For this review, I thought I'd do a bit of a "first listen" impression. Knowing nothing about this band going in, I'm going to take a listen, and let you know what I think. So below are the notes that I took while listening to the songs.
The album kicks off with a tune called "Paralyzed", that has a really cool guitar and keyboard part that leads into a bit of a more subdued prog-metal tune. I rather enjoy the way that the band turned something that could be a bit ballad like into something a bit heaiver, that still feels like a prog-metal ballad. The vocal melodies are just fantastic here. I love this guy's tone. And the keys, always a highlight for me, sound really cool here, with the crunch guitars. I love the guitar/keyboard solo here. It reminds me of so many prog moments, but still manages to feel fresh somehow. The brief outro was particularly impressive, and leaves me wishing it would have been a bit longer.
"It Begins" starts off as a much heavier track, but still a bit subdued over many prog-metal tunes. I love the guitar/keyboard interplay in the intro, with the keyboard shining through the guitar riffs. The vocals are really good here as well, I really enjoy this guy's voice. It's a bit familiar, but sounds just different enough to set him apart from the crowd. The chorus is really cool on this tune, and for some reason I really like the drums here. Once again, I think that the keyboards steal the show here. They make me question if they're quite right in parts of the song, not the notes, but the sound. But I think that's what sets them apart here. Once again, we get a really Petrucci-esque guitar solo, but that can never be a bad thing.
"Human Hardware" comes in with drums and keys, and is a really cool prog-rocker, with some great vocals, and amazing instrumentation. The music feels like there's some kind of urgency in it, and creates a really cool vibe. It's a bit of a heavier tune, with a keyboard solo that sounds like it could have been home on Dream Theater's "Images & Words" album.
"5 Years" is a totally different sort of prog-metal tune, right from the get go. The groove they create in the intro carries the song quite beautifully, with some crunchy guitars, and quite keyboard part playing in the background. I love how this band makes you think they're going right for the jugular, yet still seem to manage something close to melodic beauty. There are two guitar solos here. The first one is another very Petrucci-esque solo, like something from "Images & Words". The solo immediately following the first is a total metal solo, and unlike anything I've ever heard from Petrucci.
"Revolution" starts with such a cool vibe. It has an almost apocalyptic feeling. The music just seems to strike an end of the world vibe. When coupled with the lyrics, it's easy to see how one could get this feeling. For the most part, the keys seem a bit more subdued on a lot of this tune, but when they come through, they are phenomenal. The guitars here are full of crunch, and just chug along. The drums are pretty powerful here as well. The high hats are keeping a nice rhythm going, as the vocalist just breezes through this one. He is quickly becoming one of the best singers I've heard in a while. Once the keyboard solo hits, I'm ready for a great one, and as usual, I am not let down!
"Solitude" is another one that's a bit slower, but with all of the crunch of the previous tunes. The guitar is the real powerhouse on this one, though the keys are quite impressive as usual. I especially love what they're doing during the verses. Some very cool stuff going on, just a little bit behind the scenes. Some great vocal melodies on this track, as is the norm on this album. I love the breakdown here. The vocals are just beautiful, with the keys and guitar supporting them. The guitar solo here is just fantastic. I think it would please even the most seasoned Petrucci fans. I think this tune may be a vocal high point on this album, for me. I just love the way he mixes with the instruments.
"Your Eyes" is all prog-metal. It starts off heavy very heavy. The keyboards and guitar work very well together, pulling the song forward with some very cool effects on the vocals in places. Some really cool keyboard work on these verses. I just love the playing here. This guy is one fantastic keyboardist, and still my favorite instrument on this album. The vocals are phenomenal here as well. The drums sound pretty amazing as well, holding the song up on their amazing rhtyhms. There's a bit of an instrumental breakdown section with vocals, that was a really cool vibe, before it picks up again with some really cool keyboard work, that really shines here. This one is another fantastic addition to this already amazing set of songs.
Next up we have a song called "Lost". It comes in very atmospheric, with keys, and some echo on the vocals. It's a really cool effect, that really sets up the mood for this tune. Before the guitars come in, it really conjures up something that would feel at home on any Ayreon album. Once the full band come in, while the keys still give off a sort of Ayreon meets Dream Theater vibe, this song is all Icefish. I absolutely love this tune. It's not crunching along, just sort of plodding, as the rhythm section really shines through, with the guitars and keyboards following their lead. As always, the vocals are fantastic. And as the song progresses, I can definitely hear an Ayreon influence. Something that I did not really pick out of the rest of the album. Maybe I'll notice more upon my second listen. The tune never really picks up, making it one of the slower tracks on the album, but I really enjoy it. I wouldn't call it a "breather", as it's still pretty heavy, but it's definitely slower.
The album closes with "The Pieces". And this one is a fantastic prog rocker from the very beginning. Very cool intro, with lots of guitar and keyboards. After a slight pause, the band comes back, and the vocals kick in. Some really amazing vocal melodies on this one, that fit the instrumentation beautifully. Once again, I absoulutely love the keyboards here. They really elevate this song into the upper echelon. And the vocals on the chorus are some of the best melodies that I've ever heard. Beautifully done! Upon first listen, this is probably my favorite song on the album, and would please any die-hard Dream Theater fan. And the keyboard and guitar solos are just phenomenal. What a great way to close this album.
After listening, I did a bit of research on this band, and found that the master behind the guitar is none other tahn Marco Sfogli, who has played with James LaBrie, and Jordan Rudess in the past. Behind the drum kit, sits none other than drumming legend Virgil Donati, who has played with another DT alum, Mr. Derek Sherinian, as well as Erik Norlander, so this guy is no stranger to amazing keyboard playing. And speaking of keyboard playing, though I've never heard of him, Alex Argento has an album under his belt that I can't wait to check out. And on the bass guitar, and vocals, Andrea Casali, who was (is?) in a band called Astra, that I am looking forward to checking out as well.
My first listen to this album was very favorable. It has everything that I look for in a good prog-metal album; fantastically written and performed music, beautifully sang vocals, and the sound is just perfect. Very nicely mixed. The instruments all come through, loud and clear, with the vocals taking front and center when needed. I love this album, and would definitely recommend it to fans of prog, or just plain good music.
-Rob
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