THE ORIGINS OF RUIN

This album is the follow-up to the excellent "The Fullness Of Time". It took me a little bit more time to get familiar with. This CD is off to a great start with teh 1st track. I really like the increase in tension/intensity toward the end of the "In the suffocating silence". Next, "The Death Of Faith & Reason" is one of my favourite. "Memory" has some elements that immediately remind you of "Sapphire". Good song, just not as amazing as the original.

"The Origin Of Ruins" is the best track on this album. It is a short piece of less than 3 minutes but features mostly keyboards and the great voice of Ray Alder. Sometimes I which it was longer, but I think it would loose its magic. Another emotional track in the vocal department is "Blind My Eyes" . I like the way the backing vocals support Ray Alder on this song. This song starts slow, somewhat echoing "The Origin of Ruins" before going into an heavier part tempo with another change of mood around 4 minutes before picking up and closing again.

The ending piece, "Falls On You" has some special meaning for me as I saw Redemption in concert in 2007 and they close their set with this one. When I heard that song I was convince I had to get this album. I am really fond of this track and its intensity in the solos.

The other tracks are just well executed song Redemption style. No fillers here but nothing truly outstanding about them either. Definitively, a well worthy addition to any prog-metal collection. 4 stars.