Artist description THE STORMRIDER are a Dark Melodic Metal band from Spain wich has released their very first CD "CRISEIDA". "Criseida" is a conceptual album where you can find musical elements full of passion and mysticism.

Music Style Dark Melodic Metal

Musical Influences Gothic, Neoclassic, Death, Power...

Similar Artists Savatage, Iron Maiden, Tristania, Nightwish, Crematory...

Artist History In mid 2000, a group of musicians with previous experience in other bands, decided to form The Stormrider in Gijón, Spain. Original band members included Juanma López (bass and vocals), José Ornia (drums) and Marcos Cuadrado (guitar). The theme "Shadows of War" is from the band's early period. It represents what was then the musical direction of the band: poignant lyrics, epic sound and classic Power Metal. Stormrider music is anchored by the frantic chords of the guitarist M. Cuadrado and the devastating double drums of J. Ornia joined by the powerful melodic vocals of J. Lopez. The catchy tunes and dynamic energy make "Shadows of War (Visions)" one of The Stormrider's signature themes and became one of the pillars for the group's first album, Criseida. Original band members were joined by Santiago Fano (guitar), bringing a gothic and neoclassical perspective to the band. S. Fano composed the keyboard arrangement for "Shadows of War", and created the score for the introduction of "The Storm". "The Storm" theme was conceived to highlight the melodic virtuousity of the guitarist M. Cuadrado. The string arrangements and the harp melodies fuse to create a dreamy and colorful sensation midpoint between a symphonic adagio and stirring Heavy Metal. He adds one more point of view to the band's style which begins to define itself as an avant-garde refined metal band, with a taste for creating dark and harsh musical atmospheres. In October 2000, Juanma Lopez left the band and in November a major step is taken towards defining the composition of the band when Ana Fernández (keyboard) joins The Stormrider. A. Fernandez adds exquisite harmonics to The Stormrider compositions, emphasizing the underlying atmosphere of the themes. That same month, the experienced and charismatic Rubén González (vocals), ex-Nörthwind member, joins the band and assumes a central role in voicing the melodic character of the themes. R. Gonzalez is a major asset in refining the live sound of the band. From that moment on the band's work pace is concentrated in a constant accelaration that culminates in its first live concert, December 7, 2000, in the hall El Klub, in Gijon. In this way, the positive impressions and favorable reviews obtained throughout the concert abound, having an effect in consolidating all of the hard work and confidence in the project. Whithout delay, at the beginning of the year 2001, the development of what is truly Criseida begins. The concept of the album, original idea of M. Cuadrado, starts taking shape with the arrangements in "Shadows of War (Visions)" and the composition of "Messengers of Fate". Fast Power Metal with Italian influences is the trademark of the theme. Its unforgettable chorus gives way to a diverse internal structure with sad and melancholic passages that lead into progressive rhythms and neoclassic solos. The definite advancement of the tragic nature of Criseida was nurtured in parallel in "Never (Deep Winter)". It would become the band's lengthiest theme and it contains some of the most gothic passages of the album. Although it never looses the power metal perspective of The Stormrider, you could say that it transmutes into something more symphonic and melancholic, more atmospheric. Harsh rhythms, startling chorus, and instrumental parts between romanticism and baroque form a counterpoint that goes on for almost eleven minutes. In May, The Stormrider records and self-produces and only demo, "Saga" wich contains the tracks: "The Storm", "Shadows Of War (Visions)", "Messengers Of Fate" & "Never (Deep Winter)". Through this demo, the band is named "Best Asturian Group 2001" in the demo national competition Nivel 0 of Asturias, aiming for the category of best national groups with the bands "Solid Amber" (Granada) and "Mistweaver" (Burgos). The winner would be decided with the live performance of the three bands, through wich The Stormrider was proclaimed "Best Spanish Group 2001", an award that in the past bestowed upon bands such as "Tierra De Nadie" and "Eczema". From that moment on, The Stormrider dedicated itself to putting the final touches on the music for this first album, "Criseida". The album comprises a piece of work of scenic Metal, with different characters within one story, adding difficulty and interest to the compositions of the new themes. Between August and October, the themes "Windhunter", "Time is the punisher, Time is the Avenger", "The Track", "Montsacrum (Ready to Die)", "Ritual", "Cults Of The Shadow" and "New Reign" are added to the album. "Windhunter" is one of the most complete themes of Criseida. Epic chorus and vocal melodies make of this song one of the most memorable in The Stormrider repertory. The music and the lyrics of "Windhunter" swing between heroism and pain, between vengeance and death, blunt and virtuous, shaping one of the most remarkable moments in the album. For "Time is the Punisher, Time is the Avenger" the band needed the collaboration of a violinist to perform a small piece for that insturment created by S. Fano. Threaded in the internal structure of the song, the piece constitutes one of the most neoclasic moments of an already neoclasic and epic song. The Stormrider manages to convince the Asturian composer and pianist, Jose Manuel San Emeterio, to play the violin in this theme. The execution achieved in the recording of Criseida speaks for itself. Given the concept of the album, The Stormrider needed Criseida's charater to have a strong lead and a definite tragic nuance. As luck had it, soprano Susana Mortem would cross paths with the band. The album's theme "Montsacrum (Ready to Die)" had to be one of the most important at the conceptual level, because it would provide meaning for a great part of the LP concept and would place the characters (and the music) in disposition to face a risky and tragic finale. The soprano's interpretation couldn't have surprised and pleased the band more than it did. The difficult task of conducting a gothic theme, classic and mystic, like"Montsacrum" was executed with outstanding mastery. The band decided to invite her to collaborate more closely including her as a guest preformer in their future live concerts. In "Cults of the Shadow" the band takes it's greatest risk. The album's concept faces diverse theories of knowledge in a Kantian war. What greater challenge is there to acheive than the ideas confronted become a whole beautiful musical?. Death Metal and Black Metal are a powerful reference within the formation of the actual musical panorama and The Stormrider feeds from that source without fear. "Cults of the Shadow" is not Death Metal, is not Gothic Metal, is not neoclasicism, neither is it a Power Metal-theme... it is all of it at the same time. The beautiful and esoteric instrumental introduction "Ritual" will bring an ideal atmosphere to make evident the dark and mystic side of Criseida and The Stormrider. The blend of the different musical influences of The Stormrider through the thread of mysticism and melody achieves its most faithful manifestation in "The Track". The theme feeds directly from recent times, Scandinavian, German, and Italian Metal and it lets those influences flow through dark and progressive riffs, vibrating velocity, melody and harmony fullness. The internal gothic passage of "The Track" combines in a surpresive manner the beautiful melody of the "Criseida" song (Susana Mortem) with the dark and bloodcurdling penitence of "Zorbion" (M. Cuadrado), giving way to a duel of epic solos, extremely melodic, that bring perfect theme closure. "New Reign" is the re-exposition of the leitmotiv of "Shadows of War" in orchestrated version. The vocal work of R. Gonzalez and the chorus, as well as the orchestration, are the highlights of "New Reign". A melancholic ending for a melancholic album. Once the themes were chosen, The Stormrider puts its energy into finding the best possible professionals to obtain great sound in its album. Recording of "Criseida" begins in October in the Bunker Studios (Asturias) with the highly reputed Alberto Rionda (Avalanch) at the helm of production, recording and mixing. During the recording, Rionda remarkably defends his reputation as Metal producer in Spain with an excellent work, achieving an outstanding chorus production. Mastering takes place in December, 2001, in the prestigious Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila (Stratovarius, Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, To/Die/For, Edguy ...) giving the album a brilliant and impressive sound for its contusive properties. In 2002, following the definite addition to the band of the technical Eduardo Benito (bass) who had previously collaborated with the band in live performances, The Stormrider dedicates its time and energy into getting their repertoire ready for live performances. The addition of the new musician, brings the average age of the members of The Stormrider to 22.6 years of age. 2002 represents a hard work year to THE STORMRIDER. Finally, the band signs with the label GOIMUSIC and Criseida will be released worldwide on January 2003. "Where will the track of imagination lead us..."

Group Members Jose Ornia: Drums Rubén González: Vocals Ana Fernández: Keyboards Eduardo Benito: Bass Marcos Cuadrado: Guitar Santiago Fano: Guitar

Albums CRISEIDA - (2003) Goimusic

Press Reviews http://www.vampire-magazine.com/reviews.asp?id=1778 http://www.thetempleofmetal.gr/group_properties/the_stormrider/the_stormrider.htm http://www.lynxtr.com/rafabasa/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=360 http://www.thetempleofmetal.gr/interviews/stormrider/stormrider_int.htm

Additional Info Produced by Alberto Rionda. Mastered by Mika Jussila at FINNVOX Studios (Finland).

Location Gijón, Asturias - Spain

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