FOOD FOR THOUGHT SUBSTITUTE

This is a prog metal gem. Unfortunately these incredible musicians are far less popular than they should be, as their albums easily compete with the best works of Pain of Salvation or Shadow Gallery. At the same time, they are also very different. They have an unique approach to songwriting, most of the time far from the usual metal structures. This band might be really something for prog fans who dislike prog metal because of the rigid form and structure of most metal styles. That doesn't mean that they're not heavy though - the band has three guitarists.

The vocals are truly amazing - they have three vocalists and make as heavy use of them as of the guitars, so most of the time, all three of them are singing. The lyrics are also really clever. Generally, Heaven's Cry lyrics deal with social issues, environmental pollution and other serious problems. But they're going about it in a mystic and really artsy way.

The production is great - they created a good balance between guitars and vocals in the mix. Also, you can always hear the bass guitar - Auclair plays with a plectrum most of the time, and the bass has a life of its own on their albums, unlike many other prog metal bands where the bass doubles the rhythm guitar most of the time. The original CD pressing suffers a little bit from digital distortion (clipping) - you can purchase a remastered edition from their website.

Your God's Crime: This is quite an aggressive opener for an album. Most of the time, all the instruments and vocals play "in sync", resulting in an impressive sonic onslaught, only occasionally interupted by short breaks.

Out of Me: Magnificent song, full of exciting vocals, guitar harmonics and very dynamic.

March: This song starts really mellow and builds up nicely towards the end.

The Alchemist: This is one of the highlights. The song consists of six chapters, which are all very different from each other. The lyrics are quite interesting and not really about alchemy, although it is interwoven with the actual topic in a mystical way

Gaia's Judgement: This song features a beautiful acoustical guitar interlude, followed by some really great emotional vocals. The lyrics get very mystical again, mixing interesting subjects like new world order and environmental pollution.

Face: Here the lyrics are a bit more obvious, the song is about people hiding behind masks. The music is also great, the verses are really laid back and a bit funky, while the chorus is quite heavy - and towards the end you get lot's of interludes and variations.

Cruel Disguise: This song starts with amazing acoustic guitar riffs. This song is very dynamic, with the different moods of the music matching perfectly with the lyrics.

The Horde: One of the most interesting songs on the album. Crazy vocals, frantic bass riffs, and really interesting chord progressions and interludes in the quiet passages.

Passage: This short song is mainly based on synth textures and is the intro to the next song. It flows quite nicely, dwelling on minor chords most of the time, which turn to a major chord towards the end.

Wings: This song starts with some beautiful guitar licks. Based upon a major chord, this song is more uplifting than the others, and musically it's quite interesting - full of twists and turns, and a weird 7/4 based oddity.