Album Review: TEMPERANCE – Arcani
Napalm Records – October 16th, 2026
Reviewer – Jason Hopper
Despite being around since 2013 and releasing seven albums, I have never come across the music of TEMPERANCE. I decided to go in cold for this review, with that decision based off one song: ‘Sin, Sin, Sin‘. This track showed up as a recommendation on YouTube. I watched the video and two parts stuck out: The strong gang vocals in the chorus and singer Michele Guaitoli. He also sings in the band Visions of Atlantis, and I was unaware of his involvement with this band. I was hoping the band would be similar in nature to VOA.
Turns out I got what I was hoping for, and a bit more. TEMPERANCE’s style and sound is VOA mixed with Nightwish, which makes for some sonic satisfaction. Like those bands, this one features a male and female lead. Never having heard Kristin Starkey before, I was impressed with her power and range. While ‘Arcani‘ isn’t a concept album, the band decided to write a “theme” for various Tarot cards found in a deck. So, let’s get to the songs.
A strong opening sets the right mood and this album has it.‘The Fool’ starts off with an anthemic, stadium ready rhythm that has a triumphant feel to it. It then goes double time in the verses and power metal in the chorus before cycling back through it all again. Very dynamic and intense, I was captivated by all its elements, and for me personally, served as a fantastic introduction to the band.
The band slows it down slightly for ‘Right Before We Die’. Along with simple but catchy key strikes, the chorus is the standout. Michele and Kristin build towards a chorus and use inflections that suit the underlying melody perfectly.
There are no bad songs here. There is a lot of variety in the melodies and structure and I found it all to be well constructed. Kristin takes the lead in recently released single ‘Lean Into Fear’ and her dark, foreboding, yet powerful approach to the material makes this a winner. What’s amazing is how she can sing a song in this style and subvert expectations with closer ‘The World’. An acoustic track with minimal backing vocals and a smooth, soft delivery that is the exact opposite of what came before. Her range is remarkable.
A few other tracks worth mentioning are ‘Alla Ricerca dell’America’. With half the song sung in Italian, it may not be for everyone, but for me I don’t recall ever hearing metal sung in Italian and I dug that unique feature. ‘Come And Call Me’ has a multi tracked vocal chorus that erupts from the speakers and instantly made it one of my favorites, up there with “Sin Sin Sin’ in terms of its power.
Making the Nightwish comparisons more obvious, ‘The Man of Moonlight’ has the same rhythmic chorus as the Nightwish track ‘Amaranth’, just slightly slower. That’s not a slight on this track as I love both. The verses are different enough where the similarities are more reminiscent than a straight up copy.
I started my symphonic metal journey years ago with Nightwish, but they seem to have lost their melodic sensibilities as of late. Some symphonic metal can be a bit too progressive and pompous for my tastes. I love that bands like Temperance have picked up the flag and flown it high, not losing sight of what makes a song catchy and aurally pleasing. If you’re a newbie like me and dig this type of sound, this album needs to be added to your “To Purchase” list.
Track List:
- The Fool
- Death – Right Before We Die
- The Magician – Into The Fire
- The Tower – Lean Into Fear
- The Devil – Sin, Sin, Sin
- Temperance – Forgiveness
- The Chariot – Alla Ricerca dell’ America
- Justice – Shame & Glory
- The Star – Surrender Control
- Wheel of Fortune – Come and Call Me
- The Moon – The Man of Moonlight
- The Hanged Man – Petrichor
- The World
Line-up:
Kristin Starkey – Vocals
Michele Guaitoli – Vocals
Marco Pastorino – Guitars & Vocals
Luca Negro – Bass Guitar
Marco Sacchetto – Drums
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