In 1997 the French guitar and keyboard virtuoso Stéphan Forté composed his first instrumental neoclassical-oriented demo Visions, the beginning Adagio. Because of this demo he opened for Yngwie Malmsteen (June 1998) and was contacted by producer Chris Tsangarides (Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Gary Moore...). In 1999, Olivier Garnier, former artistic director at CNR Music (Angra, Symphony X...), asked Stephan to compose some new material with vocals.

In 2001 Adagio recorded their debut album SANCTUS IGNIS which received great success, In 2003 they recorded UNDERWORLD, a great symphonic and bombastic metal album, which was followed by the live album A Band in Upperworld-Live (2004). Between the release of the live-album and their last one DOMINATE no changes took place in the band, DOMINATE has become an album that is written by the band. In comparison with UNDERWORLD DOMINATE is more aggressive and less ifluenced by classical music.
The sphere on DOMINATE is quite dark and devilish so are the song titles (Terror Jungle, Children of the Dead Lake, R’lyeh on the Dead); the music is clearly influenced by Symphony X especially the music in the “Twilight In Olympus” and the “The Odyssey”-period; the riffs, keyboards and melodies are quite familiar with the Symphony X songs.

The intro of the title song puts you straight into the middle of apocalypse; listen to the grunts, metal riffs, threatening keyboards. After this short but heavy apocalypse the progressive riffs take over. Gus’ voices are great and his grunts are terrifying. Stephan Forté shows why he is considered to be a guitar virtuoso, his solo is superb just like the keyboard solo (Kevin Codfert).
On Children on the Dead Lake (Symphony X!!) are several voices, I wonder how Gus will sing this song at live-shows. R’lyeh the Dead (my favorite song) opens orchestral and bombastic that creates an uncomfortable feeling, followed by really heavy riffs; the sinister sphere is completed by the threatening voices the horror piano playing. The solo’s are also great again.
The ballad is an acoustic one with voices and keyboards (Kissing the Crow) followed by “Fame” yeah the cover of Irene Cara; I don’t know why the band recorded the song it doesn’t fit with the album at all; long live the skip bottom of my CD player!

With DOMINATE Adagio has released an album more dark then Underworld, Gus Monsanto however is a more then great replacement for David Readman; he is doing a great job. For Symphony X fans Dominate is a recommendation, minus point is definitely The “Fame” cover.