Reviews of "Nostradamus"

NIKOLO KOTZEV’S NOSTRADAMUS
(Steamhammer/SPV)


Double disc “Rock Opera” concept pieces sell extremely poorly, relatively speaking, so when a record company takes the chance in issuing one they have to be convinced that it is truly something special. In the case of Nikolo Kotzev’s “NOSTRADAMUS” the faith in the product was well founded.

Most will be attracted to this project simply by running a finger down the list of featured guests, which is itself eminently impressive. The voices of Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE), Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), Doogie White (RAINBOW, Yngwie Malmsteen), Alannah Myles and Sass Jordan are all pressed into their grandest service. The result is an absolutely beautiful and unique piece of work that, despite all previous attempts at the fusion, sores above all comparisons.

The Rock guitar, played by composer Nikolo Kotzev himself, never overpowers the Classical music construction of the individual movements or “Acts” which is not something that could be said of similar works and the voices are far from the typically operatic but that was exactly what was called for. This is as much Rock as Opera and the blend is pure magic. The story line follows, with great detail, the life and times of the world’s most famous soothsayer, Nostradamus, infusing a passion that no textbook could even hope to approach. A history lesson wrapped in powerful music that will appeal as much to lovers of Progressive Rock as to 4x4 headbangers with a few classical purists tagging along to see where it all goes though they probably wouldn’t admit it.

The accompanying booklet is as grand in design and production as the music on the two discs of music with which it is packed. The full run of lyrics are laid out and are buttressed with explanatory historical notes which is a welcome touch of class to the run of the mill photographs and credits generally in these things.

In all this “Rock Opera” exceeds the quality and vision of all others and yes I do include THE WHO’s “TOMMY” though others may be harder to convince. In the hearing of Hughes, Turner and White backed by a thirty-five piece symphonic orchestra you have a time portal in every playing at the end of which one can only hope to dream that a stage production is in the offing.

Rock and A Hard Place (http://www.rockhardplace.com/index.html)