SOPHISTICATED

"Sophisticated" is the 4th full-length studio album by German progressive metal act Sieges Even. The album was released through Under Siege Records in October 1995. It´s the successor to "A Sense of Change" from 1991 and features two lineup changes since the predecessor as guitarist Markus Steffen has been replaced by Wolfgang Zenk and lead vocalist Jogi Kaiser has been replaced by Greg Keller. The remaining members of the lineup who recorded "A Sense of Change (1991)" are the Holzwarth brothers Oliver and Alexander on bass and drums respectively.

Sieges Even started out being a Watchtower clone and later they were heavily influenced by Fates Warning, but on "Sophisticated", they finally found an original sound. Most of the material on the album are in a highly energetic and very complex technical/progressive metal style, greatly influenced by both funk and jazz/fusion. Keller has a rather distinct sounding voice and vocal style, and sometimes the vocals and vocal melodies are pretty paatos filled and close to sounding like something out of a Broadway musical and other times like they belong on a German speed/power metal album.

So needless to say, that "Sophisticated" is a very eclectic release, featuring a skilled band incorporating many different musical elements and playing styles to their music. The album features one jaw-dropping technical playing moment after another, and it´s not an album with much room to breathe (and that goes for both the listener and the band themselves). There are melodic moments on the album and a track like "Dreamer" is even very melodic in style, but Sieges Even always make sure that even the most accessible elements/moments of the music is paired with some crazy technical playing.

While the main elements of the band´s sound are vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, there are also quite a few keyboards on the album, which often provide the tracks with an extra musical dimension. The keyboards are played by two of the most prolific musicians/producers of the German metal scene in Sascha Paeth and Miro. "Sophisticated" was recorded at Kai Hansen Studio, Hamburg and C.C.C. Studio, Bräuningshof, between May and June 95, with producer/engineer Charlie Bauerfeind (another German legend), and the sound production is massive, powerful, and detailed. When the album opens with "Reporter", it´s almost impossible not to by blown away by the powerful sound of the album and the high energy of the music.

Upon conclusion this is a monster of a funky, fusion influenced, technical/progressive metal album and I don´t think I´ve ever heard anything quite like it (not then, not since). It´s not a perfect release, and there are some points of critique which drag my rating down a bit, like Keller´s thick German accent, which isn´t always that pleasing on the ear, and his voice and singing style are probably also both an aquired taste, but when all is said an done, "Sophisticated" is still one of the most interesting and unique sounding technical/progressive metal releases out there, and if you´re looking for something truly progressive and different metal, this wouldn´t be a bad place to start. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)