FABLES OF THE SLEEPLESS EMPIRE

Fables of the Sleepless Empire is a chaotic, beautiful, exuberant, and memorable demonstration of what creative metal music really sounds like. After a five-year hiatus, Unexpect erupts back to life, producing an album that's every bit as good as its shockingly excellent predecessor.

If you missed the second Unexpect album (In the Flesh Aquarium), Fables probably slipped under your radar, too. After all, Unexpect doesn't have nearly the reach of other groups in the prog-metal vanguard; however, if you have any desire to hear the true sound of musical mastery within the genre... do yourself a favor and check out this release right away.

Fables is an hour of gorgeous pandemonium. Songs are packed with twists and turns, juggling the intense combination of sounds with ease. Time signatures, tempo, and tonal changes abound. It's metal music, undeniably, but Unexpect is also very playful. The result isn't the sort of melodic riffing you'd expect, but instead a gymnastic combination of sounds that makes the experience unique. The musicianship is at a level that really makes the group difficult to compare... because much of what they're doing is so much more ambitious than "normal" metal.

Vocals are handled by a combination of singers, usually simultaneously. Feminine vocals take the "lead," which is a very relative thing to say. I guess she's the lead because she's one of the few things the listener can grab hold of as being "normal." Other vocals are a combination of highly characterized impish growling, sarcastic crooning or robotic recitation. Trust me... it makes sense when you're listening.

Fables is noise, a lot of noise, but achieves the rare accomplishment of being able to beat the listener senseless while keeping their attention and leaving them wanting more. If you enjoy metal music, this is practically a mandatory purchase. You'll not have experienced anything quite like it, at least not at this level of metal/creativity/poetry. Avant- garde group's like Mr.Bungle may draw some comparisons, but I think these are a stretch. Fables of the Sleepless Empire takes you places few other groups can.

Songwriting: 5 - Instrumental Performances: 5 - Lyrics/Vocals: 5 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 5