I AM ANONYMOUS

'I Am Anonymous' is the debut full-length studio recording by English prog metal supergroup Headspace, an outfit that combines the talents of ex-Threshold vocalist Damian Wilson, former Ozzy Osbourne keyboard player Adam Wakeman, well-traveled bassist Lee Pomeroy, guitarist Pete Rinaldi and drummer Richard Brook. Of course, this is the follow-up to the group's 2007 EP and is the first true representation of what this all-star collective is capable of - the music is rather heavy and technical, think of Dream Theater or Haken, with quite an upfront guitar-driven sound, flamboyant keys and organs, and a dynamic rhythm section. Perhaps naturally, the two cornerstones of this particular album are the tremendous vocals of Damian Wilson and the tight and rather delightful guitar tone, crushing but warm, with a strong feel for classic prog metal yet always sounding contemporary, at times reminiscent of the music of Pain of Salvation of Porcupine Tree.

Headspace focus on the development of longer pieces with multiple tempo shifts, which renders the music really dynamic and unpredictable, with a fine balance between heavy and mellow, given the use of acoustic instruments on several sections throughout the different songs. At times the music can get really labyrinthian and complex, but the band manages to maintain the core melodies rather professionally, intertwining them beautifully into the web of riffs and odd time signatures. The lyrics are furious and depict scenes of war and devastation, making this an effective and picturesque commentary as well as a dark observation upon the state of the world, letting the listener embrace the story and visualize it. Especially effective, both musically and contextually, are tracks like 'Fall of America', 'Die With a Bullet', 'Daddy Fucking Loves You' and 'Invasion', just bombastic prog metal epics, rich in texture and exquisitely-well produced. Occasionally some tracks feel a little denser and more confusing, like 'Stalled Armageddon' and 'The Big Day', but this does not take away a single inch off the grandiose sound of the album.

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