FESTIVAL

I am not a big fan of such kind of heavy metal, but just used the possibility to listen this very freshly released album. No surprises.

Melodic heavy metal with some symphonic arrangements, very predictable if not stereotypic, too polished to be real heavy metal and not enough progressive to be good prog- metal. Many power metal elements make this music easy accessible, but with too strong commercial smell.

Vocal is strong, but not for everyone's taste, similar to early Udo's voice in Accept. Songs are melodic, but of very simple structure. Both guitars sound competent, though.

All album sounds as it was recorded somewhere in early eighties- stylistically and by musical arrangements. I think power metal lovers could be interested in it, but don't expect progressive element there. Early Accept/Udo albums as originals are better almost in all departments.

Almost 2,5.

Let met take a part in evaluating this album as well. I know your taste Slava (snobb) and I respect you a lot, but not everyone thinks like you. That's no offense, it's just that majority of people coming here will be less hardened in Prog terms and won't be so careful about what they like. More or less, I'm one of these, even also I began my transformation into something different, I hesitate more before rating something with extreme number of stars etc. That's life I suppose.

What we get here is quite Heavy Progressive Metal (most of the tracks), but that's no rule here, because you'll get also acoustic folk rock (Now) that transforms into Rock tune later (reminding me John Wetton's Icon a little bit). Rock-like ballad Winter Haven that again, ends in mixture of melodic Metal and Harder elements. Looking for nothing is also one of these, very acoustic, together with Afterglow, or at least certain parts of it.

4(-), Very eclectic album that has a lot to offer, of which main theme is Prog Metal. Except first two tracks which I don't like so much.

Average and ordinary

Being an acquaintant of Savatage's music, it was only a matter of time before I would find myself listening to some post-Savatage project of Jon Oliva. Trans-Siberian Orchestra was the first of them, but it proved to be an utter and complete disappointment in almost every possible aspect, so not much time after I have bought Night Castle I manage to exchange it at the store for Jon Oliva's Pain's fourth album, entitled Festival, which, by comparison, sounded like a mind-blowing album. However, the truth came to me after listening to it a number of times and comparing it with other albums I have.

As far as standard progressive metal goes (if there is such a thing), the compositions in this album are not dearing at all, staying at all times in the confort zone and having very few moments that are any surprising. Throughout the album you have that feeling that you have heard something similar, whatever the song that is playing; it constantly feels like you are listening to something you've already listened somewhere or sometime before. Furthermore, everything seems to be rather monochromatic and bland, even Jon's characteristical aggressive vocals sounds uninspired! If there is a way to describe this band's sound, I would say it is like a worsened version of Savatage mixed with some Black Sabbath and late 70's Pink Floyd.

That being said, I would like to point that there are not any bad song in Festival. They aren't extraordinary as well and do stay only in Jon Oliva's confort zone, but they are all quite listenable and don't have any further bad points besides not being special. It seems that there isn't anybody to chalange Jon creatively.

Due to that, I do believe that two stars would be the most fitting rating: only the fans (like myself) will enjoy listening to Festival.