SYMBIOSES

For a debut album a relative "unknown" band this is a killer debut. These guys did a great job. 57 minuts of top of the bill musicianship. The epic songs with beautiful solo's and power ballads will satisfy the real progfan and also the "normal" rock fan. The layout and artwork of the booklet is breathtaking also the production is very mature. Seen the fact that the band did almost everything theirselves.. The music sometimes reminds me of Dream Theater but has sometimes more metal and 70's touches...just listen ! Critical note: The vocalist sometimes seems to loose pace and can't keep up with the high level of musicianship.If it wasn't for the singer this could have been THE album of 2004. Just found out that the band understood the importance of a good voice and they decided to work with a new singer, I am very curious about the next album ...

3.5 for sure

Second release named Symbioses of progressive metal band from Holland named Ulysses is a big imprevement over the first work, it's obvious because the first release was a demo CD, this is their first studio album and is much better in any way over the first. Released at Eclectic productions in 2003 this album has 3 pieces from the demo , Hero for one day, Disbeliever and Watching over you but better in sound and better orchestrated. The rest of the pieces are all good, all had a positive attitude and I like that. While, Symbioses is a step further in their career, and for sure has much more clean production and catchy tunes, they didn't manage to create something over the top or grounbreaking. Still the DT influences are all over, as a whole this album is pleasent. All instrumental passages are ok, in places even very good like on opening track World of confusion, the longest pieces from here Unspoken words and the final one A moment of insanity. The keyboards to me at least is the main attraction here, Ron Mozer know to handle the instrument and create something really good, but also the drummer and guitarist is near, delivering nice moments and catvhy riffs and solos. Well, the weakest point here is the voice of Raymond Jansen, he doesn't had a bad voice, but sometimes is a little to in front in opposite with the rest of the instruments, and sounds really mediocre. Also when he reaches the higher notes he is quite annoying. He is not one of the better vocalist I ever heared from prog metal, but aswell not the worst, he is in between, his range is the problem, not wide enough for this kind of music. Anyway, he will be replaced on the next release with Michael Hos, a much better and renowed vocalist. I will give for this 3 solid stars close to 3.5, because the demo was closer to 2.5 rather then 3, this album is better in any way over the first release. Pleasent, with nice compositions, but nothing over the top.The cover art is a painting, like they have on first demo made by the dutch painter Hans Kanters.