Mexican progressive metal band Dimension are back with their second CD, Ego, a follow up to their 2002 release Universal, both on Nightmare Records. Long on bombast and melody, Ego is a strong collection of songs by this outfit (now relocated to Denver, Colorado) and should be a release that genre fans will seek out. Basically a duo of David Quicho (guitars, vocals) and Mane Cabrales (drums), the two are joined by a host of musicians on bass, keyboards, violin, viola, and cello, which gives these songs a very strong orchestral/classical feel. "Tree of Conscience" is a perfect example of this, as Quicho's complex riffery meets up with the strings for a great orchestral metal feel. On "Ancient Song", it's all about crunchy riffs and the majestic keyboards of Aaron del Palacio, with Quicho's vocals providing plenty of emotion. The band dives into even heavier territory on "Freedom Land", a pounding number that sees Quicho's guitar taking on a slower, grinding feel, yet as is the case on most of the album, his vocals are very expressive and emotional. This one has a very catchy chorus, and listen closely to the intricate fills from Cabrales throughout this piece, which are very impressive. Highly progressive pieces like "Broken Heart", "Life", and "The Next In Line" will easily appeal to fans of Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, and Shadow Gallery, as they combine plenty of guitar and keyboard fireworks, melodic vocals, and complex arrangements. The centerpiece of the CD however is the near 20-minute title track, an epic in every aspect, which takes the listener on an extended journey that features some stellar playing from the cast and great vocals from Quicho. The machine gun drum patterns from Cabrales and tasty soloing from Quicho on this one are definitely worth hearing! Closing track "Egoman" as well as "Dreams" are the two ballady pieces on the CD, and show the range of the band and help give the album plenty of variety. Quicho's deft acoustic guitar picking on "Egoman" is quite gorgeous, especially as it's paired up against lush strings, making for an especially tender setting.
Dimension might not be a name you've heard of before, but give Ego a listen and it will surely be a name you won't forget.
Track Listing
1 Tree of conscience
2 Ancient song
3 Freedom land
4 Broken heart
5 Life
6 Dreams
7 The next in line
8 EGO (3 parts) pt 1. I Am pt.2 Myself pt 3. The new Reason
9 Egoman
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