The Devil and The God must sound in unison. Music from this album is our life, our souls, our minds. Enjoy it!

14 MP3 Songs in this album (66:29) !
Related styles: Rock: Hard Rock, Metal/Punk: Heavy Metal, Mood: Intellectual

People who are interested in ASTRAL DOORS RAINBOW ROYAL HUNT should consider this download.


Details:
Metal from Lithuania is not something that you hear or see everyday, although there is an active live Metal scene over there in eastern Europe which isnât bending before the much larger scenes of central and west Europe. SBS or "Spicy Bits Of Scandal" are one of the prime Lithuanian Metal acts and here they present their first deployment in English, which is kind of a breakthrough since their earlier releases were in their native language.
Their style has changed since their formation form Hard Rock to some odd kind of Neo-Classical Heavy Metal / Power Metal mix. The outcome is a genius piece of musical workmanship with lots of energy and frequent blinks to 70âs acts such as Deep Purple , Rainbow and a nod to more later acts such as Dio, Royal Hunt , and the Italian Rhapsody Of Fire. SBS played Hard Rock/Heavy Metal in the vein of Whitesnake and Black Sabbath, but as the years passed, they adopted a more bombastic and melodic sound to reflect their new favourites, DIO and ROYAL HUNT. Now they sound heavier than ever, often flirting with Power Metal. What a drastic change of style for a band that started out playing â70s Rock! You really have no idea how satisfying it is to hear a Frampton-esque Talk Box riff placed over some STRATOVARIUS-esque keyboards until youâve heard âCâest La Vie.â
When dwelling upon it, the name "The Gambler" is very accurate for this release. Aside from the fact that there is a story involved in all of this, SBS are gambling their chances on getting worldwide recognition as a universal Heavy Metal band. The language element surely played out for them with this album. Although, there are many Metal bands out there, like in the Spanish or South American scene, who already have worldwide recognition for their efforts without writing in English , SBS took the right step on doing so. While you read the enchanting booklet, you will see that the story presented is not consistent, so this album is not a concept album by any means, yet SBS enables you to go far to vast areas with their stories.
The true genius in this work of art is in its musical shape. SBS is not just a Heavy Metal band, they are complex, articulate, operatic in a way and diverse. Each track in this release consists many elements of Progressive Rock and Neo-Classical music like the orchestra and operatic vocals here and there.
The guitars are thin yet sharp as a blade. The riffs produced are basic and known Heavy Metal but when harmonized with the keyboards itâs just like hearing Deep Purple but much heavier. The solos added, along the way, mark top-notch abilities by the guitarist, Giedrius "Mr. Jumbo" Balciunas, who provides some Neo-Classical and semi-shred presentations.
Vilius is a classic keyboardist that uses many citations of "Beethoven", "Mozart" and "Rachmaninoff" in his harmonies and solos. He often duels with the fast and technical guitar of Giedrius, who is strongly influenced by "Yngwie Malmsteen" and "Timo Tolkki", but never forgets the lessons of the old masters "Blackmore", "Uli Jon Roth", "Mathias Jabs" and "Glenn Tipton", letting his fingers being guided by soul and feelings. Between the two, and giving balance to the band, stands Vitalis (or should I say Vitality?). As SBSâs front men for almost two decades, he is a charismatic minstrel with theatrical voice who risks some Halford-like screams here and there, and will never surrender on stage as long as he can be kept energized by the powerful rhythm section of Martynas and Sarunas. Regarding the vocals, Don Vito has not lost his touch as a great vocalist, in English. However, his high pitched and even boyish voice, keeps him in top form. The drumming in the album is also excellent with a speeding demon drum machine such as Sarunas Venckus, who enters the young spirit of the new age of double bass fast pace drumming to this long existing band.

Along the 14 tracks of âThe Gamblerâ the musicians act in unison, keeping the record flowing like a copious river. After âF001 â Specific Brunsus Syndromâ (a symphonic intro with burlesque voices) the powerful âBlack Angelsâ (in pure "Stratovarius" style) warns you that SBS will not let you down. Even though they show their most melodic face by inserting some short ballads and radio hits - âNever Againâ, âCâest la Vieâ (with a soulful guitar solo), âThe Wind of Your Soulâ and âIâm Begging Youâ (a beautiful ballad in "Scorpions" style) - it is with the longest, fastest and heaviest tracks that SBS is authorized into the circle inhabited by "Helloween", "Stratovarius" and "Gamma Ray". Songs like âThe Floodâ, âThe Gamblerâ, âAgnus Deiâ, âJoan of Arcâ (theatrical like a movie soundtrack) and âFlying Dutchmanâ (mostly epic, tending to "Rhapsody of Fire" and "Dark Moor") attest the high quality of their compositions. Among so many great tracks, it is still possible to pick up three masterpieces, on which SBS shows its originality: âLove and Hateâ (with surprising bass passages); âYour Lifeâ (a gothic song, with church organ and somber Gregorian chants); and âZauberflöteâ (inspired by the movie âAmadeusâ, it has excerpts of Mozartâs operas). The bonus DVD brings songs played in Lithuanian: two versions (in audio and videoclip) of âTavo Sielos Vèjasâ (âThe Wind of Your Soulâ) and three songs alive - âZaidèjasâ (âThe Gamblerâ), âYour Lifeâ and âPranaso Sapnasâ (âProphetâs Dreamâ â from the third album). SBS opens way for further explorations into the musical world of the Baltic States, a region that, due to proximity with Finland and Sweden (relevant countries, speaking of Metal) is prone to reveal more bands in the future. SBS is highly recommended for fans of Melodic Metal and Melodic Power Metal.
SBS are up and running and they are looking to show themselves more in various areas around Europe. The Gambler is an important milestone in the bandâs path to be a universal and successful Heavy Metal act.