PROGRESSIVE METAL

'WDADU', as it is often abbreviated, features some really fine compositions that hint at Dream Theater's future direction, and while it is unusual to have Charlie Dominici's winding metal voice all over, it really does fit the music and the overall feel of the album, which is by all means a child of its time. The rampantly technical hair metal dynamics of flashy and fast-paced tracks like 'A Fortune in Lies' (which is one of the most excellent offering here) and 'Afterlife' can be quite enjoyable, while the more sophisticated and emotionally rich pieces like 'The Killing Hand' and 'Light Fuse and Get Away' indicate the strong influence of the progressive genre, with its many facets, over the band. The technical soloing as well as the exquisite bass playing are noteworthy, together with the excellent drums of Mike Portnoy and the theatrical keyboard leads of Kevin Moore - all indicative of the band's musical scope at the time. And not only this, but 'Ytse Jam' is a classic prog metal instrumental, too, and might as well be one of the best compositions on 'When Dream and Day Unite', an album that is far from perfect, but thoroughly ambitious and promising.

"Cannibal" opens the album and it´s arguably a powerful way to open an album. Vola´s dynamic and electronic tinged/keyboard laden metal style with punchy angular riffs and more subtle melodic parts works well with Fridén´s raw vocals complimenting Asger Mygind´s clean vocals. Vola aren´t the most mysterious or adventurous band out there and although Fridén´s guest appearance makes "Cannibal" a little different from the remaining tracks (although a few other tracks also feature raw shouting vocals for effect), "Friend of a Phantom" is a stylistically consistent release. It´s also a high quality release throughout. Memorable and effective songwriting (maybe a bit formulaic vers/chorus based, but otherwise well composed material), high level musical performances, and a professional, clear, and detailed sound production, which suits the material well.

To my ears Vola have always been strongly influenced by their fellow countrymen in Mew, although they´ve taken the melodic and epic sound into heavier territories. Vola have never been able to reach (and maybe have no intention to) the experimental and unconventional nature of Mew though. The other artist I´m constantly reminded of when listening to "Friend of a Phantom" is Katatonia. Again Vola are the less emotionally complex little brother in that relationship, and upon conclusion "Friend of a Phantom" may be a high quality release on all parameters, but the ultra polished nature of the album and the predictability of the songwriting ensure that this is an album which doesn´t reach the heights it could have, had Vola been a bit more gritty and willing to take chances. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

'In Your Multitude' isn't a bad album, by any stretch. There's some solid songwriting and excellent musicianship, in particular, with a strong emphasis on guitar acrobatics. And fans of Roy Khan (who would go on to front power metal legends Kamelot for a number of years) will enjoy hearing him in his earlier days.

The problem though, is that this is overall, a very average release. While there are a number of pretty decent songs, including 'Under a Mourning Star', 'Missionary Man', 'Carnal Comprehension' and 'A Million Gods', it just sounds too much like its predecessor, and in all honesty, there's countless other things I'd rather listen to.

So while you know it's the same band with the first two records it is surprising how much their sound has changed. Of course Brent was quoted as saying he'd rather have a gun to the back of his head than make back to back same albums. Yes this second one is where they start to scale back the insanity. To my ears the instrumental sections just aren't as complex or thrashy or cold. We get some melody and warmth on this one but one foot is still in the extreme. The vocals to my ears are more of the focus here.

There's at least some tracks I actually enjoy here. The final two numbers along with "Gelatin" and "Boil". A top four! Yes. this one surprised me often for how much it is different from their 1992 debut. I mean this is just a year later with the same players. Now I need to point out that the opener is something like I've never heard. "Horsepowered" at 3 minutes opens with the singer screaming and it really doesn't end. Or that's what it feels like. Awful and annoying to my ears(lol). And while "Daterape Cookbook" might sound funny to a young band, it's not.

I like the sample of a nerd talking to end "Boil" followed by a scream. "Michigan Jesus" sounds like a short under 2 minute punk song. Tons of energy. More samples to end "Republicans In Love" while "Patiently Waiting For Summer" is something that I used to do up here in Canada. It seems like the older I get the less that matters. This is about as normal a song as you will hear from this band on those first two recordings. I like the proggy closer as well.

Better than the debut but still a mixed bag in my opinion.

From the start, with the ambient instrumental The Scent of the Nomads, the album presents itself as a cinematic, theatrical experience. The Gift of Music offers hope, with an energetic intro and some beautiful instrumental passages, but quickly loses steam when James LaBrie's vocals come in, exposing a central problem of the album.

This record marks a clear turn towards melody, narrative, and mid-tempo pacing. It's structured entirely around a concept story, resembling a rock opera more than a traditional progressive metal album. The songs are shorter, simpler, and focused on advancing the plot rather than showcasing musical creativity. Unfortunately, the dramatic responsibility falls heavily on LaBrie, whose voice lacks the versatility and emotional range required to convincingly embody multiple characters.

There are evident aspirations to match masterpieces like Metropolis Pt. 2 or even the second disc of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Jordan Rudess shines more than ever here, with lush, orchestral keyboards that recall moments of past greatness. Other instruments, like bagpipes in The X Aspect or strings scattered throughout the album, add color to the sonic palette.

However, despite all these efforts, the songs simply don't hold up. Unlike great concept albums from bands like Savatage (The Wake of Magellan, Dead Winter Dead) or Ayreon, which use multiple or at least more versatile vocalists and strong songwriting to support the narrative, The Astonishing offers little in terms of individually memorable tracks.

Moment of Betrayal is a rare highlight, more focused and rooted in Dream Theater's classic style. But the second half of the album becomes dull, meandering, and hard to follow. It's simply too long, too soft, and too forgettable.

Conclusion: The Astonishing turns into a never-ending stream of uninspired, overly slow songs. The intensity, complexity, and technical brilliance that defined Dream Theater are largely absent.

It's a bold experiment, but one that ultimately fails to deliver.

Best tracks: The Gift of Music, Moment of Betrayal, select keyboard passages by Jordan Rudess.

Now I understand they went out of their way to make each album different, so I'm looking forward to hearing their sophomore release soon. It's interesting that they seemed to change their name to THE THOUGHT INDUSTRY with that 1998 compilation album, and also with that final studio album from 2001. I was also reminded of "Master Of Puppets" with this debut, another record I do not like. So ten tracks worth 64 minutes. And the cover art of course is a Salvador Dali, which actually fits the weird and chaotic music.

I also feel the production could have been a lot better, but it doesn't affect my rating. The one track that sort of caught my attention for the tempo shifts was the opener "Third Eye". Just the way they do it was really cool. The last minute is insane. The title track like most of them is difficult to swallow. Not my thing basically, but still, it's hard not to be impressed with the skills. Strange to hear lame clapping to end "Daughter Mobius". "Alexander Vs. The Puzzle" is mellow! That is news! With the last four tracks we are back to status quo you could say, and by this time I am done.

Maybe if I was an insect I would appreciate this more. But I'd rather be me. This will be permanently put away. Maybe beside the WATCHTOWER cd I own.

I like that this lineup has pretty much stayed in tact over the many years of this band's existence. They have released three studio albums after this one with the most recent coming in 2022. The one change was one of their two guitarists leaving, meaning that on the fifth album they are a five piece, but they replaced that guitarist on their most recent bringing them back up to a six piece. The singer has an Eddie Vedder styled voice, but with each album that becomes less obvious. This record features plenty of atmosphere and heaviness, although they have toned down the heaviness on here.

I do like the way the album starts off with "The End Of The Winter Lethargy" and how the intensity seems to be held in check, never breaking out. The synths create some nice atmosphere after 3 minutes. "Huge Black Hole" has a darkness to it, and again the synths are well used here. The vocals turn passionate on and off on this one. I'm not a big fan of "Egoist" but "Lunch" is one I like despite being fairly light and melodic. I like how the keys echo to open this track. "Our Story Is Beginning Now" is another good one. Plenty of piano and atmosphere.

My favourite though is that sixth song "Tomorrow Will Never Change". Melancholy here, especially the guitar early on. Love that bass coming out of the calm around 4 minutes in. And the wordless vocals late. "Musical Land" is uptempo and intricate reminding me of KC's "Discipline" slightly. Then we have that longest track, the 10 1/2 minute closer called "Swallow The Green Tone" which starts out sounding like FLOYD ala "Wish You Were Here". A great way to end the album.

I haven't heard any of the three studio albums that followed this one, but I have to say this is a band that has impressed me. I do like the Heavy Prog sound even though they are here under Prog Metal. And I also like the references here to fellow Poles RIVERSIDE. At least instrumentally.

Here we have another tragically overlooked title currently residing in Prog Metal, and while that placement may be accurate for the band as a whole, this is an epic concept album that would be of most interest to modern RPI, symphonic, and even crossover fans. While I have not heard their first four albums, this fifth album by the veteran band is what I would called "metal-tinged" progressive rock with all Italian vocals. It has its heavy moments and guitar-shred passages, but rarely did I feel like it was a primarily metal album. I'd say it's more like a metal band dipping their toe back into the roots of prog traditions while trying to tell the conceptual story about the horrors of slavery. It is very well done and should not be missed if you enjoy groups like VIII Strada, a band I once referred to as "power-RPI." Not exactly RPI, not exactly traditional symphonic metal, but robust, powerful, metal-informed, and benefitting from the power and passion of the Italian language and musical tradition.

The acoustic guitar with accordion instrumental is a lovely opening and introduction to where we are headed. When the Italian vocals enter with piano, it sounds like it could be Banco almost! Majestic, mournful, gorgeous. Enter the huge electric guitar sounds in the second track. I'll add here this is a more guitar-driven album than keyboard, keys being used in a more background role, though they certainly provide richness throughout. The lead guitar work varies from Petrucci-level shred all the way to classical, nylon-stringed delicacy. There are power-chord-driven rockers to crossover art rock sections to the lovely, diverse interludes. Vocals, both male and female, are superb. The 12-minute "Barnum" is a show-stopper, and many of the songs have the muscular, elaborate blend you might get from Epica. It just feels like grand storytelling willing to use every weapon in the sling. The only downside to me was that the production pushed the bass farther to the background than I like, but it's a minor quibble. Recommended.

5. Bleed Out starts off electro, somewhere between RAMMSTEIN and LACRIMOSA at the start; keyboard noises then the synthetic pop rock chorus inviting you to trance; a drop-off then an aggressive djent metal howl, a sound that the hardcore prog fan will simply compare to noise; yet the chorus is haunting, progressively ambient and incredibly heavy metal, bordering on doom-like, ah, it feels good. 6. Paper Wolf, a radio edit without too much musical architectural work; more of a flowing sound with a few rogue waves and a fluid vocal. 7. I Don't Know How We Got Here, with its USHUAIA-esque synth, is a consensual track lacking the pep that makes you prick up your ears; perhaps too soft? A marshmallowy air for the nostalgic synth love song with its heady final solo. 8. Hollow Kid, for its archaic southern western riff, its soaring riff, and its deafening pad. The rhythmic base reminds me of ROGUE MALE from the 80s, which proves there was something good in that decade. A bright, simple but well-crafted track, addictive. 9. Tray, for the warm vocal on a linear synth; a crescendos-like ending to the album where the synth takes the lion's share, moving away from the synth-prog metal sound of the beginning. Asger's voice rising in range and influencing the marshmallow tune. (3.5)

What strikes me most about this album is just how much it feels like a Portnoy release as opposed to pure Dream Theater. While we do get the bursts of the complexity and majestic interplay we know and expect from these guys, and LaBrie is singing just as well as ever, what is ever driving this album in the right direction is the sheer punishment being given out by the bearded gentleman at the back. It is almost as if Mike feels he has something to prove, and the result is incredibly hard-hitting and a drummer who is very much an integral part of the sound and not just someone keeping time at the back. His use of everything at his disposal is a drummer's wet dream, as he is everywhere at once and while James may be holding long notes, Mike is smashing his kit to pieces. This means John Myung's contribution can often be overlooked, while neither Jordan nor John Petrucci have as much space as one would normally expect. The production keeps the drums up in the mix, allowing for us to easily hear what Mike is doing, but never at the detriment at the rest of the instruments, which means we have one of the most exciting and vibrant DT albums in many years.

"Dead Asleep" is probably my favourite song on the album, which commences with a blasting riff and everyone punching above their weight, with James then singing the sad tale of someone who killed his wife while sleepwalking. It has harmonies, great rippling piano, huge riffs and a drummer trying to hit through his kit, who could wish for more? Packed with hooks it is a delight from beginning to end.

Dream Theater may not have been away, but arguably they have been somewhat dormant, but the beast is awake again, and prog metal is all the better for it.