THE OLD MAN AND THE SPIRIT

This wasn't an easy one to review. Not because it's inaccessible - it firmly falls under the likes of Dream Theater, latter-day Vanden Plas, Dreamscape and so on (the "esoteric prog power metal with pop sensibilities and operatic pretensions" style, with less emphasis on solos and with a female voice thrown in). But because of the ambitious concept, almost a story and dialogue set to music. What are these guys, in their late 20s and already talking about old men and their spirits? There's no song you call pull out for a distillation of their style - many tracks don't really end but merge into another for a symphony kind of feel. Well I must say for a metal band they handle their ideas admirably. The music is not original, but has a few distinctions of its own, and the overall concept is above the norm.