Overall, Underworld is an intensely orchestral experience; I actually have the feeling of being in a concert hall watching a symphony performance accompanied by distorted guitars and drumset, as opposed to the usual formula of metal augmented by strings. The effect is subtle but it leaves its mark on you when you really listen. I can't get enough of the ballad "Promises," and the closing instrumental is fantastic from start to finish as well. There is no filler here. If your diet is neoclassical and metal, this is the main course.


A Grand New Sound for Power Metal   February 26, 2004
Scott Ramsdell (Lincoln, California United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I have to say this album was worth the wait. When I heard thier debut album Sanctus Ignis in 2001, I was absolutly blown away. I had previously come from a relitivly short ancestry of such musical talents like Blind Guardian, Rhapsody and Nightwish. When I heard Adagio I was floored. They have the sound and the talents I had never expected from any metal bands. It is absolutly one of a kind. I adore their neo-classical metal sound and I love Stephan Forte's song writting. To add to all this David Readman is the perfect vocalist for such a great band. He has that dark gothic touch without going overboard. I then began to apreciate the others like Dirk Brunenberg the drummer, he is one of the best i've heard. The keys player is awsome and the bassist is great! All this comes to make one remarkable band. Underworld is one of the best new releases out there. If your into Y. Malmsteen or Rhapsody this is a great combo of the two. The best of the best songs I would say are tracks 2,5,7,8, and 9 the others are also great. Invest in this, its money very well spent. The first word I said to describe this album about 10 seconds into it was, "Magnificent".