AN ENDLESS SPORADIC

"Waking Hours" - A more ambient track which slowly fades and builds, swelling into the main theme and becoming more and more busy instrumentally. Sound effects such as chirping birds almost remind me of Close to the Edge by Yes. Almost. 4/5

"From the Blue" - As the title indicates, this bright, energetic, keyboard-heavy track starts suddenly and doesn't slow down. Definitely one of the album's highlights. Although it is a tad repetitive, there is certainly enough change to keep the listener engaged. The short recap of the main theme from Waking Hours is a nice touch. 4.5/5

"Point of No Return" - This track leans towards progressive metal, but it's not quite there. Quite heavy though. Still a tad repetitive, but not enough to bore the listener. The beginning is a little rough; I'm not entirely sure where the first few notes are going. Despite that, the song leads quite well into the next track. 4.5/5

"Shell" - A nice break after the last two energetic tracks. This is a calming track with some very good piano playing. Definitely a jazz influence present. Subtle synth effects near the beginning link the song thematically to the last... More on that later. This song is another buildup, with the mood switching from sad, sweet, and slow to something a bit more optimistic. A gong hit with a foreboding chord at the end leave an opening that the next song fills nicely. Well done. 5/5

"Treading Water" - A nice transition song and great on its own as well. Definitely a lot going on here. Jazzy piano chords, a few brief variations of the theme introduced in Waking Hours, and a nice 3 over 2 feel (as in duplets over tripets, not a 3/2 time signature). The buildup continues into the album's climax (which occurs in the next song). A stronger gong hit and some spacey effects.... Not the best ending if you were to listen to the song on its own, but still a great introduction to the next song. More on that later. 4.5/5

"The Triangular Race through Space" - In my opinion, the heaviest song on the album. Not quite metal, but heavy, heavy stuff. A quiet lead-in and then the chaos ensues. Slightly repetitive, but once again, not nearly enough to be boring. I like the tom-tom work near the beginning. I also like how it carries the 3 over 2 feel from the previous song. Full of energy. 5/5

"Eternal Bloom" - Another nice break after so much energy. Beautiful chord work. More variations from the main theme show up in a spacey fashion, but as strange as it seems, it's hardly out-of place. I love the swell at 2:40 - here a very catchy synth lead is introduced with a sporadic guitar theme soon following. It ends with a gong hit and another short quote of the main theme. One of my favorite tracks. 5/5

"Subliminal Effect" - This is very, very much like the first track with the birds are replaced by something more sinister. However, instead of simply swelling into the next song like Waking Hours, it takes the listener somewhere completely different - a happier 7/8 segment. You can definitely tell the album is coming to a close... if it were a book, I'd consider this the falling action. 4.5/5

"Beyond the Horizon" - The resolution of this strange and wonderful journey. A great closer to a great album. 5/5

Now, the album as a whole. I was surprised to see I had only listened to 33 minutes of music. For an album, this is quite short. I like to view the entire album as one song because they fit together so well. With imaginative titles and abundant sound effects, the whole thing feels like, as Jordan Rudess describes it, "a wild progressive sonic ride." The active listener can definitely form a story in their mind while listening. I highly, highly recommend this album - this ENTIRE album. Although these songs can stand on their own (some better than others) they work much better when they're put together. I look forward to seeing what music this band is capable of producing next.

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