ASTRAL PHASE
AnVision
•Progressive Metal
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Studio Album, released in 2012 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. The Astronaut (6:16) - Marek "Marqus" Ostrowski / vocals
Release date: August 31st, 2012 Edit this entry |
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ANVISION Astral Phase ratings distribution
(19 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(16%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(32%)
Good, but non-essential (42%)
Collectors/fans only (5%)
Poor. Only for completionists (5%)
ANVISION Astral Phase reviews
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Collaborators/Experts Reviews
COLLABORATOR Errors & Omissions Team

Astral Phase (2012) is self-produced and it was recorded at the Raven Studio between November 2011 and March 2012 and finally released in August 31st 2012 by the Empire 18 label. The album was mixed and mastered by Marcin Szwajcer and the interesting artwork showing hands growing from the ground belongs to Piotr Szafraniec.
AnVision is formed by Marqus (vocals), Greg (guitars), Art (bass), Larz (drums) and Lukas (synthesizers). They also had the helping hand of Sylwek Malinowski on the percussions. AnVision follows pretty much the Prog Metal path, but with a twist. Their songs are a little bit more melodic than the average Prog Metal.
According to the band, Astral Phase (2012) is a musical journey of an Astronaut. This man travels in time and space, also between life and death and ends up reaching out to our feelings, deep thoughts, hidden dreams and memories. A deep concept. To make things clear and begin with the concept 'The Astronaut' was chosen to open the album, and again, not as heavy as we would expect of a Prog Metal band. Marek's vocals are a bit weird in the beginning, but at the time of 'S.O.D.', the second track, you're used to his singing.
'Family Ties' continues in the melodic field but 'Mental Suicide' gives Astral Phase (2012) a twist, heavy on the Grzegorz's guitars and on the Marcin's drums rhythm pattern. One of the most interesting tracks on the album. It's interesting to notice the Lukas' keyboards, kinda shy, in the background, but very important to the band's sound.
'Mercitron' is a continuation of the previous track and besides the melodic beginning it is another track when it comes to the heavy side. The middle of the song has a deep special guitar solo tough. 'I Can't Live Without My Love' is an acoustic ballad packed with acoustic guitars and a melodic guitar solo. The track is too long and it is also the weakest on the album.
The band cleverly chose 'I Have No Fear' to close Astral Phase (2012), cause it is one of the strongest tracks on the album with a good introduction and smart ideas. It is also the longest of the album tracks with nearly 9 minutes.
AnVision's Astral Phase (2012) is not a groundbreaking record, but it is well produced, well recorded, well written and well played by good musicians. On top of that, the band was wise enough to record an album with 50 minutes instead of filling the 80 minutes available, smart.
If you're up to the melodic side of the Progressive Metal, AnVision is your band!
(Originally posted on progshine.net)
PROG REVIEWER

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Crossover Team

This is melodic prog metal, with more than a hint of neo-prog about it, and the result is something which is really quite pleasant, with good vocals and interesting guitar. But, with just a single guitar, when Grzegorz "Greg" Zi'łek goes off into an extended solo it is almost as if the rest of the band are just sat there waiting for him to finish. There is a lack of cohesion and interest to take this away from being 'pleasant' to something that is essential. It is a nice album, but there just isn't enough to move it on to the next level. There isn't really enough complexity or layering for it to be fully prog metal, is too metallic to be really neo, and is too proggy to be called melodic, which leaves it in a no man's land where it isn't really anything and hence suffers as a result. I haven't heard the more recent album, but on the basis of this one don't think I will be trying too hard to search it out.
Latest members reviews
Besides the similarities with Dream theater, AnVision has managed to create an excellent
album, in fact it adds a more atmospheric style and a very different voice, not a high pitch tone
which characterizes the latter, but a more moderate voice.
The album opens with 'The Astronaut' with a sm
... (read more)
Report this review (#1047385) | Posted by Memo_anathemo | Sunday, September 29, 2013 | Review Permanlink
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