A SCEPTIC'S UNIVERSE

What can I say about this album.... I can understand the mentality of it's detractors, but at the same time I want to pity them for not being able to enjoy what I consider to be such a masterpiece of progressive music. This music is not about that catchy chorus that you hum along to, or touchy feely melodies that get you all warm and fuzzy. This music is about pure, unapologetic chaos delivered in mind numbing doses of frenetic technical mastery. When you listen to this album, you are either going to cringe and turn it off, or your jaw is going to hit the floor in amazement. Take a guess which one I am... The bass playing courtesy of Lars Norberg is nothing short of amazing. If you focus your concentration on the bass alone, which is remarkably easy due to the crystal clear production, you'll still have enough complexity to keep your brain working overtime. The guitar lines are fascinating in their technicality and at times beautiful...but don't lose your focus or you'll miss it! The drumming is excellent and manages to flow with the dizzying music quite well, never playing second fiddle to the other musicians. I will admit that I don't know many people who truly enjoy this album on every level...some hate the onslaught of technicality, or some hate the vocals. In recommending this album, all I can say is you may be one of those people who doesn't connect with it and I can understand...it's not a very accessible album. But for the off chance that you will love this album as completely as it's obsessive fans (like me) you can't afford to not listen to it. Therefore I feel perfectly fine with giving this album 5 stars. There is nothing else quite like it.