V - THE NEW MYTHOLOGY SUITE

A very pleasant surprise in the progressive metal genre and a band I'm interested in discovering after finding the excellence in this album. The music is not exactly the cloning of Dream Theater's music. This music is purely symphonic, it just sounds as if all the songs are classical music songs done with heavy electric guitars, keyboards, and was given a metal drummer. To enhance the classical feel, choirs, strings are present. Another aspect in which this music differs from Dream Theater's is that it is based on Power Metal.

The album starts with choirs, symphonic arrangements and heavy metal guitars which lead to the first real song of the album and the best: Evolution , a flawless power metal piece with fantastic vocal harmonies, perfect use of dynamics, and some of the best rhythmic guitar I've heard in a while. The song ends with a majestic guitar harmony that reminds me of Brian May Fallen uses the church organ and some choirs, and at a point reminds me of Dream Theater due alternating guitar and keyboard solos. Communion is mellower and probably not as exciting, but if the album had only a bunch of heavy songs, it would have been hard to listen all the way through. It is still a good piece with a very classical feel that gets better in the second half. The Bird is another heavy piece in the vein of "Fallen" but not as interesting musically-wise. On The Breath of Poseidon is a soft instrumental with a nice buildup in the beginning. Egypt starts very similar to Opeth with acoustic guitars playing on scales typical of that band and develops into a great rocker with wonderful guitar riffs and rhythms as well as excellent vocal harmonies. I dare to say that this song brings back the greatness of "Evolution". Death of Balance is another instrumental, more bombastic and way better than the previous one. It features another guitar harmony reminiscent of the one at the end of "Evolution". Absence of Light is just a good metal song, nothing more but the following A Fool's Paradise is a fast-paced symphonic metal song that pulsates with a lot of energy. The arrangements are very well done, the music is varied, and technically-speaking, this song impresses. Rediscovery starts with a beautiful melodic segue, and turns into a lengthy song with both heavy and mellow sections. It is coherent and never dull. A great closer of this concept album.

I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys power metal and symphonic music. If you don't enjoy power metal, at least give this album a try ... it may change your mind.

2. Evolution (The Grand Design) (A) 3. Fallen (B+) 5. Communion and the Oracle (B) 6. The Bird-Serpent War / Cataclysm (C+) 7. On the Breath of Poseidon (C+) 8. Egypt (A-) 9. Death of Balance / Lacrymosa (A-) 10. Absence of Light (C+) 11. A Fool's Paradise (B+) 13. Rediscovery - The New Mythology (B+)