PROGRESSIVE METAL

"Blast of Silence" takes off with a heavy metal rock sound, with a powerful riff, gravelly vocals, and guitars as screaming as the Zeppelin-esque choruses; an alternative torrent of lava. "Hello Mother" for its ultra-bass rhythm and its heady, belching vocals, à la ALICE IN CHAINS. "The Other Side" is a nervous intro, a repeat performance before moving into an ambient sound, returning to dirty rock worthy of SOUNDGARDEN with a touch of madness behind it. This alternation amplifies the raw, raw edge and gives surprise guest Giuseppe NEGRI's riff the power of percussive hard rock. "16,000 Days" follows, a spacey micro-intro before Lef's delicate phrasing and the track's catchy mid-tempo with a stratospheric chorus. The progressive sound suddenly arrives on the album, ideal for asking the question 'where are we going?' A beautiful, strong, expressive track that ends with an ethereal feel.

"PUTFP" returns to the punchy metal-rock energy with a relative melodic drift; it's in the break that the progressive resurgence suddenly emerges with a haunting, surprising tune that makes us forget the heavy side. "Seven Arms" is a heady southern rock tune, with prominent guitars and vocals reminiscent of Led Zeppelin; astonishing, astounding with rhythm, energy, and modern rock. "Beyond Reach" continues this dark atmosphere with a strident guitar exploration à la RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE contrasting with the passive vocals. A melancholic track where Pat's expressive pad break echoes PINEAPPLE THIEF with its haunting melodic variation. "Mask Becomes The Face" features guest vocals from PORCUPINE TREE's John Wesley on this rhythmic and captivating track, somewhere between haunting and contemplative, for a tearful rock sound with a sparkling solo and a progressively apocalyptic, Dantesque finale of the choir à la 'Dark Side'. "Dive In" is available as a bonus track and is not to be missed, a long, captivating track, based on ambient alternative rock, with a syncopated rhythm and expressive percussion. Lef, languid and raw once again, supported by a melancholic trumpet, the guitars shearing the air with riffs make this the album to listen to.

O.R.K. continues to pour out a rock metal style full of tension, exploration of our desperate world, a schizoid sound enters it, hard with ambient swirls at times. If everything had been at the level of the bonus, this album would be a top of the month. Origin Profilprog.(3.5)

Except it probably wasn't.

Sadly, to my surprise, I've found this a very hard album to get into. I've had it in my playlist for what feels like forever, and I just can't seem to really remember anything from it. Every time I play it I zone out. The playing is fantastic and there are a few rather tasty guitar riffs, likewise, vocalist Torben Askholm has a great voice that really suits the music and its themes. But the overall writing is just so dull, all the songs seem to mesh together and just plod along at the same pace, all sounding similar to each other and thus, making it impossible to really distinguish most of them.

If I had to pick out any highlights, 'In the Comfort of Darkness', 'Hypernosis' and 'Downward Spiral' are all decent enough, but even then, I don't think I could sit and listen to them all the way through without losing interest. And it's a shame, because I know this band are capable of much better than this. But overall, 'Purification' just does nothing for me, and it's fortunate that I'm already familiar with some of the bands later material, otherwise, had this been my first exposure to them, I probably wouldn't bother coming back.

But this really is about Ron's incredible performance on his guitars. No vocals other than grunts, groans and the odd shout out on the opener "Bumblefoot". The 12 song titles all represent an animal disease. And those 12 diseases are represented on the cover art by 12 different characters. This was recorded in Ron's basement on his digital 16-track from August to October 1994, except for three tracks which were recorded earlier. This clocks in at around 45 minutes, and I do have a top three to talk about.

I feel the album gets off on the wrong foot(haha) with "Bumblefoot". I mean it's a great song, but those silly shout outs of "Bumblefoot!" several times are annoying. Hey, he was a kid here. And Ron is about entertaining, and the man is funny. I just feel like this is the one track I'd skip if I did that. The rest is gravy. The top three include that second song "Orf" which would have been a great opener. It just sounds so much better, and keep in mind that "Bumblefoot" song was recorded earlier.

I find "Orf" so uplifting when Thal is soaring on that guitar. When it slows right down we get some complex guitar, and I love his tone here. Repeated themes, and I really like those guitar expressions around 3 1/2 minutes. "Strawberry Footrot" is another top three. Love the heavy sound, and again the guitar tone. Just a great guitar track really. Finally, "Rinderpest" rounds out my top three. The warmth! Deep sounds before the guitar arrives soaring. I really like this, then it reverts back to that opening theme.

I also want to mention the 1 1/2 minute "Mailgnant Carbuncle" for the amazing guitar show. Ron has so many ideas, but also the nerve to follow through on some of these insane musical thoughts. He truly thinks out side the box, or bucket if you will. A solid 4 stars for these adventerous tales of woe.

PS I had already reviewed Ron's second release "Hermit" back in 2016, and mentioned there that he had a real drummer on board, but not so on the debut. Well, I had forgotten all that. After a couple of spins I decided to look up who the drummer was. Haha, what drummer? Usually in a case like this, once I find out about the programmed drums, the next listen reveals that in spades. Not here. I swear it's a real drummer, even after reading this information. Again, the man is so talented, in so many ways.

And that's probably a good thing, too, because some of these songs can be pretty average at times. That's not to say that they're bad, but they were clearly left unreleased for a reason! However, a number of these have gone on to garner almost classic status. 'To Live Forever' has been floating around the bands live set for years, and 'Raise the Knife' appeared on their 2006 live album 'Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour'.

Other notable highlights include 'The Way It Used to Be', 'Cover My Eyes' and 'Speak to Me'. Although, in all honesty, while this compilation is decent enough, I don't think I'd ever choose to listen to any of these songs over any of the bands official studio output. Still, if you can find it, this is worth owning if you're a die-hard Dream Theater fan.

CROWN LANDS managed to get their first EP out the year before JUPITER HOLLOW, but I actually prefer this Barrie band. I can't get over how good this 23 1/2 minute recording is. It sounds amazing, as far as the production goes. The singer reminds me of Geddy on "Hemispheres", he can flat out sing in that higher register, and he gets extreme as well. Kenny on vocals is also the drummer and both add synths. Grant adds the guitar and bass. It's kind of crazy the similarities between these two Canadian bands who formed the same year. While COWN LANDS seems to talk about RUSH constantly, JUPITER HOLLOW is more into TOOL and TESSERACT.

This duo has released a couple of studio albums so far. Their 2018 release called "AHDOMN" features four of the five tracks from this EP but given a makeover apparently. And they released "Bereavement" in 2020. This "Odyssey" Ep is one I just am blown away by. The complexity and power, but also the melodic passages and atmospheric calms. The singer can get extreme but it all sounds amazing. The only song they didn't put on their debut from this EP is the title track. Kind of surprising considering how good it is. Its the closer here. The atmosphere over the final minute is breathtaking. Like thunder kind of but a little different. Of course I link it to it's title "Odyssey" and it's just such an epic way to end this recording.

This album gets very heavy at times. That opening number called "Deep In Space" reveals that. Kenny comes in screaming the vocals at first. So many repeated themes on this one. It's like the rhythm section after 4 1/2 minutes is trampling the soundscape to end it. What an opener! "Hades Heart" is brighter, more prog metal-like with the vocals and style. "Over 50 Years" has this abrasive guitar sound to start as drums roll in. This is the heaviest section yet. So much bottom end. The vocals growl and scream briefly around 2 minutes. A complex track. "Ascending" is all about the atmosphere and melancholy over it's almost 3 minutes.

What a start for this young duo. Five tracks all under 6 minutes, but enough time to truly showcase this band's incredible talents. I have no doubt they could stretch these songs out in a live situation, but man, what a great teaser this Ep is. Another 2017 release I didn't get to. This was worth the wait.

Like most Sieges Even albums, I keep spinning it very often. I always check in if my taste over the vocals has shifted, but no. I firmly believe that if they sound all right to you, you may well discover a gem that you won't know how you lived so long without it. I'm not surprised seeing people awarding it 5 stars. But what they did next, was much more right up my alley.

A 16-minute live set staple sets the tone for the record - 'A Nightmare to Remember' is a well-known song by Dream Theater, and one of the most focused and impressive pieces of their catalogue, from the dark and almost goth-inspired intro, to the rampant soloing and all through the various passages of this complex track, it is a strong, impressive album opener. The doomy 'A Rite of Passage' comes next, with its melodramatic chorus and killer soloing, this is definitely one of the Petrucci highlights on the album, followed by the elegiac 'Wither' and the final part of Mike Portnoy's Twelve-step Suite, reprising many of the themes heard previously on the cross-album suite, here concluded gracefully, an excellent addition to this thematic project. 'The Best of Times' acts as a fine Rush homage, but this lengthy composition can get cringe and indulgent from the second half onwards. Closing off the record is the 20-minute track 'The Count of Tuscany' is another exemplary composition by Dream Theater that just affirms their signature style of prog metal, which is what this album is all about, as it manages to deliver an exhilarating and enjoyable performance of a band honoring their catalogue in the usual flamboyant way.

Spiral Architect and the related Twisted Into Form are two of the most technically focused progressive Norwegian metal acts on the scene, but as little has been heard from either since the mid-2000s, a new technically focused progressive metal act from Norway is a welcome surprise. Terra Odium is definitely that but also a bit more as the almost cinematic synths and orchestration provide Terra Odium´s sound with something neither of the two aforementioned artists had. So while there are some similarities because of Hægeland´s voice, the technical drumming of Mickelson, and the busy fretless bass playing of DiGiorgio, Terra Odium is very much their own band with their own sound. Hægeland is a skilled singer with a versatile voice and a commanding delivery. Imagine a singer who sounds like one part John Arch (Fates Warning, John Arch, Arch/Matheos) and one part Buddy Lackey/Devon Graves (Psychotic Waltz, Deadsoul Tribe, The Shadow Theory) and you´re halfway there to understanding how Hægeland sounds. In other words at worldclass vocalist.

The music is generally pretty heavy, but also melodic and as mentioned above features an almost dramatic cinematic quality. The synths aren´t omnipresent but they are a pretty dominant part of the soundscape and provides an occasional symphonic edge to the band´s brand of progressive metal. It´s not only Hægeland who is a premier league musicians. The rest of the band are incredibly well playing too and the musicianship is generally through the roof. The songwriting is also intriguing and varied, and although all tracks are at least 6-7 minutes long and "The Thorn" is almost 12 minutes long, "Ne Plus Ultra" is an entertaining listen all the way through the 52:24 minutes long playing time. The album features a massive, layered, and detailed sound production, which suits the material well and upon conclusion "Ne Plus Ultra" is a high quality progressive metal release. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

One of the things that bugs me about this record is the programmed drums and bass. He has not released a live record. Has he played live? This album is him on guitar and keys, and a lot of programmed sounds. A DIY styled album, but with some guests adding more guitar and keys, plus some strings and vocals. There is no guitar in sight on that opener "Everything's Fine" but lots of piano and violin. "Where Is Now?" continues with the piano to start out, but it turns heavy before a minute. Uptempo as well. Guitar after 2 minutes then a calm before 3 1/2 minutes as violin solos over the pretend bass and drums. Vocals are tough here.

It's riff city on "Smile" early on and some extreme vocals growling away. This is a long one at 9 1/2 minutes, and a heavy tune. In contrast we get "Nostalgia" a jazzy piece with tasteful guitar. Metal 6 minutes in though. "Wrinkle Maze" is a pretty good tune with the atmosphere, piano and strings. Harmonies as well, and guitar after 3 1/2 minutes. The closer "Daydreamery" is the longest at over 11 minutes. It's heavy early with sweet female vocals. It doesn't really settle down until 5 minutes in. Intricate sounds at 6 1/2 minutes, then the vocals and heaviness return after 9 minutes or so.

This man has his fans, tons of high ratings for his music. This is someone else's music apparently. It's not mine. This record along with his second studio album are for his fans only.