PROGRESSIVE METAL

Well, my concerns were wiped away fairly quickly on that opener. He has such a deep and rich voice, I can't believe he was with JOURNEY. His name is Jeff Scott Soto. We get Billy Sheehan on bass, and Portnoy's former DREAM THEATER mate Derek Sherinian on keyboards. Then add Ronald Jay Blumenthal on guitar. Some may know him by Ron Thal or Bumblefoot. An amazing talent. The DREAM THEATER boys co-produced this record and it sounds incredible. We get under an hour of music over nine tracks. And the opener and closer really set the bar high here. The only two songs over ten minutes although "Labyrinth" is close at 9 1/2 minutes.

We get a trio of string players guesting, with Derek coming up with the arrangements for those. We also get some guest ethnic sounds from Indian percussion and sitar. This album I believe has Sherinian's finger prints all over it. I'm such a fan of Derek's solo stuff where we get some barn storming music that is heavy and often straight forward sounding. Sure this isn't as complex as DREAM THEATER, but believe me it has plenty of complexity. But with the anthemic choruses, harmonies and such, this has a commercial quality about it, no doubt. I just love how heavy and catchy it is.

And sure I believe the not so high ratings on this site for this album have a lot to do with how proggy it isn't. Not a problem for me. Sherinian is not as prominent as I thought he would be but man that organ and the atmosphere he creates with the synths is all so good. Check out the short "Figaro's Whore" where it's all Derek. And the next track "Divine Addiction" where the opening organ kills. Is that title a shot at Neal Morse? Addicted? More like in love. I can relate. There is so much heavy music on here, so impressed with this one. And Ron Thal showed me some stuff on here I wasn't expecting. My appreciation for Bumblefoot only increases the more I experience his talents. You don't need that KFC bucket man, just play.

Flip a coin between the opener "God Of The Sun" and the closer "Opus Maximus" as far as my favourites go. But honestly other than those more commercial sounding moments and tracks, this is such a high end Prog Metal album. Highly recommended from where I sit. And another 2017 release I did not get to at the time. A solid 4 stars.

In my humble opinion Parasomnia is Dream Theater's best effort since Black clouds and silver linings. The drumming of comebacker Mike Portnoy and the tight production of his drums alone make me smile. And most of the songs are real good, interesting and entertaining stuff. So, no complaints from my side. Great return for the S-Tier Prog Metal drummer, Mike Portnoy

Overall this is pretty solid, The album features a recurring melodic motif throughout, which is something they haven't done in a long time. The last two tracks are probably the highlight of the album, with The Shadow Man Incident finishing on a Petrucci solo that reminds me strongly of the finale to Octavarium. Probably their best ~20 minute Opus since that one, actually. Some of the rest of it is pretty forgettable. In general, they overuse the recurring melody (when doing this approach I think it's better to define 3-5 distinct melodies that can be reshaped in various ways rather than just one). There's also a bit with halting notes over an overlapping rhythm that sounds like the first part of The Dance of Eternity.

"Acts of Violence" for the icy, soft synth ballad, before cutting into a thunderous break and the guitar that speaks more than it sings, this solo is immense; it returns with a melodic rise and the divine solo... And the voice, yes, one of the most beautiful. "Friendly Fire" for the instrumental that hurts; just pleasure with everything it needs, edgy, varied, and airy, and the eternal solo accompanying the fat synth?ah, this synth, Diego isn't a fool either. In short, a major album must have its instrumental, it's there: fresh, invigorating, captivating, contemplative. "Paradigm" is a beautiful opening, with a solemn voice that returns on a choppy, jerky, thunderous tune. We find the prog metal of LINKIN PARK, but it's mainly the melodic voice that carries this track; the djent sound becomes harmonious, yes, it's possible. The progressive twist is achieved through an ambient break; a cinematic finale brings an electric cuckoo with "Once More" for alternative rock. A slightly lower rhythm and you have a punchy A-HA before you. Well, the double-pedal break and its growly riff change things; a spatial cinematic ending before the oriental, Kashmiri "Mothallah" for a long, aphrodisiac and grandiloquent crescendo; the connection with LEPROUS and HAKEN's nervousness hence this delicate fusion of genres; the rise ends with a three-key wooden piano followed by a divine choir in apotheosis.

TEMIC: a mega-sound for a major band from their first release, contemporary prog metal that pushes prog rock even further.

Jasun Tipton started writing the music for this idea he had of a dystopian society, with the idea of making this concept a trilogy of albums. Sadly that third record never materialized. The concept is about "the powers that be" propping up this shaman they had taken as a slave and brainwashing him into spreading their message to control and deceive the suffering masses. The problem is that this shaman begins to receive light from the past, eventually realizing he is being used as a puppet. The picture of CYNTHESIS in the Bio here shows that moment as it were.

So we get the Tipton brothers and they called on ZERO HOUR's original singer Erik Rosvold who was on board, they just needed a drummer. When Jasun asked his bass playing brother who he wanted to work with in this new rhythm section, he said Mike Flanegan from ENCHANT. Mike played on ENCHANT's final three albums, including that comeback record from 2014. And while I was a little surprised at this choice, the results prove Troy knows a little more about drummers than I do(haha). "DeEvolution" was released in 2011, with the followup "ReEvolution" coming in 2013.

One of the biggest differences between the parent band ZERO HOUR and CYNTHESIS is simply that the latter have become less heavy and more melodic. Of course the focus is on the story, and we get plenty of atmosphere and mellow bits. ZERO HOUR does come to mind when Jasun decides to go all complex on us with his signature sound. Not often at all. We get a 45 minute album over eight songs. I do have a top three I will touch on.

The opening two tracks really get this album started on the right foot. Both are top three and I'm just so into that repeated guitar line throughout that opener called 'The Man Without Skin". It's mid-paced with depth and the drumming is great! My favourite song on here though is that second tune "Incision", but remember the title of the opener. This one is complex and uptempo. The best part of the album for me is 3 minutes in when that attitude comes to the fore. Some foot stomping metal right here. love the vocals, so much enthusiasm. Intense is the word and the drumming around 5 minutes in is impressive.

"The Edifice Grin" is my final top three and like "Incision" this one just kills with intensity and power. Erik shows why he has been called one of the premier vocalists in Metal. Then it turns absolutely beautiful after 1 1/2 minutes with heart-felt vocals. And no the heaviness isn't over by a long shot on this one. I really do not like the first 4 minutes of the closer. I know it's because of the concept but man piano, mellow vocals and atmosphere for too long. Too ballad-like. Yes the final couple of minutes make up for that. Heavy! How about "Twilight" where we get over 3 1/2 minutes of spacey atmosphere. The other track well worth mentioning is "Divided Day". It's the longest at under 8 minutes and it's like a miniature of the whole album.

I feel this is a step down from what ZERO HOUR brought to the table, just my opinion, but man there's so much skill on display here, with a cool story to boot.

"A Summer To Forget" is the track that opens the album and sets the tone for the entire journey. It develops in an engaging way, starting melodically but gradually transforming into denser and heavier passages. This progression showcases a band balancing introspective and atmospheric moments with bursts of visceral intensity. It is also worth highlighting the fusion between clean and guttural vocals that intensify the sense of internal conflict.

"Fall Back Into Old Habits" is the longest track on the album, allowing the band to explore their progressive capabilities in a broad way. Composed of intricate sections, the piece exemplifies the group's ability to transition between different moods and emotions throughout its expansive structure. The song features Wayne Ingram on solo guitar, adding depth to the instrumental moments. The track unfolds dynamically, alternating introspective and subtle passages with intense, more explosive sections.

"Seasonal Interlude" is a song divided into two distinct parts, with the first half being more serene and the second featuring heavier instrumentation. At the beginning, the song relies on ethereal keyboards and clean guitars, creating a delicate soundscape, while the soft and melodic vocals evoke a contemplative tone. Then, this calmness is interrupted as the track moves into its second half, bringing with it an energy that intensifies with heavy riffs, guttural vocals, and dense instrumentation. The use of saxophone in this section helps build an unexpected and experimental layer of sound.

"Weakening Winter Touch" starts with a melancholic atmosphere sustained by guitar and keyboard textures, thus creating an introspective mood. As the song progresses, the instrumentation becomes progressively more intense, incorporating heavy riffs, imposing keyboard solos, complex rhythms, and some dynamic changes. The track captures the sense of an inevitable transition, where the intense cold begins to give way to the promise of a new season.

"Spring In My Step," released as a single, represents one of the most vibrant and optimistic moments of Tempora Mutantur. It was even described by drummer Alex Bosson as one of the happiest tracks on the album, being a song that celebrates the feeling of renewal in spring ? that emerges after turbulent periods in winter. More optimistic melodies permeate the entire track even in the guttural vocal sections contrasting with the more melancholic tone of previous songs. However, even with this more accessible approach, the band maintains a balance between technique and emotion.

"Tempora Mutantur: Part I - Passage of Time" is an extremely emotional piece, where the melancholic piano and emotive vocals are the main ingredients in creating an atmosphere that leads to reflection on the passage of time. The special guest appearances of Sam Vallen (Caligula's Horse) and Brory Gage on guitar and harmonica, respectively, occur at key moments, adding textures that elevate the music to an almost celestial sound.

"Tempora Mutantur: Part II - Broken Pendulum" continues the suite, delving deeper into the exploration of the concept of temporal imbalance. The track begins from the idea of instability through alternating irregular rhythms and dissonant melodies. It is a journey that swings between moments of chaos and attempts to find balance, where the alternating styles of vocals, rhythms, and harmonies create a complex texture and expand the album's narrative about transition, challenges, and the constant transformations that shape our existence.

"Tempora Mutantur: Part III - Watch The Weather Change" closes the album with a reflection on the inevitability of change and the acceptance of constant transformations. The guitar riff is excellent, while the fusion of clean and guttural vocals stands out as one of the most striking points of the track, representing the balance between extremes. Overall, the track brings a mix of heaviness and a very melodic chorus, providing an interesting contrast between initial optimism and the reality of frustrations.

Although it is not an album with unique musicality or innovative elements which is common in progressive metal in Tempora Mutantur, the band demonstrated the ability to combine lyrical narrative with some excellent musical landscapes, thus creating an emotional auditory experience. Overall, the album is an exploration of seasonal and personal changes presented through the lens of progressive metal.

"Vovin" obsessively delves into the dusty paths of ancestral mythologies, biblical episodes, and esotericism, extracting elements that refer to the constant gods/demons dichotomy to understand and explain them according to the particular vision of the band's multifaceted frontman Christofer Johnsson.

From the dramatic and orientalised chords of the string quartet Indigo in the dramatic and iconic "The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah", the album moves between dense mid-tempos like the rough sensuality of "Birth of Venus Illegitima", the haunting and occultist "Clavicula Nox" with great participation of soprano Martina Astner, the peaceful beauty of the hypnotic "Eye of Shiva" featuring soprano Sarah Jezebel Deva (Cradle of Filth) and a great guitar delay solo by Johnsson, or the obscurantist "Black Sun", and combines them with aggressive metal developments such as the galloping "Wine of Aluqah" or the very fast "Wild Hunt" with the vocal contribution of Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) and the awakening double bass drum of Wolf Simon.

And for the final section, after the brief and symphonic "Overture" and the sacred choirs of "Black Diamonds", both included in the mini-suite "Draconian Trilogy", the steamy and disturbing mid-tempo "Raven of Dispersion", gives an epic closure to one of the best albums of the Swedes.

Very good.

4 stars

From the majestic keyboards of the duo Christofer Johnsson and Jonas Mellberg that groove on the solemn instrumental intro "Preludium", the album develops mythical atmospheres full of allusions to symbolism and timeless characters, in pieces such as the apocalyptic and galloping "To Mega Therion" (the great beast to which the famous occultist Aleister Crowley referred to himself), or the incisive "Cults of the Shadow" (rituals in Greek mythology), as well as the thick mid-tempo with oriental touches of "In the Desert of Set" (god of chaos in Egyptian mythology), or the gothic and dark "Nightside of Eden" (a sobering vision of the biblical paradise).

And although more elaborate and decorated with brief peaceful interludes, the traces of the early works of the Swedes can be found in the aggressive power metal of the Babylonian "Invocation of Naamah", a contrasting step prior to the epic "The Siren of the Woods", a remarkable and nostalgic composition written in Arcadian (extinct Semitic language of ancient Mesopotamia), surely the best song of the album.

The orchestrated and instrumental "Grand Finale / Postludium" concludes one of Therion's most accomplished and iconic works, and one whose novel musical dimension would become the guide for the band's subsequent releases.

Very good.

4 stars

2. "Night Terror" (9:55) a slowly-building wall of auspicious gloom turns, after 90 seconds, into a fast-paced run through the dark forest. When the band wants to open up for James LaBrie's singing of the verses they step into a syncopated stop-and-go kind of motif--very effective--but then revert to the smooth-racing run for the choruses. Four minutes in and I find myself totally surprised at the like of pyrotechnics or fireworks: everybody seems to be completely synchronized and attuned to the whole-band wall(s) of sound they're creating. When there is space opened up for instrumental solos, the guitar and keyboard solos are, unfortunately, almost embarrassingly cliché-filled. (Those guitar overdrive harmonics were so 80s!) Still, it is really nice to hear that RUSH-like unity in the eighth minute--and this is the motif in which John Petrucci reminds us of why he was one of the kings of technical metal guitar playing. Great solo highs in the ninth minute! The chorus, which is really maxed-out in the final minutes, is a little too anchored, stylistically and melodically, in 1980s "hair band" sound. (17.875/20)

3. "A Broken Man" (8:30) a song that I enjoy for its steadfast forward motion, even when Mike decreases the number of beats per minute he deploys with his drums; this is an impressive song! While Mike Portnoy is putting on a show for the first two minutes Jordan Rudess's keyboard prowess is in full effect with his "calming"/balancing synth wash chord progressions. James La Brie steps into the fold in the third minute to divulge the story line, he's good--very theatric and committed--but it's John Myung's bass play that now has all my attention--especially when there are any spaces afforded the instrumentalists between James' vocal lines. The metal motif in the instrumental sixth minute is cool with lots of tempo and chord-progression changes as Jordan and John Petrucci take turns proffering their pristine solos (even courting totally different stylistic motifs with each solo stint). Even the bridges are really fun to hear/follow--especially with the various fills each instrumentalist might "sneak" into them. The vocal is good but not nearly as breath-taking as the work of the instrumentalists. (18.75/20)

4. "Dead Asleep" (11:06) John Petrucci really gets some great guitar sounds on this one--which may feed into his inspired-sounding lead solos. The creative interplay between John-John and Mike is so exciting that I find myself pretty much tuning out/oblivious to James' vocal performance--until, that is, the muted effect is applied (briefly) in the fifth minute. The subject matter is quite obviously inspired by both Edgar Allen Poe and Blue Öyster Cult's albums of the mid-1970s (Agents of Fortune and Spectres). Jordan has some decent time in the instrumental mid-section to solo--and he is quite impressive. (I often have trouble appreciating much less "feeling" the emotional keyboard artists are trying to convey with their instruments.) Smooth multi-voice choruses also remind me of BÖC's iconic songs (as well as those of Def Leppard). From a perspective of instrumental virtuosity, this may be the album's most impressive. The song ends with some on-the-water creaking wood noises beneath a piano playing the melody of a famous Nineteenth Century classical piece. (18.5/20)

5. "Midnight Messiah" (7:58) DEF LEPPARD-like musical motif opens this within which a recorded voice is relaying his concerns about how to "really wake up." Syncopated Tech Heavy Metal ensues with John Petrucci and John Myung chugging masterfully along, Mike and Jordan riding along beneath, each adding their own subtle rhythmic and harmonic accents. It has quite a bit of Metallica's "Enter the Sandman" feel to it--though not during the choruses, there it sounds more like Uriah Heep, Iron Maiden, Megadeth or that ilk. This song is one that feels as if the band is kind of "dialing in" a mélange of their most comfortable riffs and styles. Not my favorite style or song. (13.125/15)

6. "Are We Dreaming?" (1:29) gongs, church organ, and tubular bells set up another voice-under of whispered vocals--this time from two actors. (4.425/5)

7. "Bend the Clock" (7:25) opening with some awesome-sounding distorted guitar chords and arpeggi brings me back to times long begone (the late 1960s and early 1970s). When James enters, using a breathy-delicate voice, immersed within piano and strumming acoustic guitars, it is equally awesome/nostalgic. Then they really get going: reviving a sound palette that is so familiar, so comfortable from the AOR Classic Rock bands of the mid- to late 1970s (Styx, Alice Cooper, Journey, or even Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, or Bryan Adams). This is my favorite James LaBrie vocal of the album! And my favorite John Petrucci guitar solo (despite the fact that it is totally old-school pre-80s Metal). Great if "classic" song! Just great! (14.5/15)

8. "The Shadow Man Incident" (19:32) a long intro that definitely highlights the band's unity and discipline--two elements that I consider marks of maturity and effort--the song really kicks into forward motion at the three-minute mark and then really around the four-minute mark when they're finally ready to launch some solos (with John Petrucci's rock guitar starting things off). At 4:50 things are brought down a couple notches--especially in tempo--allowing the tender (though portentous) side of James LaBrie's voice to go on full display. There is an awesome Freddy Mercury-like control and focus that James is putting into each and every syllable/vowel that is very impressive. At 7:50 the guitar and bass suddenly take off: speeding along like a dog suddenly seeing a squirrel. Mike, Jordan, and James follow suit (without missing a beat, of course). The unity is really quite remarkable--as is James' pronunciation of each and every syllable. The melodies are fairly good--especially the "night ? endless nights" ones: catchy and memorable. The instrumental passage begun at the ten-minute mark owes a lot to the twin guitars of bands like THIN LIZZY as well as the sounds of Brian May. In the twelfth minute the band shifts into "catch me if you can" mode with many short ever-shifting motifs and time signatures--the two Johns again shining while Jordan and Mike reinforce, embellish and accent. In the fourteenth minute Jordan surprises us with some classical music themes slipping out of his piano (as the rest of the band holds fast to their hard-driving metal motif beneath!) Petrucci goes off on one of his inimitable series of Lightning Flash flurries in the 15th minute but then the band melts into a bombastic theme for James to re-emerge singing in a crescendo/dénouement during the sixteenth and seventeenth minutes. Petrucci soars and dives in the eighteenth while Mike punctuates every second of the song beneath him and then, with over a minute left remaining on the clock, its over! We're left with eerie water-in-the-underground sewers, echoing shadow man laughs that turn to dripping in the bathroom sink followed by the ringing of a mechanical alarm clock and a "wake up" voice being whispered loudly into your ear. Classic, high-quality DT with very tight formation, classic Petrucci guitar solos, and a wonderful if limited (in terms of minutes) performance from James LaBrie. It's really hard to find fault with this other than it not being my true kind of preferred music to listen to for pure enjoyment. Still, there is no doubt that this is a brilliant product! (38/40)

Total Time 71:17

Though Dream Theater music has always been impressive, it has rarely resonated with my specific musical tastes. (So far, Awake is the one exception: there is something about that album that drew me in from the first time I heard it.) A long break from collaborating with one another as well as maturity may have served James, John, Jordan, John, and Mike well because the music on Parasomnia, while still being as impressive as ever, is both interesting and enjoyable! It may not end up being one of my favorites of the year but it certainly earns high marks for skill and power. (I'm actually a bit embarrassed to see that my favorite song on the album is the one that ticks off the most "retro" marks on the nostalgia scale.) I'm also incredibly impressed how little filler there is with "over the top" bombast and show: this is a band that is showing their maturity by being content with impressing as a whole band more than as a gathering of virtuosic individuals.

A/five stars; a masterpiece of prog metal from one of America's iconic bands reunited one more time.

Released in 2008, Uematsu and his motley crew had 21 years of video game lineage to take inspiration from, but with their third release, 'Darkness and Starlight', I think it just goes to show that what works as background music in a video game doesn't necessarily work as a metal song.

And it's a shame, because in theory, this isn't much different than the previous two albums, except the magic just isn't there anymore. The excitement and energy that made the first album so fantastic seems missing, like they're just going through the motions now.

The playing and production, as always, is exceptional, and there's a few highlights, including 'Opening: Bombing Mission', 'Neo Exdeath', 'Distant Worlds', 'Assault On the Silver Dragon' and closing track 'Life (in Memory of Keiten)', but in all honesty, these songs are still fairly passable, and I'd much rather just listen to either of the previous two records. In addition, the only vocals on this album feature in the title track, a 15-minute Japanese prog metal opera, which, I might add, is one of the most horrendously boring and long-winded songs I think I've ever heard.

Overall, this isn't a terrible album, but I really think at this point the band has used up all the best ideas from the franchise, and since they called it a day shortly after, I think they knew that too.