UNQUESTIONABLE PRESENCE

The first time I listened to this album, I remember lying in bed with an MP3 player and some high quality ear buds, and after listening to about 30 seconds of mother man, I could not stop laughing. I have never heard anything so ridiculously fast and change so rapidly in my life. It took me a while to get used to his voice. It seemed a little excessive and hard to take seriously; but after a while I acquired the taste.

A blurb about what I think about the individual songs: Mother Man is definitely one of the finer pieces on the album, with the broad and suspenseful introduction. The solo in the middle is outstanding. I find Unquestionable Presence is one of the more . The solo brings one word to mind: wow. It's completely ridiculous, just off the charts. Retribution is a bit punchy, blatantly forceful, and unchanging (relatively) at times; Still a great song. Enthralled in Essence and An Incarnation's Dream are the two songs that are by far the high point of the album for me. Just unspeakably awesome. Enthralled in Essence has just a wonderful pounding entrance and keeps the momentum for the entire song. Totally exhilarating guitar solo about halfway through. An Incarnation's dream's introduction is astounding. The transitions are at the pinnacle of greatness. impossibly astounding. I enjoy how throughout the song it seems to suddenly completely cease, then commence with just as much momentum it had before. I love the introduction to The Formative Years for its contrasting alternating short segments. It just sounds wonderful together. Brains is okay, no real opinion on this song. And the Psychic Saw is generally a wonderful way to ending to the album, with its (sometimes) lightening fast pace and sudden tempo and time signature changes.

I highly recommend this album to anyone who is at all into progressive metal. Totally freaking 100% awesome. A wonderful gateway into tech metal.