BREAK

Right after the impressive starting poin of A Blueprint of the World, the effective mixture of 80s-style neoprog, melodic prog metal and North American prog (Kansas, Rush) thata Enchant used as their distinctive banner took hold of a well-defined, recognizable scheme. The only other effort with the first (and classic) line-up was the demo collection Time Lost, while other brilliant Enchant efforts such as Wounded and Break underwent unstability problems in the line-up: the case with Break was that the bass player was gone and the rhythm section didn't sound as solid as before (this does not mean that Ott or Leonard are not proficient bass substitutes). On the other hand, the return of Benignus as a permanent keyboard player provided that sort of keyboard-based density (layers, orchestrations and occasional leads) that function so well as a complement to the prominent guitar deliveries (leads, harmonies, riffs, rhythm), missing in a large portion of Wounded. You can notice that the drummer's input is more enhanced in the mix than on previous albums. You can also notice that the band has assuymed a tendency toward shorter compositions, although the writing and arrangement strategies clearly show a continuation of the controlled complexity that had worked so well in Wounded. There may be a slight flirtation with standardized melodic rock and grunge-like guitar riffing in places, but mostly this is essentially a prog rock album from beginning to end. All things considered, the overall balance has to be positive, once again, for Enchant. The namesake opener is arguably the most robust album opener in Enchant's history, romantic in a menacing manner while the guitar shifts between relaxed arpeggios and heavy riffs. 'King' sounds like something that could have appeared in Marillion's Season's End or Holidays in Eden - definitely, Enchant can capture the Marillion heritage better than the original band, and keep it in an exciting level, both compositionally and performatively. Next is 'My Enemy', that comprises one of the most moving Leonard-penned lyrics and one of the most appealing Benignus-written melodies: the deceitful simplicity that encapsulates the track's melodic development augments the emotional depths of this story of a heart incapable of coming to terms with a finished relationship. The interlude with the guitar and synth alternating their solos is simply haunting. From then on, things begin to get a bit average wih the sequence of tracks 4-7: the hints to the new closeness to pop-rock and/or grunge are more evident in these items. The same goes for the very sentimental 'Once a Week', that may remind the listener of Roll the Bones-era Rush. 'My Gavel Hand' is an effective semi-ballad that brings us back to the recurrent moods of the Wounded album, while 'The Cross' recaptures the overall ambiences comprised in this album's first three tracks. While this repertoire is not as colorful as those contained in Blueprint, Wounded or Time Lost, Break still has an undisputed level of Enchant excellence. Those who love prog metal, neoprog and everything inbetween shouldn't miss this band or this album.