SYMMETRY

Like a lot of German progressive metal bands, Anguish didn't stick around long enough to make much of an impact or to gain any kind of recognition. Which is a shame, because 'Symmetry', their second and last album is pretty decent.

While I'm under no illusions that a German prog metal group called "Anguish" were destined to become stadium headliners, I do think it's a shame this band didn't stick around, as the potential is evident on this record that this band could have come up with some pretty good stuff, given time to develop and mature, of course.

Typical with the genre, this album is full of complex compositions and odd time-signatures. However, I like that Anguish don't focus too much on virtuoso musicianship and have a more "song-heavy" style, with lots of emphasis on keyboards. Some great examples can be heard on tracks such as 'N.E.W.', 'Dreaming', 'Obsidian Lies' and the title track.

'Symmetry' may seem like another generic prog metal release, and in all fairness it mostly is, but that doesn't make it a bad album. If you can find it cheap, give it a chance, and discover for yourself that it's definitely a worthy addition to any collection.