★ Review of DEVA "Between Life And Dreams" at POWERPLAY MAGAZINE (UK) by Martin Howell - 9/10 •

When I took a look at the debut CD Italy's Deva, I had them down as another female fronted synphonic gothic rock band with operatic vocals, loads of violins and the occasional death grunt.
yes they're femal fronted and yes they use operatic vocals, but musically this lot are far removed from the usual Within Temptation clones you get everywhere these days.
Deva play prog metal - really good, complex, interesting prog metal and combine it with the operatic vocal style usually associated with more gothic genres.
Imagine Sharon Den Adel singing for Zero Horr and you'll be getting close.
The opening intro "Breathe" and the first proper track, "Your Voice", are pretty good, but the album really comes into its own with "Dancing lane2, this one is just an outstanding piece of prog metal.
From then on the band let rip whith one amazing track after another, and the album closes with the four part epic "Karma".
This one has everything you could want, it lets the band really show what they can do, and trust me, that's quite a lot.
At times crushingly heavy, at others all whimsical and folky, this is a great debut that should appeal to anyone who likes complex adventurous music.

Powerpoints: 9/10

MARTIN HOWELL

http://www.powerplaymagazine.co.uk/