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Quite why this young Italian quintet have decided upon a highly questionable moniker is beyond me, but melodic — and I mean melodic — Power Metallers Broken Melody have attempted to make a break from the underground to signed label status and have so far fallen short, despite their obvious attestations to fulfill the criteria. Their debut album Face the World follows in the same sugary footsteps as countrymen Wonderland, Secret Sphere, and Skylark, with their soaring manifestos relying heavily on strong choruses and engaging vocal lines. Vocalist Francesco Palmieri has a voice so stripped of aggression he'd almost be comfortable fronting Savage Garden, and his light, fluffy protests often steer the songs towards the lighter end of the Power Metal spectrum. Hell, this is about as a heavy as a feather boa, and if it weren't for the double pedal drumming and sweeping guitar solos, this could barely qualify as metal at all, which will no doubt turn away a few prospective customers.

The thin, tinny production isn't anything to write home about either, turning every endeavor into an elongated trial of endurance that thankfully pays off thanks to an intrinsic knack for writing vibrant, catchy Power Metal tunes in that saccharine method only the Italians could triumph with. Variation dispels any genuine boredom with the songs ranging from majestic mid-paced rockers ("The Force of the Life", "If You Want to Fly") to speedy, uplifting bombers ("The End of This War", "Rising"). While Face the World has many production — and at times tuning — issues, it often belies Broken Melody's Italian origins, showing promise and expansion that'll force me to keep an eye on them in the future.