Ostura "The Room"

Country: Lebanon
Genre(s): Symphonic Progressive Metal
Label: Universal Music
Format: CD, digital
Release date: February 23, 2018
Tracklist: 
1. The Room (4:53)
2. Escape (6:05)
3. Beyond (The New World) (5:25)
4. Let There Be (4:55)
5. Erosion (7:04)
6. Only One (6:53)
7. Mourning Light (3:08)
8. Deathless (6:30)
9. Darker Shade Of Black (9:11)
10. The Surge (6:07)
11. Duality (12:08)
12. Exit The Room (2:03)

Total Time 74:22

Line-up: 
Elia Monsef (Amadeus Awad's Eon) - vocals (as Erosion), charango, additional  acoustic guitar
Danny Bou-Maroun - keyboards, piano, programming,  orchestration
Youmna Jreissati - vocals (as The Girl)
Alain Ibrahim - acoustic & rhythm guitars
Alexander Abi Chaker - additional percussions (1, 2, 4, 5, 8)
   With
Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon, Guilt Machine, Stream of Passion, The Gentle Storm) - guitar (9)
Michael Mills (Toehider, Ayreon) - vocals (as Utopia)
Thomas Lang - drums
Dan Veall - bass
Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie, Creation's End, IceFish) - guitar (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11)
Özgür Abbak - guitar (6)
Yamane Al Hage - violin (3, 8, 9)
Jokine Solban - violin (2)
Nobuko Miyazaki - flute (9, 11)
Mohannad Nassar - oud (5, 10)
Roger Smith - cello (1, 10, 12)
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
The Lebanese Filmscoring Ensemble

Description/Reviews: 

The musical style is progressive metal, but there is so much more going on here.  While the almighty riff is present and very well composed, the album is not just a collection of riffs thrown together.  No, “The Room” is a cinematic journey of emotional gravity and grand vision, and it could almost be called just as much “classical” as it can be called “metal”.  The album includes huge orchestrations that might even dwarf the heavy guitars in their weight, and these orchestrations are prevalent in every single song. 

Read the full review at theprogmind.com

Media/Samples 
Only One
Deathless
Deezer

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Amadeus Awad "Death Is just a Feeling"

Country: Lebanon
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Label: Melodic Revolution Records
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: August 20, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Opia
2. Sleep Paralysis
3. Monday Morning
4. Tomorrow Lies
5. Lonesome Clown
6. Temporary

Line-up: 
Amadeus Awad: Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitars, Keyboards and Orchestration
Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Ayreon, The Gentle Storm): Vocals
Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Guilt Machine, Stream of Passion, The Gentle Storm): Vocals
Elia Monsef: Vocals
Marco Minnemann (Joe Satriani, Steven Wilson, The Aristocrats): Drums ( 2, 3, 5 & 6)
James Keegan (Spocks Beard, John Waite, Santana): Drums (4)
Nareg Nashanikian: Cello
Rafi Nashanikian: Clarinet
Dan Harper: Narration

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Turbulence "Disequilibrium"

Country: Lebanon
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Format: digital
Release date: July 3, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Hypnagogia - 2:20
2. Richardson's Nightmare - 8:34
3. Never Let Me Go - 5:14
4. Everlasting Retribution - 8:23
5. My Darkest Hour - 9:58
6. Disequilibrium - 13:48

Line-up: 
Alain Ibrahim (ex-Monarchy) - Guitars, Bass and Back Vocals
Mood Yassin (ex-Amadeus Awad) - Keyboards and iPad
Owmar El Hage - Vocals
   With
Rita Hokayem - Vocals (4)
Elia Monsef  (Amadeus Awad) - Vocals (6)
Will Shaw (Athem) - Vocals (4)
Emanuel Ciancia - Saxophone
Simon Ciccotti (Daniele Liverani) - Drums (2, 4, 6)
Luca Ciccotti (Karnya) - Drums (3, 5)
Danny Bou Maroun - Orchestral Arrangement (1)

Description/Reviews: 

The opening instrumental track made me think of a deadly game of cat and mouse, the whole ambiance and the interplay of keyboards leave an eerie mark on the listener, and certainly the crescendo at the one-minute mark does not help in soothing me and sets the ambiance for the album, dark and ethereal. The guitar towards the end leaves off at a hopeful note, but we are then thrust into the chaotic world of Richardson’s Nightmare.

 Read the full track-by-track review by Antoine Kanaan at metal-bell.com

Media/Samples 
Richardson's Nightmare
Never Let Me Go

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Amadeus Awad's Eon "Book of Gates" EP

Country: Lebanon
Sub Genre: Progressive Metal
Format: CD
Release date: September 13, 2014
Tracklist: 

1. Vision in Sand
2. The Crown’s Fate
3. The Book of Gates
4. Incarnation

Line-up: 
Elia I. Monsef  - Vocals as the Necromancer
Amadeus Awad - Guitars
    With
Kevin Moore (OSI, Dream Theater) - Keyboards and synths
Elyes Bouchoucha (Myrath) - Additional keyboards
John Macaluso (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ark) - Drums and Percussion
Russell Allen (Symphony X) - Vocals as the Pharaoh
Amanda Somerville (Aina, Trillium, Avantasia) - Vocals as the Queen of the Nile

Dan Veall - Bass

Description/Reviews: 

Vision in Sand can be considered as a short intro to the EP; it opens with an acoustic guitar melody and the lyrics talk about death and the journey ahead. I shall not explain more and will leave it for you to follow the story. This is a great intro for the EP.
The Crown’s Fate open with an acoustic progression then moves into the metal in Power style. This track is for Amanda Somerville (The Queen) to shine with Russell Allen (The Pharaoh) There is a relatively long solo of guitar, keyboard and complex drum work in the middle with nice effects on keys and clear Macaluso drumming style. The Middle Eastern feel is always there, music from the Nile, from the ancient days creeping into your ears.

 Read the full review by Rami Rouhana at lebmetal.com

Media/Samples 
The Book of Gates

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