FAR OFF GRACE

Although released on Inside Out and being described as being progressive metal this album has little to do with the world of prog. This is a melodic hard rock band who have far more in common with Stratovarius than they do with IQ. In fact, the band they sound quite similar to is Savatage, who they have toured with in the past.

Although they are clever, and I know that I really ought to like this, I couldn't get a handle on it somehow. There is a spark missing somewhere. That is not to say that this is a bad album, far from it, but even though the guitars and keyboards sometimes rattle along at breathtaking speed and intensity I found myself easily distracted. Perhaps it needs to be played a great many times to be fully admired, but as I probably won't be returning to it again I don't think that I will ever find out.

Originally appeared in Feedback #57