THE LAST EMBRACE TO HUMANITY

If classic progressive metal in the vein of Dream Theater, Fates Warning, and Vanden Plas is your preferred style of listening, you might have become acquainted with the Italians in Odd Dimension by their 2011 debut offering, Symmetrical - and if you haven't, they've returned in 2013 with an even better release. Entitled The Last Embrace to Humanity, Odd Dimension's sophomore observation is one of the strongest examples of melodic progressive metal that you're likely to hear this year, and while it isn't a boundary-breaker by any stretch, it's a professional product from all fronts with some irresistibly memorable compositions.

Whether it's the heavy riffs in "The Unknown King", melodic chorus in "It's So Late" (one of the most beautiful tunes I've heard this year!), or technical instrumental ending to "Fortune and Pain", everything about The Last Embrace to Humanity is likely to resonate with fans of progressive metal in some way or another. Odd Dimension may not shatter any expectations here, but the result is so tremendous that it's tough to complain. Highly recommended!