EXTENSION OF THE WISH

This is a progressive metal album in the style of Dream Theater and Symphony X, but mainly the first. All the instruments are played very well, more in technic than in feeling. It is precisely in the keyboards that resides the main difference between Dream Theater and Andromeda: Andromeda's are more spacey and less symphonic. The melody is much reduced in aim of technical and virtuous instrumentals. Lawrence Mackrory's voice can be a little acid, alternating between solemness and rage.

The album starts with a psychedelic spacey guitar which then leads to speedy solos and the regular melody attended with power guitar riffs a la Symphony X. The second track, "Crescendo of Thoughts", pushes a little bit harder with more complex and joyful transitions allied to the speedy virtuous play; the melody improves. The third track, "In The Deepest of Waters", starts in a darker way, with heavy guitar riffs, like it was taken from Dream Theater's "Awake"; more spacey keyboards, frenetic guitar solos and in the middle a mellower part. The next track, the instrumental "Chameleon Carneval" starts sounding like Symphony X's "Smokes and Mirrors" from Twilight in Olympus, but then it progresses to a somewhat danceable speedy metal song, with many transitions: very enjoyable, very enjoyable indeed! The same ingredients make the last tracks. The suite "Extension of the Wish" has the best melody of the album, somewhat sad and nostalgic and orchestrated with the long usual inspired, complex and dynamic instrumental parts. The last track, "Arch Angel" ends the album with a good melody as well.

As it could be apprehended from my previous words, not definitely the most original album. But we could call it a convincing praise to their heroes.

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Posted Friday, February 18, 2005 | Review this album | Report (Review #18841)

You don't have to listen a lot of it to catch the drift.

Andromeda is not running around the bush in any songs: they're here to show you what they're capable of, and it's a major cliché for some, and an appeal for othres. In this surprising album, everything is 140 mph, except for little segments of 1 to 2 minutes where they calm down. Apart from those well deserved moments, the rest is very ressemblant to what their compatriote Yngwie Malmsteen used to do at best. Malmsteen not being super progressive, Andromeda is on the other hand intensively progressive; many time changes and breaks a la Rush or Dream Theater and cool and original keyboards textures.

This is total speed metal but with more texture and colors than the traditional metal recipe. It's so fast, a symphonic lover couldn't tolerate a full album. There's so much to catch and demands a lot of concentration in many occasions; but sometimes it really lets itself listen easily.

A powerful and dazzling debut album, I wonder if their secret purpose was to show that Dream Theater or Sonata Artica are not that hot in the end!

This is shouting out loud: "Move over man, let us show you how."

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Posted Tuesday, May 30, 2006 | Review this album | Report (Review #79844)

What a great band!I've heard that they went a little bit commercial and spacey in their later albums but this one is a prog metal gem for sure!A technically blessed band that knows when to play aggresive and complex and when to play ''accesible''.Great synthesis ability,powerful compositions!Go and get it!

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Posted Friday, October 19, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #145966)

Another uninspired example of cheesy Dream Theatre worship.

For quite some years now an almost ridiculous number of bands have been following the Dream Theatre formula of progressive metal/hard rock. We all know this paradigm too well I'm afraid - odd time signatures, shred guitar, synth lines over the top, cheesy vocalist that sounds like he probably should have picked horse-riding as a career instead, bass and drums? Meh take your pick. This album does nothing to differentiate itself from the vast quagmire of unoriginal prog-metal mediocrity and is very much bound by it - and for a genre that is meant to be 'progressive' these are not very desirable qualities.

For Dream Theatre and cheesy prog-metal fans only.

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Posted Tuesday, May 19, 2009 | Review this album | Report (Review #216569)

We all have those bands that we're huge fans of, yet no one else has ever heard of them. Or perhaps they have, but they're just not as passionate about them as you are. Maybe they like the odd song, or mildly enjoy their discography, but wouldn't go as far as to consider them a favourite of thei ... (read more)

Report this review (#1776840) | Posted by martindavey87 | Wednesday, August 30, 2017 | Review Permanlink

Andromeda's debut brings us a great addition to the classic prog-metal ranks, an already over-populated and, at desperate times, uninspiring sub-genre. The first chance I had to listen to it was upon discovering the band right here on PA, taking a huge liking for the album's title-track. Even tho ... (read more)

Report this review (#489690) | Posted by Aspiring hope | Sunday, July 24, 2011 | Review Permanlink

"Extension of the wish" is a good work, the album has enjoyable songs and a pair of songs that maybe can surprise you. I think about this album just one thing... is an average prog- metal album, just that. Well, I don't try to say that Andromeda be a bad group, but they can make much more than ... (read more)

Report this review (#93283) | Posted by | Tuesday, October 3, 2006 | Review Permanlink

Incredible !!! Without doubt this is one of the best progressive metal albums of the recent years. Prog- metal of the highest quality. This album surprises me a lot, I don´t expect it will so good. If you like the technicall prog-metal in the vein of Dream Theater this is your album. All the ... (read more)

Report this review (#77867) | Posted by R_DeNIRO | Thursday, May 11, 2006 | Review Permanlink

4.5 stars Wow, quite simply, wow! Guitarist Johan Reinholdz can burn up the fretboard with the best of them. His pyrotechnics are impressive to say the least. The guitar sound is part classic rock, part neo-classical-metal. His riffing and solos never sound forced or inappropriate to th ... (read more)

Report this review (#65126) | Posted by dltonya | Tuesday, January 17, 2006 | Review Permanlink

The biography says it all!! A magnificent Swedish prog metal band! The track that really caught my attention is the very technical, flashy and melodic Chameleon Carneval. Wow! The almost five- minute long piece sounds like an eternity of pure melodic riffs, uncompromising of the heavy metalli ... (read more)

Report this review (#58097) | Posted by JayDee | Sunday, November 27, 2005 | Review Permanlink

Swedish speed prog metal.... hmm.... Combine Yngwie "twiddly guitars" Malmsteen, Testemant chugs, and throw in a keyboard for good measure you have Andromeda. I'm a fan of Dream Theater and love the musicianship, song structures & complexity, and variation & progressivness. However I'm s ... (read more)

Report this review (#18843) | Posted by | Monday, March 21, 2005 | Review Permanlink

this album is an essential piece for every prog-metal fan. high level of playing and inspired songs you get in mind for a long time.... the sound is heavy and keyboards are less presents than in dream theater. I'm dream theater fan.........except I just can't stand J. Labrie on vocals. ( sorry ) ... (read more)

Report this review (#18842) | Posted by | Wednesday, March 2, 2005 | Review Permanlink

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