ALL THAT YOU FEAR IS GONE

Very well produced, great sounding heavy prog rock--much like their debut I Am Anonymous. As a whole the album has great recording and engineering of very competent musical compositions with great theatric vocals from DAMIAN WILSON and awesomely controlled performances from all instrumentalists--including keyboard player Adam WAKEMAN, bass/Chapman Stick player Lee POMEROY, and drummer Adam FAULKNER and guitarist Pete RINALDI. The journey the band takes me on makes me feel as though I am listening to a modern, heavier, almost-metal version of Jesus Christ Superstar. These guys are all polished pros. I just wish there was something new here, something wowing. It is very competent, beautiful sounding heavy prog, but nothing much more. All songs are good--very polished with pretty amazing sonic clarity and power. It's just missing something. And it's too long. (73 minutes.) Maybe the real problem is that it does, in fact, sound so much like their debut; it's as if they have just rehashed previously travelled material with new lyrics. Or maybe it's the feeling that I'm listening to the modern version of FOREIGNER.

Best songs: the prog epic 6. "The Science Within Us" (13:14) and the finale, "Secular Soul" (10:36).

3.5 star album marked up for amazing sound and top notch musicianship/performances.

The opening of Headspace' new album, Road to Supremacy, and certainly the vocals made me feel like listening to an 80s or 90s AOR album. Maybe one by Survivor or Foreigner or perhaps Don Airey's magnificent album K2 - Tales of Triumph and Tragedy. When the music speeds up, that quickly changes - the music moves into solid heavy rock, with sometimes Yes or Rush like bass, and high pitched, wailing keyboards in the background - before going back to a soft piano tune. As solid, and more in vein of a lighter (older) Dream Theater is Your Life Will Change.

The band is capable of doing that, but also of other things - as they show on Polluted Alcohol, a track they described in an interview with iO Pages as having amore 'Paris Texas' vibe. Also on Kill You with Kindness, which has a melodic, melancholic midsection, or the somewhat psychedelic The Element does the band show it's potential for variation.

The musicianship is great, and I love the tightness of Adam Faulkner's drums, the growling of Lee Pomeray's bass and the vocals of Damian Wilson. I'm not too fond of the wailing keyboards but Adam Wakeman shows he can do other things as well, and Pete Rinaldi is far form your average shredder.

This musician ship as well as the variation in music are as evident in the 13 minute track The Science Within Us as in the album throughout, however, I have a hard time spotting something that is really new and original - or something that really catches me and makes me go back again and again. Maybe the album needs more getting used to, maybe it just isn't there. Overall, it's a solid album to have, but not as special as it could have been, given the resumes of the band members. Try before you buy, just in case.

Also published on my blog www.angelosrockorphanage.com

This superband is back with the new drummer Adam Falkner to offer us a well crafted melodic progressive metal album with some classical tones. The songwriting is strong showing some inspired musicians that know how to balance technique and emotions. The overall sound is on the metal prog rock side but everything is moderate by the vocals of Damien and some choirs. We have few instrumental passages despite many rhythm changes but not too much to sacrifice the flow of the music. The keyboards, the piano, and some acoustic guitar have plenty space and the band don't use too many guitars solos, but when they do, it's very effective. The production is top notch which always add to the enjoyment of this 70 minutes album. If the band show some influences from Haken in some places and to other bands in the realm of Progressive Metal, they have succeeded to create something refreshing that I am sure many will enjoy.