THE SUFFERING JOY

Let me make it clear from the beginning that I am a lover of modern symphonic and melodic progressive rock. There are two proponents of prog that border on being a little too heavy for me. One is Dream Theater, (when Dream Theater make melody a secondary concern to booming metal riffs) and the other is Magic Pie. Where Magic Pie consistently wins out, however, is their focus on the melody, which, in spite of the heaviness of this album, still shines through. Vocals are excellent and musicianship is superb. In the thankful absence of growling vocals, this is a complex and captivating album that grows in stature the more you listen to it. To me, this is the sign of a great album. Magic Pie are definitely on my 'purchase without question' list and I hope they continue on the same creative path, but perhaps with slightly more focus on the melody. Easily four stars.