ADAGIO - FRANCE

Sanctus Ignis - 2001 - LMP
Underworld - 2003 - Point
A Band In Upperworld - 2004 - Avalon
Dominate - 2005 - Locomotive
Archangels In Black - 2009 - Listenable

Adagio image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Pink Cream 69>>David Readman>>Pink Cream 69, Almanac, Solo, Delany, Voodoo Circle, Tank, Natural Born Machine, Immunity For The Masses - Astra, Overdose>>Gustavo Monsanto>>Revolution Renaissance, Burnt City, Human Fortress, Julien Damotte, Symbolica, Astra, Skyeart, Lord Of Mushrooms, Eden Myrrh - Random Eyes, Essence Of Sorrow>>Christian Palin>>Random Eyes, Essence Of Sorrow, Epicrenel, Magic Kingdom, Panorama

Guitar
Lightning Sword, Red Circuit, Solo>>STEPHAN FORTE>>Red Circuit, Solo

Bass
Venturia, Sages Recital, Operadyse, Stéphan Forté>>FRANCK HERMANNY>>Venturia, Sages Recital, Operadyse, Stéphan Forté

Drum
Patrick Rondat, Elegy>>Dirk Bruinenberg>>Elegy, Wicked Sensation, The 11th Hour, Place Vendome - Biomech Race, Venturia, Cyril Achard>>Eric Lebailly>>Cyril Achard

Keyboard
Majestic, Silver Seraph, Time Requiem>>Richard Andersson>>Majestic, Silver Seraph, Iron Mask, Time Requiem, Richard Andersson’s Space Odyssey, Evil Masquerade, Devil’s Heaven - Biomech Race, Stephan Forte>>KEVIN CODFERT>>Stephan Forte




History & Biography
Adagio is another symphonic gathering this time under the leadership of guitar talent Stephan Forte. The band specializes in guitar and keyboard-oriented rock with plenty of classical influences. Pink Cream 69’s Dennis Ward produced the debut. The band has steadily drifted towards the neoclassical sound.

After conflicts between Adagio and David Readman’s management the band recruited Gus Monsanto of Brazil following an Internet plea for singers. The band was picked to open for Robert Plant in Tunisia in 2006 at the International Mediterranean Guitar Festival. 2005’s Dominate was the band’s fourth album on the fourth label and was issued in Europe in 2006 through Locomotive. In the same year, Forte announced his intention to record an instrumental solo album. The band announced its plans to enter the studio in December, 2006 in order to record a new album called Archangels In Black.

Adagio lost singer Gus Monsantoi in 2008 who wanted to focus on his own band The Lightseekers. Nonetheless, The Brazilian Gus had not been able to tour Japan with Adagio in 2007 as he was not granted a visa. The band had utilized Kelly Carpenter of Outworld. Carpenter would become an Adagio frontman between 2016 and 2018. Gus had also joined Takara. Finnish singer Christian Palin (Essence Of Sorrow/Random Eyes) replaced Gus. The group cancelled its opening slot of the French portion of Firewind 's tour for unexplained reasons. The band’s next album was called Archangels In Black and was expected three years behind schedule in January, 2009. Gus Monsanto was in Revolution Renaissance, the new band of Timo Tolkki of Stratovarius. A Random Eyes drummer was also later in Stratovarius. Adagio asked its Finnish singer Christian Palin to leave the band in early 2010. The band explained that Palin had psychological problems and also messed up his last show. The band quickly recruited vocalist Mats Levén (Yngwie Malmsteen, Therion and Treat) at least for its upcoming European tour as the support band for Kamelot. With that said, the band stressed that given the consistent changes in vocalists the group would proceed as four members plus one, implying the singer would be a guest and not a permanent member. Vocalist Kelly Sundown Carpenter (inner Sanctum, Firewind, etc.) and drummer Jelly Cardarelli joined in 2016. The band also hooked a violinist called Mayline. The band issued a demo through its Zeta Nemesis Records’ imprint in 2017. Guitarist Forte put the band on hold in order to pursue his solo work in 2018.


Reviews

ADAGIO - DOMINATE - LOCOMOTIVE  
The most powerful thing about this album is… its cover… artwork… as opposed to the cover version of Irene Cara’s Fame. While musically appropriate for the band to cover a blatant pop/dance song, someone’s head needs to be screwed on correctly if these guys fantasize about achieving fame. Heavy metal infamy perhaps; fame never.
Here is a revelation for our teenage readers in Europe: weak sound, neoclassical aspirations, pop arrangements and heaps of keyboards and a ludicrous pretension to be heavy metal add up to hell of an embarrassment. This band and its review are made even sadder given the apparent ability of Adagio’s members to play their instruments. Nevertheless, Dominate will do just the opposite and is seemingly rooted to the very bottom of the metal pole. - Ali “The Metallian”


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Adagio