TO DIMENSION LOGIC

Let me be honest here: Vauxdvihl are one of those bands you will likely never hear of in your entire life. I had no idea they existed until a little over a year ago, when I happened to stumble upon them and their music on this very site. It was intriguing enough for me to track down a copy of To Dimension Logic on eBay after some searching, and I am being completely truthful when I say that no other musical purchase I've made in the past year has moved me to the degree that this album has.

From the first track, with its ambient, enrapturing keyboards and mysterious foreign spoken-word narrative, it is quickly evident that this is not your typical progressive metal album. Proper vocals soon kick in, accompanied by precise rhythmic guitar strokes and a ponderous electronic percussion line, evoking memories of Fates Warning albums (almost reminiscent of A Pleasant Shade of Gray, but that album would not be released until three years after this one). As the short intro begins to fade away, we are immediately kicked in the teeth by a furious percussive onslaught and powerful guitar lines. This blends into soft, clean melodies with some tastefull bass harmonics before shifting gears back into an all-out progressive metal assault. The vocals, courtesy of Stacy Handchild, are very capable and rather unique - not your typical histrionic screech, but a well-rounded and melodic warble that is at once expressive and attention-grabbing. The contrasts between aggressive bursts and off-kilter soft moments are played off each other beautifully until the song begins to grow to a climax that fools you into expecting full cathartic release, but instead provides you with a strange sort of slow release that is much more challenging initially, but no less rewarding, in much the same manner as one might expect from a classic Queensryche album. The other main element this track reveals is the incredible drumkit prowess of Chris Delov, as he drives the song with his creative acrobatics on the skins.

The third track is but a short, keyboard-driven interlude; however, this does not hamper its ability to showcase Fabrizio Gallen's excellent lyrical skills. The existential musings present within the short monologue fit with the album's lyrical themes of careful introspection and solace within oneself. A brief but captivating guitar solo leads us into the next song (my personal favorite), Separate Ends. The Fates Warning influence is perhaps more apparent in this intro than anywhere else on the records, but this is hardly a downfall; the short acoustic moment that is quickly accompanied by the slow reappearance of the rest of the band is one of the album's high points. The carefully paced narrative is broken shortly by Handchild's piercing cry, proving he has range enough to rival any progressive metal vocalist. From here, the song slowly twists its way towards the expected climax; only this time we are given not that, but a gorgeous a capella break as the chorus line is used to greater effect than any could have expected. Another fantastic closing that leaves the listener wanting more, something this band seems to have quite a talent for.

I won't further bore the reader with tedious track-by-track descriptions for the second half of the album, but suffice to say it is every bit as compelling and inimitable as the section already detailed. Their other EPs are nearly impossible to find, and I'm told they are vastly different from the style of music found here, but that does not change the fact that To Dimension Logic is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that belongs in every true progressive metal fan's collection. It will likely require a bit of searching, but the end result is rewarding in both the short run and the long; this record is one of those rare few with enough hooks to grab your attention on the first listen and the requisite depth to keep you intrigued on the fiftieth. Unquestionably a five star album.