LEGENDS OF MONTA - PART II

Do you like old school progressive metal? Do you like fantasy fiction? Do you like old-fashioned role-playing games? If you gave a yes to the first and one positive response to either of the following questions then Odd Logic may just be a band you would like to check out further.

"Legends of Monta: Part II" is, as the name implies, the second album following a conceptual story. The first chapter was realized in conceptual, musical form back in 2006.

I didn't get too much into the storyline of this one, apart from the context: An grandfather telling a fantasy story to his grandson, with an odd twist at the end. What I did catch throughout the album are odd names for persons and places, and certain twists in the storyline which owes more to Dungeons & Dragons than to Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Which may limit the audience for this album to some extent.

But if you can tolerate this setting, and especially if you generally find these kinds of endeavours enjoyable, you're in for a treat with this album. Musically it is a well made affair. While not taking on as elaborate musical territories as bands like Ayreon, Dream Theater and Symphony X, Sean Thompson is a strong lead vocalist and as a composer he has a good ear for melody and a keen sense for the construction of engaging and pleasing textures. The odd quirky riff pattern does appear from time to time, but most times the melody is in focus, enhanced by clever keyboard patterns and synth textures. It won't make it into any record books as amongst the most challenging efforts made, but it's most certainly pleasing for the ear and the mind.

Spicing up the proceedings are the inclusion of cinematic sequences, with more or less good acting and sound effects to highlight certain parts of the story. Personally I found most of them to enhance the overall listener experience, but for some these segments may end up as to cheesy. I'd surmise that fantasy fans with a distinct intellectual approach to their reading and enjoyment of the genre will be slightly put off, while those who doesn't reflect too much upon the philosophical grounds of their fantasy pleasures should find these delightful.

A strong album will well made compositions, perhaps somewhat lacking in the mix and production department at times but then again we're not dealing with a record label effort constructed in a state of the art studio either. Personally I found the quality of the compositions here to outweigh the technical aspects of this venture, but the clinical sound enthusiast might get less enjoyment out of this one due to that.

All in all, a strong effort, tailor made for enthusiasts of fantasy and progressive metal both.