Releases:

Tracks from Underworld:

1. Eagles of 20th

2. The Land of no Return

3. Ghost Ship

4. The Battle of Lost Heroes

5. Millenium

6. King of the Night

7. Circle of Fairies

8. Guardian of Signs

9. The Lost Secrets ...Underworld

10. Epilogue (Canon)

 

 

 

Members play on Album:

 

Vocals: Max Bastasi

Guitars & Bass: Jahn Carlini

Lead Guitars: Markus Mine

 

 

Recorded 2000 - 2004

Mastering by New Sin Studio

Released in 2009 by Underground Symphony

 

METAL PRESS ABOUT UNDERWORLD:

December 22, 2009 - Tuesday

[UNDERWORLD] Review by "Metal-Temple.com"

http://www.metal-temple.com/review.asp?id=4207

Place a map in front of you and mark Italy, England and Sweden. It’s a triangle you’ll come up with (one line crosses Germany, too) and you just have found the lands mainly in charge of GREAT MASTER’s sound in their official debut album called "Underworld". The band breathes fire from 1993 but it was written to see their first full length CD released many years later.

I had a tough time writing down the band’s lineup. The CD booklet states three names while their current MySpace page mentions not less than five musicians. Either way, credited as the band’s founding member is guitarist Jahn Carlini who was the driving force for the band to release two demo efforts in 1993 and 1999 in respect. None of them has songs eventually making it to this year’s debut CD, so the songlist is quite fresh in this release. Recorded between 2000 and 2004 and released via Italy’s Underground Symphony, "Underworld" presents a band...

...strongly flirting with melody while exploring the Heavy/Power Metal world. The ’epic’ term is not out of the question, too, since GREAT MASTER forms pieces of music not in a primitive but rather in a narrative/landscape way, with some pompous parts and melodic vocals with vibratos smartly avoiding high-pitched singing which – anyway – would not fit in here. You won’t have difficulties finding your own stand out track, since the majority of the tunes included has a relative songwriting pattern; this can be judged as a drawback of flatness by harsh critics, on the other hand. Truth is GREAT MASTER do borrow elements from their country’s ’trademark’ bands but up to a limit, flying to Sweden (and Germany) for some melodic ’battlefield’ Metal while the pieces of British Metal music as crafted in the 80s is the shelter for some remarkable harmonic material fitting the band’s music.

Owing an explanation to the disbelief of the average buyer, I’d mark GRAND MASTER’s music as a mix of IRON MAIDEN, PRAYING MANTIS, HEAVY LOAD, SILVER MOUNTAIN, LABYRINTH, WARLORD or/and LORDIAN GUARD (Bill Tsamis has Greek roots), STORMWITCH and (guitars-wise) RUNNING WILD. It’s naive – at times – to bring forth certain bands to describe another act’s sound but, to be honest, GRAND MASTER’s music is so intriguing that you need certain names to tease the fan’s ears and eventual decision. Among speedy, up-tempo, mid-pace and galloping rhythms and in the midst of tons of melodic guitar riffs and vocals (with fine keyboards), "Underworld" is a very good proposal for your ’warrior tales’ (but from cheesy) Metal needs. Dressed in an appropriate production, this CD is one of the most interesting Metal pieces I’ve heard from Italy the last couple of years and more (counting out the ’Hollywood’ Metal section of this - otherwise - fine country, haha). You’ll travel to other places and other times with this one, without having to feel you’re listening to silly remakes of classic Metal cuts.

December 20, 2009 - Sunday

[UNDERWORLD] Review/Recensione by "Metallus.it"

http://www.metallus.it/recensione.asp?id=8674&p=0

It finally comes to life the debut album from GM, released through the memorable Italian label Underground Symphony. Recorded several years ago, Underworld pays the penalty production-wise even though the band show a deeply inspired songwriting. We are talking about a power metal with epic nuances, straight/simple in its melodies but worked out very well and nothing but predictable for what concerns the guitars.
GM stay aloof from the symphonic side, very popular in Italy, espousing the style of German bands such as Gamma ray and Rage, with a sprinkle of a choral-touch in the choruses giving that something of heroic and fighting to their ambiance. Eight tracks with few frills, straightforward and fast in the rhythms, gives us a honest and genuine work, not inescapable but actually enjoyable.

December 18, 2009 - Friday

[UNDERWORLD] Review/Recensione by "Metalcdratings.com"

http://www.angelfire.com/music5/metalcdratings/pageGREATMASTERREVIEW.html

Completed well over a year ago, but not hitting the streets until now, is the full-length debut 'Underworld' from Italian band Great Master, released through Underground Symphony. I must mention right away that this debut is not of the typical Italian power metal mold - with tons of keys and very high-pitched vocals. Instead, this CD is in the opposite direction, being traditional heavy/power metal of absolutely stunning quality. It's seriously shocking how much this CD has grabbed me, and I'm not even one of the reviewers (here at Metal CD Ratings) that regularly covers this style of metal. So I feel lucky, being one of the first reviewers out there to have this amazing CD in my hands.

Okay, so traditional heavy/power metal is a somewhat vague description, and could imply comparisons to several bands, but that's just it - this band is going to appeal to so many of you. Fans of everything from popular bands like Iron Maiden, Wolf, Ilium and Running Wild, to fairly obscure bands like The Vengeful Few, Denied, Syth and Gods of Fire, to the Russian-language band Aria, and even to the Polish-language band Monstrum. Yep, if you're even remotely interested in traditional heavy/power metal, this CD is going to impress you in so many ways.

The band features 2 superb guitarists - Jahn Carlini (who is also the bass player) and Marcus Mine, both of which are simply fantastic, offering up plenty of catchy rhythms, screaming guitar solos, and some of the best melodies I've heard in a long time. It doesn't take long for the melodies to stick, and none of them overstay their welcome, as there are numerous surprises (where the guitar work and/or solos turn in a different direction). The songs are upbeat, exciting, fun, and far away from being boring or monotonous. I can easily say that every song is an absolute winner, and could be the "highlight" on so many other CDs out there.

Vocally, Max Bastasi has a clear voice and he's very easy to understand. His vocals flow perfectly with the music too, and I suspect that the band has a lot of experience (even though I don't know of any familiar bands that they've been a part of), as the songwriting is of extremely high quality. It's truly amazing how many spectacular songs are present on this CD, and even the main instrumental (track 5 "Millenium", which is in the middle of the CD) is killer. Ending the CD is "Epilogue (Canon)", the popular Johann Pachelbel song (also an instrumental), which is an interesting ending, and I believe it's the only song with keys, as (at least from what I'm hearing) the remainder of the CD is completely without keys.

There's no doubt that this debut is highly recommended to fans of traditional heavy/power metal, and it's surely going to get regular spins from me for a long time. So check it out as soon as possible, as I'm positive it's going to hit some of you like it has me.

December 13, 2009 - Sunday

[UNDERWORLD] Review/Recensione by "Powermetal.it"

http://www.powermetal.it/album_detail.php?id=01175

............Great master are a band coming from Italy's Veneto region, set up by axeman Jahn Carlini back in 1993. Their sound goes back to the epic-metal of the eighties recalling Manilla Road, influenced by slight hints from hard and power rock. After two demos, in 1995 and 1999, they composed the tracks that make up this debut entitled “Underworld” in Y2K. The recording and the mixing sections took place little time after but unfortunately the record was published only in November 2009 by Underground Symphony, this would be surprising considering how talented these musician are and the high quality of their music, which I had the pleasure to listen to in these 10 tracks, but we live in Italy and I think you know how it can be complicated for a band to find a decent record deal.
But let's go back to music; as I said before great master plays a pleasant epic power very enjoyable to be listened to. I found several tracks to be very engaging, from “Land of no return” with its guitar solos to the rhythm of “The battle of lost heroes”, “King of the night” and “Circle of fairies” ending up with the beautiful instrumental epilogue Canon, which takes up beautifully the work of the German abbot Johann Pachelbel a baroque composer. The best song of the CD, just in my opinion, is the super-epic instrumental Millenium, a track that reveals the skills of both the guitarists, people that are very familiar with their 6-string.
I am not very enthusiastic about Max Bastasi's voice which I found slightly cold but we go into my personal taste and I bet that there will be lots of people showing a different opinion.
Beside the founding member Jahn Carlini (who deals with the bass too) the line up is made up also by guitarist Markus Mine (replaced in the meantime by Marco Petrone). I do not know who played the drums as he is not indicated in the credits, according to their website the drums should be played by Andrea dell'Agnolo but I cannot tell you if it was him the one who recorded this instrument in Underworld.
I did not like the recording (this was a little cold too), not even the cover of the CD but it does not invalidate the quality of the work of the band, the digipack packaging is very well done instead.
Great master is already working on their second album which, considering this first CD Underwold, will surely be interesting. Give them a chance!

December 9, 2009 - Wednesday

[UNDERWORLD] Review/Recensione by "Metal to Infinity"

http://users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/GreatmastercdreviewUnderworld.htm

Axeman Jahn Carlini was the one who formed Great Master as a quintet way back in the early 90’s – the band did it very well first period of existence… channeling the spirit of glorious eighties gods Manilla Road and Heavy Load, they delivered the goods as it should be. A demo called “The Great Master” (1995) and a second demo entitled “Rising Storm” (1999) saw daylight and got good response from the Metal press and fanbase! As heard from so many other bands, also Great Master swam through trouble waters but in the end, all became to a good end. Since day one of existence until today, I count 16 years and that’s quite a long time. Without good ambitions and a real heart for Metal music, you wouldn’t survive these years at all so my conclusion is that Great Master has been made from the right sort of solid steel!

Their brand new album “Underworld” actually was written in 2000 and mixed a few years later on – unfortunately, it never came to a release. Italian record label Underground Symphony offered the band a record deal, basically a well deserved present for their faith in Metal for almost 2 decades! Started as a 5-piece formation, the new album “Underworld” counts only three members but don’t be afraid – these three guys are skilled enough to bring it all to a very good end! Metal is in their veins and that is what I’ve heard while finding myself a way through the entire album “Underworld”.

It has to be said that it’s typical Italian styled Metal music or should I say (to be more specifically) Melodic Power Metal spiced with a lot of epic influences. The guitar riffs are quite simple played, still they keep my attention way up high. No need to bring on complicated guitar moves if it isn’t necessary – Epic Power Metal can be offered in a simple way without a doubt… Great Master proves it here in a very attractive manner. Singer Max Bastasi matches perfectly for this type Metal band, he’s able to combine melancholy vocal use with high pitch shrieks and I like that, yes I am! Other great singers linger on in my head to compare are Tim Lachman (ex-US Metal band Gargoyle) or Lenny Rizzo (ex-Exxplorer).

To made up my mind about great songs to detect on “Underworld”, I definitely like to mention opener ‘Eagles Of 20th.’, ‘Ghost Ship’, ‘The Battle Of Lost Heroes’ (with a fantastic high pitch scream reminiscent to almighty James Reveira from legendary Helstar). Also listen up to other highlights as ‘King Of The Night’ and ‘The Lost Secret…Underworld’ as well!

According to myself, “Underworld” is a very good effort from a band that won’t win any prices for original moves at all… it’s just epic touched all over and offered in a simple but attractive, pleasant way to listen at. Eye catching element besides is the entire look of this digipack edition. Perfectly worked out with colour full, brilliant fantasy artwork – last but not least, the sound quality reaches a level far above the average.

I’ve heard many Italian, so called Euro Power Metal acts and to be honest I have to say that many of them couldn’t hold up my complete attention any longer. Sometimes, they even started to annoy myself (originality far gone you know) but Great Master just gave me hope again with the release of “Underworld”. Let the future be straight and deliver us some more like this in hope my belief in nowadays Euro Power Metal recovers completely. Go check Great Master at: www.myspace.com/greatmasterit