A CHALLENGE OF HONOUR

"Leonidas"

Old Europa Cafe - 2009

CD

It's dawning. Golden rays flood on the sacred soil. No moaning is coming from the battle field anymore, scattered everywhere lay the tormented remains of those who once were brave soldiers, death's calm reigns absolute. Always interested in singing the deeds of heroism and military life, intended as search for a glorious death, beyond the compromises and passing fashions of everyday's life, Peter Savelkoul is offering us his latest discographic effort, dedicated to the courage of Spartan king Leonida I, fallen in the famous battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.), while trying, with 300 men only, to stop the invasion of Greece by the imposing Persian army. Their sacrifice wasn't vain, as it saved precious time for the Greek army to reorganize its ranks and finally defeat the invaders in the following battle of Salamis.

The Dutch band, with arrangements taken from older works, especially 2005's "Seven Samurai", conceives seven tracks in which we can breath all the pathos of that tragic event. Blare of trumpets, violins, keyboards, the noise of heavy footsteps of those going to die for an ideal welcome us in the distressing wait for the incoming tragedy, with the acoustic moments irradiating in the fury and clamour of the battle a weak light of hope which still isn't there. Every single song represents the whole picture of that dramatic war event, also a symbol of purity and courage, as well as foundation stone of the Western identity and collective imagery. Words in music, or better, a sort of heroic realism transposed into music, the language of the soul par excellence, seems to be the path taken by Savelkoul.

- Marco S.

Website: http://www.a-challenge-of-honour.net

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/achallengeofhonour

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