CRISES

Brilliant prog metal band from Germany with three albums in their pocket since now. This is their second effort named Balance from 2004 released at Progman records. They needed 6 years to come with this release, but the result is excellent. Catchy arrangements, melodic meets more heavier elements always with good attitude and positive vibration. Great voice this Russel Gray, he knows how to handle his voice and deliver some smooth and jaw dropping moments, and he fits like a glove in this kind of music. The musicianship is fabulous on some pieces like on instrumental Storms, realy great track, and on last track , the longest from here End of a Rainbow , 12 min of sheer briliancy , prog metal of the highest calibre. Even the pieces are kind shorter, minus the lat track, they have enough prog metal elements to capture my attention and every one's intrested in prog metal. Quite unnoticed band for large rpublic, and for sure needs more respect and more reviews because they kick ass with this album. 4 stars easy, prog metal as must sound this style, complex, quirly in places, tight arrangements and above all an excellent voice. Recommended

BEAUTIFUL!This is the only word that cames in my mind to express my appreciation for a true wonderful album of very inspired prog metal!It's a great prog metal album ,made by very ambitious musicians,and we can say that they are skilled at maximum to compose very high quality music in the prog metal area!Some outstanding compositions which put the spot on the superbe voice of Russel Gray,a marvelous vocalist indeed!A vocalist with a wide range of vocal expressions,from rough and metal rage to enchanting melodic tones!The band is focusing on this debut album on the technical aspect ,but the compositions are very,very elaborated too!Great instrumental passages and surprisingly rhythm changes,diverse compositions and in the end an album of more than one hour,but,honestly we don't realise thet time can pass so quickly when music plays so wonderful!I like the production very much,the sound of the guitars is excellent and the drums are a precise place in the ensemble of the band!Crystaline and rich sound for the keyboards too ,a good production overall! The title song of the album BROKEN GLASS is a monument of near 20 minutes of a pure musical journey into the imagination of the CRISES world!We have here everything-long instrumental passages-many changing tempo passages-wonderful lyrics and a great,impressive technical display of this so heavenly gifted band!It's very heavy,double pedal drums are everywhere,muscled compositions and a very efficient balance between feeling and power rhythms!One of the best albums in prog metal world,strongly influenced by the mythical IMAGES AND WORDS, album,a refference in the genre,but without being a clone not even for a single second! And sometimes,the disciple is better then his master!!! 4.5 STARS for a pure prog metal jewel!