This CD goes a step past traditional metal toward the progressive work of bands such as Dream Theater. Notably, Richard Andersson on keys is an amazing player, and ought to take his place among the likes of Moore, Rudess and Sherinian. I like what is taking place here compositionally. Some of it is straight ahead metal, but there's an undercarriage of rhythmic variety and strong overarching keyboard melodies that differentiate this release. Vocally, the CD is shades better than
competent, meaning the lyrics and vocally melodies and rhythms don't strike me as exceptionally ambitious or unique, but they don't necessarily detract from the rest of the CD.
I'll be interested to see if this group pursues a metal audience by remaining with their current vox and the more rudimentary style tracks in this release, or if they'll take the obvious instrumental talent and look to find a more progressive metal audience--such as belongs to Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Queensryche.
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