THE END IS BEGUN

Well now, this album just completely floored me the first time I heard it. I was surprised that a band could take a sound as mainstream as alternative rock, add some elements of metal to it, and then go create one of the best albums I've ever heard. Certainly this isn't an album for all types of progressive rock fans, but if you want to introduce a non-progressive rock fan (at least someone of my age/generation) to such music, then this is a great place to start them off.

As I said, the style of music on here is mostly alternative rock with some metal influences. 3 has drawn a lot of talk for sounding like Coheed and Cambria, but I think such talk really ends with this album. They have really developed a unique sound here and is growing and developing at a really rapid pace. As others have mentioned, the most notable person in 3 is vocalist/guitarist Joey Eppard. Saying that he's a beast on the acoustic guitar might be an understatement. The guy really has serious chops, and I enjoy listening to the way he handles each song. Chris Gartmann's drumming is also fairly interesting, but it's more in the way he throws in subtle things such as an interesting fill or roll every now and then.

I know some have said that the first half is the stronger half of the album, and I agree. The first six songs are some of the most interesting and energy-filled songs in the band's discography. Although unlike many others, I don't think that energy flounders enough in the second half that it hurts the album. To be honest, the whole album isn't filled completely with nothing but prog songs, although I supposed that's why the band is in Crossover instead of, say, Heavy Prog. But The End is Begun is of such high quality that I can't find a good enough reason to not give it 5 stars. I might even go so far as to call this album perfect, but I suppose that's a matter of taste. If you're fairly open-minded and can take some alternative rock with your prog, definitely check this out.