PROGRESSIVE METAL

The Prog Metal genre is known for having plenty of bands that just assimilate the sound 'created' by Dream Theater rather than adventuring themselves through this fairly new genre like Opeth, Devin Townsend, Cynic and others(I'm no metal expert nor serious fan) have done; Dali's Dilemma is pretty much one of those Dream Theater so-called ''clones''.

You can swear that John Petrucci, Kevin Moore, John Myung and Mike Portnoy joined together once again in 1999 and tried a new singer out. The result is obviously technically great from the instrumental side of things. The compositions while far from being bad per se, they totally resemble the style of compositions made by Dream Theater back in the good ol' days of Kevin Moore.

You've got the blasting shred solos, the great atmospheric keyboards, the diverse but powerful drumming and a not very audible bass, but when audible it's superb. The only aspect from Dali's Dilemma that make an easy distinguishment from both bands is clearly the vocals by Matthew Bradley who is far from being the high-pitched vocalist that James LaBrie was back then in the 90's.

To end this short, but hopefully clear review, I'll just add that this is actually my first encounter with these "Dream Theater clones". I for one, enjoy this album because it's as strong as most of Dream Theater's material done back in the 90's, so anybody who misses the ol' Dream Theater like I do, this band right here might comfort you. However, if you have already heard a dozen of these "clones" and are about to burn your speakers the next time you hear another one, you should better avoid this.

3 stars: if it had been released by Dream Theater it would probably have been 4 stars, however the lack of originality takes off a star.

When I first heard this project I felt a lot overwhelmed by the whole concept. Maybe two discs is too much and the amount of guest players and the variation of the music is quite impressive, so maybe this album is not for an outsider or someone who has not "get" prog metal.

Once said that, I feel that the album is too much eclectic to be considered as an exclusive "prog metal" album. It has a lot folk-eclectic-heavy prog elements that merges into a complete new thing that sounds great and you can really dive in and enjoy the journey. But, be prepared, maybe is too much to digest in one sitting.

Some people said this is cheesy but I don't agree with that. The story flows with a lot of great singers who develops a different character each and have talks about many existential things. In some vein, this can be categorized as a "Christian Rock Opera" but in a good way. The music works for the story and the guest player work for the songs. There's metal themes and some ambience and folk little spaces for the story to breathe more. I won't mention all the guest players because they are a complete army. I'm happy with the participation of James Labrie (from Dream Theater) who is the key roll in the story, but all the characters made a great work in their each part.

I think the creativity is evident. Having violins, cellos, flutes aside of keyboards, mellotrons, hammonds, heavy guitars and some growling vocals, you have to be very good to merge all that in a good form.

So, I won't detail each song because it will take too much time. My advise is that you come and try this album only if you are already familiarized with long themes and epics. If you like prog metal, you HAVE to hear this. If you like folk and prog rock in general, you can give it a try. A masterpiece, maybe, but for the doubts I will leave it in four stars. Sometimes I feel exhausted when I end the album? so, maybe is great but too much. This is an album that any prog fan needs to listen to before they die.

Melodic , perfectly recorded, power metal with strong influences from Rainbow and Dream Theater. If not too much prog, songs all have their melodies, are perfectly played, and have their own appeal. For sure, if you're Rainbow fan, or just like old-fashioned melodic power metal. And if you not afraid of songs, named "Army Of Slaves", "King For A Day" or "Shadowman". But you don't need to listen to lyrics though. Just enjoy music and nostalgy coming from early 80-s.(To be honest, I always prefer great Dio in that category, which has much better music in this field, don't speak about vocal).

Quality power metal album with few progressive touches. Real pleasant surprise for genre lovers. For progressive metal fans has very limited value,however.

After conceiving the story of aliens watching over humankind as it is some kind of experiment in the brilliant album Into the Electric Castle, the progressive metal mastermind Arjen Lucassen decides to tackle the job of creating or developing a more complex story behind the facts (or behind the story) he presented us in his 1998 album and the album The Universal Migrator is the first part of such development. The album tells the story of the last human being alive after the war that obliterated all life on Earth. The character was possibly born on Mars, because he has never have seen Earth, and lives his last days in a decaying vessel and dome with machines that make his survival possible, along with supplies brought by the Mars colonists, who were escaping the ravaging war back on Earth.

One of the machines that he has is the Dream Sequencer, a machine that makes it possible for him to relive past times in Earth's and humankind's history at will and the first part of The Universal Migrator album, entitled The Dream Sequencer, narrates many different experiences lived by him wile using such machine. He travels through many periods of time, but there are some periods that the main character gives special attention, which are the 21st century, the Renaissance (in the Netherlands and England), early Middle Ages (in the pre-colonial Americas and British Isles) and Antiquity/ Prehistory. Both the first and last tracks are very similar, possibly symbolizing the character's entering and exiting the fake dreams the Dream Sequencer creates.

Regarding the songs, musicianship and related features

Most songs that are in this album, both in part one and two, have a dark tone. However, unlike what many may think looking at the band's genre, all songs in the part one of The Universal Migrator are not progressive metal songs, but actually acoustic-driven progressive rock. Here, Arjen Lucassen really shows us how important Pink Floyd and Van der Graff Generator are important influences in his music: most songs have that dark mood and helplessness that are one of the most noticeable characteristic of both bands, besides the many obvious musical references, being the songs Dream Sequencer and Dream Sequencer Reprise the biggest examples of that, at least concerning Pink Floyd.

The part one of the Universal Migrator album, according to Arjen, was intended to be an acoustic album, but obviously that is impossible to be done with both the matter at hand (scientific fiction) and Ayreon's own style, so, despite the many electric instruments used throughout the album, such as electric guitars, basses and keyboards, there is an honest attempt to make the music sound as if it was an acoustic album: the timbre used on those instruments were not aggressive and there were extensive sampling of acoustic instruments by the keyboards, like string instruments (mostly of the violin family) and brass instruments. The organs were also used in an easygoing way with smooth timbres, as well as the synthesizers.

The album's quality is quite homogeneous, balanced and even: all songs are quite good and are able to make the album flow very smoothly. The highlights go to The Dream Sequencer, One Small Step, Temple Of The Cat, The First Man On Earth and The Dream Sequencer Reprise.

Grade and Final Thoughts

As he has done before and after this album, Arjen Anthony Lucassen is able to deliver us a great musical voyage through his cataclysmic future world. The Dream Sequencer is a great moody album that recreates masterfully the desolate atmosphere lived by the last human survivor inside his decaying technological home and coffin. The only downside of this album is that the part two of The Universal Migrator is unable to keep up with part one for not being as balanced.

GENRE: Prog AOR Melodic Metal.

RELATED BANDS: Asia (1st incarnation), Notturna, Royal Hunt, Alcatrazz, Deep purple, Rainbow, Uriah Heep, Shadow Gallery.

INTRO: Andrea Cortese, during my visit to Bassano Del Grappa showed me this CD. I do not let him do it, attracted by other CDs. In my subsequent visits to Pick Up Records, however, I bought it. As soon as I inserted the CD in the car CD player. Not bad, I thought. What has the Prog, I thought. Then, slowly, I found many similarities with Royal Hunt and Asia. When I found Notturna knew this band. Also because Notturna and Epica sung in Italian. Once at home I tried once more infos about Epica and here I found a review on a site dedicated to the Metal, where I discovered that I had already heard this band in relation to their cover of "Impressioni Di Settembre" (PFM) which was a remarkable hit radio in 1995.

FROM COVER TO FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The cover is a great cover, because in Fantasy style but not in Roger Dean style. The Rock are in Roger Dean style but the animals and orchid no. Also is a work of computer graphics. The booklet is not bad, essential but with lyrics and infos about these release. So the first impression was good. Also the music made a good impression in my mind. Too bad the band has disbanded shortly after the release of the album.

THE BAND: In general the musicians ar good, technically prepared, although their style is more marked towards aggression than to the technique. The sound production is too clear but good. In this sense this is also a minor lack.

THE SOUND: AOR is AOR, Rock is Rock, Metal is Metal. So the sound is melodic with good keyboards and not heavy guitars. The voice of Alessandro Secchi is aggressive but not memorable. Gianni Ghezzo is a superior drummer, not perfect but with great technique and power. In general is the aggressive part of their style that is in the first plan.

THE SONGS: Song for song, although easy as work, it is unnecessary work because the songs have such characteristics that would be expensive and tedious to dwell at length in this direction. The characteristics of the style of the band are very well summarized in "Confini" (eng: "Boundaries") a technical and aggressive Hard Rock song with Prog superstructure, great two vocal parts. Probably these are the more Prog song of Epica (except "Impressioni Di Settembre). Another good song is "Dov'è Futuro" (eng: "Where Is The Future")In this song a Funky rhythms are mixed with Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, also if it is clear that this is not an homage but a final process of a composition. In general these two songs summarized in good manner the style of Epica. As in all of this type of bands the ballad is a power ballad. "Anime Di Vetro" (eng: "Souls Of Glass) that close this album is this song. But, to the end, is only a normal power ballad. 2Impressioni Di Settembre" (PFM's cover) was, in 1995 a remarkable radio hit. Probably cause of this the return of PFM was reality. This song present a first part in Battiato style (similar to conception to Battiato's version... But this version is anterior to Battiato's version) and 2nd part re-arranged in Epica style but extreme close to PFM's original version.

IN SUMMARY... BUT NOT ONLY: "Confini" is a good album. Extreme close to Notturna, Epica's "Confini" is similar to Royal Hunt, 1st Asia, 90's Deep Purple... Not 100% Metal, "Confini" is more a Proggy Class Metal album. In definitive this is a Prog Metal album, clear buit also in the case of Notturna, Alcatrazz or Royal Hunt this is more an album of Class Metal, Rock or AOR for Progsters. Today I do not know if we can manage to get a copy of "Confini". But if you can find a copy of this album buy it. Not disappoint you.

Besides the more polished production and complex song arrangements, the most noticeable difference between this album and the bands debut is the first appearance of vocalist Russell Allen. Easily capable of singing both melodic and heavy lines, Allen is the missing part of the puzzle that completes Symphony X's trademark sound.

Musically, the songs are more rounded than on 'Symphony X'. What I mean by this is that everything is generally a step-up. The songs flow more fluidly, the solos are more tasteful, the harmonies sound more graceful, and the production sounds a lot better than before. Of course this is far from the bands most ambitious work, but it is a definite sign of things to come.

Whilst the chemistry between the musicians will most certainly be topped on later releases, it's easy to see here the New Jersey quintet have a winning formula. Michael Romeo's dazzling guitar playing and Michael Pinella's beautiful keyboards complement each other nicely, and Jason Rullo's drumming is as tight as ever. Highlights of their great musicianship can best be heard in the more progressive songs such as 'The Edge of Forever' and 'A Winter's Dream'.

I don't think anyone would consider this to be Symphony X's best album, but it is definitely one not to miss. A sure glimpse of legends in the making.

There are still a number of great tracks though. Beyond The Eyelids is a decent prog metal epic but doesn't really inspire me. But better songs follow. Again Riverside surprises me with their skill at short catchy song writing. Rainbow Box is a fine and fresh rock song that should rule the charts really. 02 Panic Room is even better and further explores the integration with the electronic wave rock of Depeche Mode, one of Piotr Grudzinski's a favourite bands.

The early highlights are followed by decent but run of the mill Riverside material that never reaches the heights of the previous album. It takes till a next batch of shorter songs till my attention is brought back to the album. Through The Other Side specifically but also Embryonic and Cybernetic Pillow are good short songs.

I happen to own the 2CD issue an that is definitely the version you should get. Lucid Dream IV adds another short instrumental to the Riverside Dream-suite, Back To The River is a nice jam around Shine On riffs from Pink Floyd and the final track, which is strangely enough the title track, is one of the best things I had heard from Riverside till then. Much of their other material had hinted at space-rock and here they finally give it a go. And how! Of course, the references to Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Trippy are plenty but it is done simply marvellously.

With REM, Riverside will not challenge the originality contest, but they prove to be very adequate at trying out new directions once in a while. It's no surprise really that exactly those moments are the most inspired of the album. Still, it feels too much like the band strived too much to obtain a certain sound instead of following their hearts and inspiration. Riverside was in need for a makeover. And it arrived in a big way with their next album!

3 stars for the regular version, 4 small stars for the 2cd.

Hence, I suppose, my utter surprise at the fact that Sieges Even nail all four of these areas in the best way possible on their 2005 release 'The Art of Navigating By The Stars', featuring for the first time the lead vocals of a rather talented young bloke by the name of Arno Menses. Perhaps it was this addition that gave this group the extra punch in order to go from great to a level of sonic ability that borders on the fantastic.

Still, Sieges Even have always had an interesting contrast within their music that sets them apart from the majority of progressive and non-progressive metal bands currently out there at the moment; an almost poppy sense of creating melodic lines with the instruments and vocals (like Yes or early Queensryche) juxtaposed against thrashy guitar riffs that explode out of nowhere when you least expect it, along with punchy drums and almost Chris Squire-like bass to give the whole set of songs a strong sense of rhythmic development, and this style is most clearly evident in kickstarting tracks such as "The Weight" and the oddly jazzy 'Lighthouse'. Still, there's not a weak track in the whole bunch here; the compositions remain strong and never fall into the traps of cheese or self-indulgence.

In all honesty, good progressive metal that stands out in any way at all is rare. For that alone, even if this album weren't executed at the level that it is, I'd still hand this baby 5 stars. As it is though, 'The Art of Navigating By The Stars' is the best melodic progressive metal album I've had the pleasure of listening to since Pain of Salvation's early 2000's material, and deserves any and all accolades that may be heaped upon it.

Interesting music in a genre that far too often simply isn't that interesting. 5 stars!