Michael Goldberg has found his sweet spot combining classical piano with heavy metal. The composer-pianist actually understands how to make 19th-century motifs work within a modern gothic-prog framework. His background gives him the technical chops to pull off these ambitious crossovers, while his metal roots keep the compositions from feeling pretentious.
“Where Dorian once waltzed alone, now an orchestra of chaos joins.”
“Dorian’s Dance (Midnight Metal Remix)” opens with his piano laying out the foundation in Dorian mode, then hands things over to some seriously heavy baritone guitars. Peter Voronov’s violin work cuts through the mix, which adds that classical edge without sounding out of place. Rather than burying the piano under layers of distortion, every arrangement gets its own spotlight in the mix. The track builds from graceful piano moments to some crushing metal assaults, ending with this choral section that ties everything together nicely.
Goldberg is actually making music that makes sense in both worlds. Fans of bands like Katatonia, Apocalyptica, and early Dream Theater will find familiar territory here, but it’s clearly Goldberg’s own thing. It’s the kind of piece that works whether you’re analyzing the composition or just need something heavy to get through your day. Making complex music feel natural and flowing takes serious compositional chops.
Muse Chronicle 
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