UTOPIA

Despite not being a fan of Prog Metal, couldn't resist the temptation to listen Utopia by DISTORTED HARMONY due to the positive reviews that compared them with SYMPHONY X (one of the few bands of this genre that I really love), and also following the recommendation of my good friend Raya Kosovsky who always introduces me to good music. From the first song I was gladly impressed, being that DISTORTED HARMONY is one of the few Prog Metal groups that always gives priority to a good melody before endless and pointless soloing, and that's what I always search in a band.

The album is opened by Koyo Kume and the interesting piano intro by Yoav Efron, a passage that doesn't prepare the listener for the display of power and musicality to follow, strong guitar sections and very good vocals by Misha Soukhinin. Honestly, didn't expected this kind of musical material that blends with good taste and skills the musicality of Symphonic Prog a with the power of Heavy Metal....What great start.

The second song Breathe begins with a beautiful acoustic guitar soon enhanced by the keyboards, combining delicacy and strength, but after a minute the band attack us with a heavy section followed by an uncommon (for a Metal band) melodic vocal passage full of radical changes. Breathe reminds me of PAIN OF SALVATION, but with more mystery and drama.

Obsession is a bit different than the previous songs, being that after an extremely heavy intro they seem to enter into Alternative/Indie territory, of course with the usual musical blasts and a hint of PORCUPINE TREE, not my favorite style, but some variation is always good in an album.

Unfair is probably the most vibrant and frenetic song of the album, yes it's Metal, and it's well known I'm not a fan of this genre, but the track is really interesting, not only because of the killer guitar, strong vocals and outstanding organ in the vein of Jon Lord, but also because of the impressive drumming of Yogev Gabay and the precise bass performance of Iggy Cohen, in other words??..they captured me.

The album is closed by the versatile 12 minutes Utopia, that I won't pretend to describe, because of the extreme versatility and mixture of sounds that the band offers us, beginning with a Classical influenced intro that soon morphs into Heavy Metal softened by some surprising acoustic guitar passages, will only say that it has everything that a Proghead expects.

As I said before, it's uncommon for me to listen Prog Metal, but luckily I made an exception, being that DISTORTED HARMONY recorded one of the best albums I heard this year, so I will rate it with 4 solid stars (that would be 4.5 if the system allowed us to grant half stars), but will also be waiting impatiently their next release, because I'm sure that these guys are able to offer us something even better.

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