DARK

I have read reviews were they comment this album shows that Metamorphosis is strongly influenced by Pink Floyd, Eloy and Satellite. That may be right but farly.

The most influential band in my opinion is Porcupine Tree. I think is so much influenced by Porcupine Tree that with this album demonstrate this is a PT clone band. Mat be not the last era of PT but the era until Stupid Dream (the most Floyd era) The vocals are very similar to Steven Wilson's.

But not because what I have said before I should say this is not an original band and album.

The doubt about: ¿Which is the most influential band ...Eloy, Pink Floyd, Satellite, Porcupine Tree? is enough to demonstrate that Metamorphosis with this album is very original...with a very original sound. and very good music.

4 stars

This melodic symphonic rock band from Switzerland lead by the composer, vocalist, keyboardist and drummer Jean-Pierre Schenk, is getting better and better.

Upon listenting to their previous albums, I've been expecting that some day they could reach the top. This is done with "Dark".!

I really wish you guys as many followings like this as possible.

Metamorphosis set out to divorce itself from its comparisons to Pink Floyd and other bands (Eloy, Porcupine Tree,etc.), and with "Dark" offers a lot of different sounds, including some great rapid guitar parts as found on the opening track, "Song for my Son," and some great drumming during "Hey Man."

As the music in "Song for my Son" picks up in speed and intensity, comparisons to symphonic prog metal (Knight Area) comes to mind. And it is in these moments that we realize that this is a multidimensional band capable of crafting fantastic and original songs. In the highlights of the album are including the dynamic "Hey Man" and the moody "Knowing All I Do is Worth Nothing."

Overall, "Dark" is an excellent album that shows a band successfully breaking away from all ifluences. While much of the music here isn't remarkably new , there's plenty of good music to make it a solid and strong album in this particular vein of symphonic progressive rock.

5 stars

Well, this new CD from the swiss band Metamorphosis comes with some improvement over their last. This time they added some heavier guitars to the group´s usual strongly Pink Flooyd influenced symphonic sound. But the first song is a bit misleading, I should say. The rest of the CD is pretty much like their previous ones. It is another concept album, very well done and played. Also as usual, mastermind Jean Pierre-Schenk does all the vocals, keyboards, drums and even ´virtual´ bass (I guess he meant he used the bass notes on the keyboard for that).

Production is very good. The guitar solos are the highlight, very Gilmour-like, of course. The CD flows evenly. Nothing to write home about it, but good anyway. If you like PF around the time of The Wall and A Momentary Lapse Of Reason go for it. J P Schenke is a very talented guy, but he still has to come with a more personal sound if he is hoping this band will reach a higher level. Certainly they have the right influences and the chops. But songwriting-wise they still need to grow past their obvious idols nad do something their own. Dark is a nice CD, but not really essential. 3 stars.

There are many positive facets to this fourth production by Swiss act Metamorphosis. Originality isn't among them though; the musical landscapes explored here will be highly familiar to most fans of the genre.

In these 8 tunes, most of them just a couple of minutes shy of being epics, the band takes their cues from late 70's Pink Floyd; where pleasant and relatively straightforward passages are spiced up with spacey fluctuating synth layers and organ in compositions starting of slow and gentle and then gradually evolving through several stages to end up as richly textured majestic excursions with more than a fair bit of pomposity thrown in for good measure.

To add some additional flavouring to the proceedings atmopsheric solo guitars and the occasional symphonic expression is thrown in to the sonic tapestry; in a style and manner pointing back to symphonic prog in general and the Neo variety of it in particular.

The songs are well made and performed; the themes and their developoment show good quality - and as long as you don't mind the overall derivative sound explored this is a good album, in particular if you like the idea of music inspired by late 70's Pink Floyd given a few symphonic embellishments.

Based on this album, I might call Metamorphosis "IQ's little brother." There is an enormous number of similarities between those two groups, in both the sound and the style. Even the lead singer sounds a poor man's Peter Nicholls much of the time. While not necessarily a bad thing, this album is padded out with several extended solos, either from electric guitar or synthesizer, both of which outshine the compositions themselves.

"Song for My Son" A static electric guitar riff and flowing synthesizer serve as the spine of the opener. The lead guitar, of which there is plenty, is the real highlight, though.

"The Fight is Over" Mystical, bright synthesizer begins the second track. It moves between more open, electronic passages and gritty rock sections, both of which remain intense throughout. The robotic chanting annoys me, however.

"Hey Man" Electric piano and airy vocals start, but ninety seconds in, the music becomes decidedly heavier due in no small part to rapid drumming and an overdriven guitar. Several guitar and synthesizer solos ensue during an extended instrumental jam in 6/8.

"I'm Waking Up" This song has a simple acoustic guitar with a rather bland vocal melody and performance. It takes its time getting going, and when it does, it consists of a long guitar solo full of long notes.

"Knowing All I Do is Worth Ending" This is a so-so track with some excellent individual performances, but the piece as a whole drags and remains unmemorable. There's a bass groove that doesn't really mesh with the context of the overall piece, but it certainly adds variety. The ending, with that robotic voice, is ludicrous.

"You" Another simplistic acoustic guitar-based song, this has some dull lead vocals initially, but excellent vocals (with a great melody) once the song picks up with fresh drumming and electric guitar.

"Where Do We Go" After a hard-hitting introduction full of heavy guitar and organ padding, the guitarist takes an opportunity to really shine. Once he has finished, though, the piece becomes spacey, with odd noises from time to time, and then the band takes a moderate approach to bring in the vocals. "Dark" The title track is a brief song consisting of acoustic guitar and vocals. Of course, the song wouldn't belong on this album without a lengthy guitar solo.