{"id":12067,"date":"2024-08-18T00:49:50","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T04:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/?p=12067"},"modified":"2024-08-18T08:21:58","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T12:21:58","slug":"harpazo-the-crucible-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/18\/harpazo-the-crucible-2\/","title":{"rendered":"HARPAZO: The Crucible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Crucible<\/em> represents the fruit of the long-awaited collaborative labors, sown some 15 years ago, of Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery\/Amaran\u2019s Plight) and his former student Marc Centanni. For those familiar with his other works, Wehrkamp is neither a stranger to melodic progressive rock\/metal nor does he shy away from epic concept pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Shadow of the Greats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Shadow Gallery is best known for the Tyranny\/Room X<\/em> two-part sci-fi\/socio-political thriller which cemented them in the progressive metal hall of fame. Those albums \u2013 released a remarkable 7 years apart \u2013 vie for, in my mind, one of the best concept progressive rock\/metal operas of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Consequently, I put them right up there among Ayreon\u2019s The Human Equation<\/em> (2004), Dream Theater\u2019s Metropolis Pt. 2:<\/em> Scenes from a Memory<\/em> (1999), Evergrey\u2019s In Search of Truth<\/em> (2001), Fates Warning\u2019s A Pleasant Shade of Gray<\/em> (1997), Kamelot\u2019s Epica<\/em> (2003)\/The Black Halo<\/em> (2005), Neal Morse\u2019s Jesus Christ: The Exorcist (2019), Opeth\u2019s Still Life<\/em> (1999), Pain of Salvation’s The Perfect Element : Pt. 1<\/em> (2000), Savatage\u2019s Streets: A Rock Opera<\/em> (1991), Spock\u2019s Beard\u2019s Snow<\/em> (2002), Symphony X\u2019s Paradise Lost<\/em> (2007) and of course Queensr\u00ffche\u2019s Operation: Mindcrime<\/em> (1988) which started it all, although it could be argued that Mindcrime II<\/em> didn\u2019t hold up musically or lyrically to the brilliance of its predecessor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Plight of Amaran\u2019s Plight<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, Shadow Gallery\u2019s success aside, what Wehrkamp is less known for was the more \u201csolo\u201d work entitled Amaran\u2019s Plight \u2013 Voice in The Light<\/em> (2007), which was a collaborative effort with author John W. Crawford. Interestingly, that release also featured DC Cooper on vocals. When I interviewed Gary for the release of Voice in The Light,<\/em> he hinted that there was possibly going to be a follow up, but unfortunately that never materialized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Back For The Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, despite the long hiatus, fans of Shadow Gallery\/Wehrkamp can be blessed and rewarded with new music from the multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer through the incarnation of Harpazo (\u201crapture\u201d). Like the collaboration with Crawford on Amaran\u2019s Plight, this time Marc Centanni contributes the story and the lyrics and helps with guitars, keys and drums as well. And dynamic vocalist DC Cooper once again teams up with Wehrkamp, this time lending his talents as \u201cThe Messenger\u201d in The Crucible<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, in Ayreon\/Avantasia fashion, Harpazo has employed the help of a wide array of talented vocalists to \u201ctell their story.\u201d In addition to Cooper, featured here are Lee Lemperle (Outside the Wall), Jennifer Eckhart, Rey Parra (Sacred Warrior\/Deny the Fallen), Christian Liljegren (Narnia), Les Carlsen (Bloodgood) Michael Drive (Barren Cross\/Human Code) and a surprise appearance on vocals by Brendt Allman (Shadow Gallery) on \u201cBook of Life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocal Villain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, Wehrkamp \u2013 who contributes most guitar\/bass and keyboards (and some drums) \u2013 also has a major vocal role as villain Jude Soloman. I say surprisingly because while many of Gary\u2019s fans are well-aware of his instrumental\/producing wizardry, few know about his gifted voice. To say that he plays his \u201cpart\u201d well on The Crucible<\/em> would be a huge understatement \u2013 his vocal performance one of the greatest surprises here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drummer\u2019s Fate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, the appearance of Mark Zonder (Fates Warning) contributing his drumming excellence on four of these songs (\u201cIchor,\u201d \u201cGolden Crown,\u201d the title track and \u201cThe Book of Life\u201d) is quite noteworthy. For those not aware, he was the most dynamic and \u201cproggy\u201d drummer in those wonderful middle career years for Fates Warning when they crafted masterpieces like Perfect Symmetry<\/em> (1989) and the previously referenced A Pleasant Shade of Gray<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arguably, one of the most important elements of a \u201crock opera\u201d is a great script, a compelling story, so to speak. While some concept records are more orchestrated\/compositional in nature (the previously mentioned A Pleasant Shade of Gray<\/em> by Fates Warning a great example), most of these concept albums contain a narrative.  The Crucible<\/em> falls decisively into this more common, latter category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marc Centanni wrote the script and the lyrics. Like Tyranny\/Room V<\/em>, there is a mix of science fiction, socio-political intrigue and spiritual revelation. However, where those Shadow Gallery releases were more secular with spiritual relevance, The Crucible<\/em> is strongly within the Christian\/Biblically driven realm in terms of its message and impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiritual Impact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, Wehrkamp and Centanni have succeeded in both maintaining a high level of professionalism within the framework of art and music creation while simultaneously delivering a story which is relevant to all peoples, regardless of beliefs. Nevertheless, the \u201cno-holds barred\u201d message of redemption and transformation through faith in Jesus Christ is the central element of the story and it is clearly depicted here within the milieu of progressive conceptual rock opera. Brilliantly done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media Narrative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In bias to the physical media, the 20-page booklet is integral to garnering the greatest understanding of the narrative. Additionally, the lyric (\u201clibretto\u201d) outlines which singers\/characters are \u201cspeaking\u201d at any given moment during each song. Similarly helpful is the printed synopsis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting the Stage (On Fire)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the year 2142 Jude Solomon, CEO of Ichor, is advancing technology that will merge humanity and machinery. His goal is to evolve mankind to live forever and in doing so censor and replace \u201cdestructive\u201d beliefs with \u201cone truth.\u201d Solomon\u2019s rise to \u201ctrusted hero\u201d is aided by catastrophic natural events which kill millions of humans. His proposal for the salvation of mankind is for them to be injected with the \u201cIchor cure,\u201d forcing them to become part of his purge of \u201ctraditional\u201d beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, there is a revolution, and a \u201cgenocidal\u201d war ensues to eradicate the rebels (sound familiar?). Subsequently, Solomon deploys \u201cThe Messenger,\u201d a cybernetically augmented assassin to eliminate an uprising in (of all places) Jerusalem. The transformative\/world altering events which follow are chronicled by the music\/songs of The Crucible<\/em>\u2026 [my paraphrasing throughout]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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