YOU GO NOW

Kevin Moore's Chroma Key project cannot be further from what you expect from the man who was a founding member of Dream Theater and OSI and a collaborator with Fates Warning. One of the most prominent figures in Prog-Metal does about the furthest thing from the flashy pyrotechnics of that genre. Instead he produces a spacey, ambient rock project which barely features any rock instrumentation instead focuses on keyboards and samples. Bass and drums are present but used purely for keeping a beat, and guitars are also there but always kept in the background being used purely for atmospheric effects.

Nothing here can be described in terms of energetic, technical, rocking, or happy. The atmosphere of the music very much resembles a late night drive in the rain. In fact, at the times the music reminds of a movie score that would be playing during the very same act. The music sounds like a soundtrack most of the time. However, instead of being dependent on a film the soundtrack Kevin Moore creates acts independently and comes equipped with its own cinema embedded in the music. Everything is highly visual and highly atmospheric. The atmosphere is impeccable throughout the whole album. Moore's choice of organic keyboard tones perfectly create their own world in your emotions. He also selects the perfect samples for the situation and the music.

Kevin Moore isn't the best singer in the world. His ability is very limited, but he rather fits this music well. His half-talking/half-singing monotonous style really fits into the atmosphere perfectly. His voice has a way of seeming detached and distant like it's almost an automated action instead of a chosen decision to sing. It fits the dark nature of the album perfectly.

His lyrical style has changed dramatically from his work with Dream Theater. Instead of the rather overt attempt to sound philosophical and use of flashy imagery, his writing is very gnomic and deceptively simple. They serve better as triggering an emotional response then they do as acting as something to read into. Again, everything Moore does is aimed at enhancing the mood of the album, and he never fails to succeed.

This release is slightly weaker than his first one having one filler track that does nothing for me and a few other far between boring moments.