DEVIATION FROM THE FLOW

Finland's Malpractice is a standard rehash of prog metal by the numbers. Guitar driven riff oriented prog. There is no doubt that Malpractice has instrumental ability, as demonstrated by the over the top Dream Theater-esque riffs and shred fest solos, but a key element is lacking: Originality. This is by no means a bad album, but simply much of the same. The songwriting continues in the same vein for the entire album offer little progression, even for the devoted listener. The opening "Assembly Line" starts with a crunchy catchy riff, moving through a rather standard structure, uninspiring vocals, and stale shred oriented soloing. Repeat for seven more songs. All the typical elements of prog metal are present: Odd time signatures, extended instrumental interludes, sometimes a sudden change in mood from a heavy to soft guitar passage, but nothing spectacular. Subpar production and weak vocals further detract from this session. Progressive, maybe. It will definately appeal to fans of Dream Theater and Fates Warning, but this is by no means even close to essential. However, this release does little to deviate from the flow.