Israeli progressive metal act Distorted Harmony return with their sophomore release, Chain Reaction, a highly successful and enjoyable follow-up to their stellar debut Utopia from 2012. No doubt the band had their hands full trying to equal or top that debut, but Misha Soukhinin (vocals), Guy Landau (guitars), Yoav Efron (keyboards), Iggy Jackson Cohen (bass), and Yogev Gabay (drums) have indeed done that on this engaging release.
Though you can hear some of the bands influences throughout Chain Reaction, you can tell they are trying very hard to create their own sound, which, while heavy at times and complex, brings to the table plenty of catchy melodies, alluring harmonies, drama, textures, and so much more. Kick off track "Every Time She Smiles" has an almost Anathema flair to it, with soaring melodies over bubbling electronics and prog-metal arrangements, while "Children of Red" borrows a tad from the Images and Words playbook of Dream Theater, but adds a more modern touch with even the slightest hint of thrash & extreme metal with some really savage passages. "Misguided" features some heavy riffs and symphonic keyboards, with Soukhinin's vocals running the gamut from gentle melodic crooning to a more intense delivery. He's a fantastic singer, and shows his talents at every juncture throughout this album. The gorgeous, gentle prog-rock of "Nothing (But the Rain)" shows a softer side of the band, and this segues into the engaging "As One", another melodic & memorable progressive metal anthem, complete with massive riffing, mysterious keyboards, and intricate rhythms. "Hollow" also rocks quite hard, the driving riffs providing some serious headbanging moments as the soaring vocals grab the listener and refuse to let go. Acoustic guitars come out for the lovely "As You Go", and the insanely complex "Natural Selection" reminds you once again that this is a progressive metal album, as the intricate guitar & keyboard parts just dazzle the listener while the intense rhythms pound you over the head. It's just a great tune, as the band weave in plenty of tranquil, melodic moments in between the chaos and crazy time changes, but it's always melodic & memorable no matter what tempo the band is throwing at you. "Methylene Blue" offers up some Anathema/Pink Floyd/Porcupine Tree styled spacey, somber prog, and takes this album out in style.
This is as good as it gets folks when it comes to impressive progressive metal. Great vocals, killer instrumentation, and most importantly melodic, memorable songs make for a instantly enjoyable and unforgettable release from Distorted Harmony. Highly recommended.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Every Time She Smiles
2) Children of Red
3) Misguided
4) Nothing (But the Rain)
5) As One
6) Hollow
7) As You Go
8) Natural Selection
9) Methylene Blue
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