WAY BACK HOME

Bastian Per's Way Back Home is an album that I feel like you need to be a certain type of music fan to really get a lot out of, this being one that already has an inherent liking towards a lot of the standard conventions of prog metal or at least the heavier side of prog, all of which are presented in a rather dramatic, passionate way. As time has gone on I've found myself gravitating further away to such music, but even so I still think that this one is interesting enough to have some pertinent comments to make about it. Stylistically there's a lot of influence that has been lifted from bands such as Dream Theater and early Haken, with grandiose passages being contrasted with more heavy, metal oriented elements to attempt providing a stronger sense of momentum to the music. This is especially notable in the opening track A Better World and Overture, which are also some of my favourites here due to the way it definitely feels as if it leans far harder on the symphonic, almost whimsical elements of prog soundscapes, with some interesting keyboard usage throughout and a sense of progression that almost feels as if it's telling its own little story. I appreciate this for the way it's very competently structured and is able to have its own bit of distinction in the genre, for however subtle it might be, as giving things a degree of personality is something I always consider an essential aspect of effective music creation. I'll say however that I'm not quite sure how I feel about some of the more conventional tracks that appear throughout however. This is mainly because while I enjoy the underlying sense of simultaneous frustration and desire to create an empowering tone to rise above the tough circumstances people find themselves in, the music itself can often border a bit too much on a sort of 70s-80s AOR sound that ends up making everything feel as if some of this emotional impact ends up being lost.

I personally believe that there are a lot of elements of this that are on the cusp of transforming into something a bit more distinct and powerful that are simply not quite explored enough here to separate a lot of the music from those similar to it. This album often feels as if it's at its best when the more grandiose, detailed areas of the instrumentation is at the forefront, and it really feels to me like if a bit more of this epic, progressive feel was to be combined with the more straightforward pop elements incorporated, it would allow both sides to flourish in a far more meaningful way and serve to bolster the emotional side of what is brought to the table here. Despite the fact that I've brought up a lot of criticisms and all that, I'll still say that I find this quite a competently put together album that will undoubtedly appeal to people who are more strongly invested in this style of prog music on the whole, as it's no longer exactly my cup of tea, but I can still appreciate this one. There's quite a bit of potential here and I believe that Bastian Per can certainly put out something truly great to me in time, as I definitely see a bit more of an artistic voice and more professional, refined compositions developing here when compared to their debut Epic Journey, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens from here. Give this one a shot if you're typically into progressive metal, it touches upon a lot of the same elements of appeal, and while I wouldn't call it essential, it's rather good for those who are typically fans of this music.

Best tracks: Overture, Deadly Virus, The Mystery Behind

Weakest tracks: Defeat Device, Through the Fires, Way Back Home