sadly underrated, as he plays with a true love for what he does. This is a song which will sooth many a soul, and bring you back to a place in time where you feel most content.

The true aim of music is to bring us together and heal the wounds of the past after all.

See this new video and score on YouTube and see more on the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen