TOXIC SMILE

"I'm Your Saviour" exemplifies progressive metal of possibly the gentlest variety possible whilst retaining ties to the genre in general and to the Dream Theater sound in particular. If you prefer your progressive metal to be hard-hitting, complex and reasonably challenging, you'd better approach this disc with caution. But those who find the concept of blending mainstream-oriented rock with progressive metal to be a sound idea, and who tend to prefer a slick production and an emphasis on easily digested melodies, will most likely find this latest effort by Toxic Smile to be one very well worth investigating.

I was introduced to Toxic Smile though their 2009 four track EP Overdue Visit and it instantly struck a cord with me. The weird thing is that I first couldn't understand why this music sounded so appealing to me. All it consisted of was long guitar solos, quirky lyrics, prominent piano work, emotionally charged ballads and a vocalist sounding like a crossover between Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel... wait, this does sound familiar!

Solitudes Sphere kicks the music into high gear with the band's heaviest and easily the edgiest piece of music featured here. You'll be literally diving into one familiar arrangement and then swiftly moving into something completely different, a great roller-coaster ride indeed! Insights sounds almost like a ballad taken off A Trick Of The Tail and I'm talking about an almost 99% rendition of that style, minus a keyboard interlude that temporary moves things into Neo Prog territory. Still, it manages to outmatch most other Genesis clones by actually sounding fresh and exciting at the same time as it offers something very nostalgic. Peak Of Delight moves the music closer to Neo-Prog territory while still retaining those classic Genesis arrangements. This is also the track where the vocalist starts to sound more like Phil Collins than Peter Gabriel, luckily his style shifts almost completely to that of Gabriel on the concluding ballad Freezing Rain!

This EP is a real treat for fans of classic Symphonic Prog of the '70s while still maintaining a fresh quality to it all throughout its Metal arrangement and superior sound production, although the latter is by no means a criticism of the original masters. Grab it like cupcakes out of the oven and scream like a baby of all the nostalgia (or the burning sensation) embedded into this wonderful EP!

***** star songs: Solitudes Sphere (7:19)

**** star songs: Insights (5:09) Peak Of Delight (6:20) Freezing Rain (4:12)