Temperance Arcani

Italian power metallers TEMPERANCE are shaking things up for their seventh album, *Arcani*. Inspired by the art of Tarot, each of the 13 new songs corresponds to a different card from the Major Arcana. Passionate, captivating, and featuring even more striking symphonic melodies than before, the album reveals TEMPERANCE's brilliant future.

The first trump card arrives in the form of "The Fool." Just as the Fool card is unique in Tarot--traditionally unnumbered or bearing the number 0--the opening track of *Arcani* occupies a special role by lacking a subtitle. Here, TEMPERANCE craft an uplifting, majestic sound, using a powerful duet to set the stage for a rousing album. Male vocals take center stage on "The Magician: Into the Fire," revealing further potential through a blazing anthem. Introduced by gentle keyboard melodies and building to a literal high point with impressive vocal notes, the subsequent mid-tempo track "Death: Right Before We Die" draws expressively from a shared experience among the band members. With "The Tower: Lean Into Fear," TEMPERANCE reveal a whole new facet of their musical universe; reflecting its Tarot counterpart--a symbol of chaos and catastrophe, but also of liberation--this hard rock track is the perfect vehicle to showcase Kristin Starkey's versatility. "The Devil: Sin, Sin, Sin" picks up on the dark undertone of the previous track, channeling it into a dramatic composition with an incomparably infectious chorus where these Italian masters of melodic metal truly shine. Finally, the quintet presents a song that effectively bears the band's name: "Temperance: Forgiveness." TEMPERANCE transform the virtue card into a balanced, encouraging anthem that prophesies: "Another day is coming." Next comes the triumphant "The Chariot: Alla Ricerca dell'America" (translating to "In Search of America"), a track that expands the *Arcani* sound with Italian lyrics, a Swedish line honoring Starkey's adopted home, and operatic vocals. The catchy "Justice: Balance" carries a similarly victorious spirit, before the hopeful "The Star: Surrender Control" once again allows TEMPERANCE to use their vocalists as contrasting elements. Electronic melodies set "Wheel of Fortune: Come and Call Me" on a fast-paced, powerful trajectory--a stormy shift that perfectly mirrors the symbolism of the card sharing its name. "The Moon: The Man of Moonlight" takes a slightly calmer approach, using seductive instrumentation and powerful vocals to evoke a sense of hidden danger, before the intense "The Hanged Man: Petrichor" pivots sharply from acoustic guitar to heavy metal; it masterfully fuses elements ranging from metal to opera--all without the negative connotations associated with the concept of *pittura infamante*. Like "The Fool," the track "The World" stands out due to its title, yet it also possesses a distinct musical character: the closing song is an acoustic guitar composition driven primarily by female vocals, capturing the triumphant feeling associated with the final card of the Major Arcana. In doing so, TEMPERANCE conclude *Arcani* with a unique atmosphere of overarching finality while still looking toward the future.

Although not strictly a concept album, TEMPERANCE establish themselves as master storytellers with the Tarot-inspired *Arcani*. The band's seventh album sounds both majestic and memorable, and the quintet demonstrates a skillful ability to showcase their multiple vocalists to great effect.

Source: Napalm Records Website