ASPIRE was created in November 2004 by guitarist Al Candello and vocalist Ryan Metzger. Al has gained some reputation with the instrumental album Shades And Shadows which has climbed to the high charts of then most popular download site MP3.com. While it was the first band project for Ryan, he had already established himself as a skilled theater actor and had extensive vocal training.
The idea was to combine pure Power Metal, with its heavy riffing and thunderous drumming with symphonic music. From the first days ASPIRE was a recording band, so, in just a few months, the bands first official release, EP All Ahead saw the light.
Despite of (or, maybe, because of) its very unusual sound, All Ahead was very well received by the audience and fellow musicians. By combining thunderous drums and aggressive guitar sound of Power Metal with pure melody of symphony orchestra and classical opera tenor, ASPIRE creates its own world from the first chord youll hear. The title track from the EP was selected for Promo CD of the prestigious ProgPower USA VI Music Festival and the interest for the band grew.
The debut full-length album Quest Eternal, which also included all three songs from All Ahead, was released in July 2005. It immediately became a bestseller on CD Baby and many other European and American stores. More than twenty reviewers from all over the world praised the album, with one of them, a world-renown Progressive Rock and Progressive Metal webzine, calling it A new reference in Progressive Metal.
Many people played with ASPIRE, with all of them contributing to the sound and live appearance of the band; however, it is always Al Candello and Ryan Metzger who define the bands sound. The band played in all great clubs in New York, including BMT (formerly LAmours) and Don Hills, drawing the steady audience of new and old fans.
The second album The Age Of Reckoning" was released October 15th, 2006 in the US and October 21st, 2006 worldwide. It sold over 200 copies in the first three weeks and gathered some quite outstanding reviews:
"The Age Of Reckoning" is a wonderful piece of US Metal, including so much musical varieties, it really kicked me in the head. Don't wait to order please, otherwise you're not worth to wear the name US Metal maniac".
METAL TO INFINITY, Belgium
"...the best Melodic Metal album in the last years"
METAL COVEN, Germany (www.metalcoven.de)
"...one of the finest Metal discs of 2006 and a worthy addition to your Metal collection."
WEST SIDE DAVE, USA.
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Song List:
1. Living In A Dream
2. Lost Forevermore
3. All Ahead
4. Riding With The King
5. As Many Years (Go Passing By)
6. From The Shadows
7. The Liberator
8. Final Serenade
Song List:
1. Apprehension
2. Burn The Witch
3. Repentance
4. Stealer Of Dreams
5. Kynvorloc
6. One Last Dance
7. Center And Part Of The Whole
8. Verona's Walls
9. Heaven On Their Minds (Jesus Christ Superstar cover)
10. Fairy Tale
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