Now here's a name not so easy to remember. Astarte Syriaca is an Italian Progressive Metal act and this self titled work is their second demo attempt in a very difficult field.
The first one was recorded live in the studio while the band was only three months old. Since then the band played some gigs and faced a short period of inactivity during the absence of a drummer. The empty slot was filled by Gabirele Valerio (also in Theatres Des Vampires), that (according to their bio) brought to the band a more progressive vibe.
Without being something exceptional, Astarte Syriaca is an interesting piece of work by a band that seems to be trying really hard to achieve a personal sound. Their music is a bit moody (don't wanna say depressive) and down-tuned giving a traveling feeling. Vocalist Daniele Corsi is good but he must try a bit to shake off his accent. No doubt all the band members are well skilled musicians. The compositions are quite lengthy (four songs, 27 minutes) and I picked out of the bunch Earth Spirit with its long intro as a favorite one from the demo.
All in all this work is very good. Probably it will help the band get a record deal. There is room for improvement but if they release a full length album in the same vein, they will be an interesting choice for a prog fan.