VOID WITHIN

Thanks Brick for recommending this epic. "Void Within" was released in September 2022 as an ep by a Utah-based metal act HOURGLASS. They say they have not launched any official release for 13 years since "Obvious To The Obvious" but finally come back to the scene with this wonderful creation. Forgive me but this is my first HOURGLASS but I am quite amazed at this 24 minute-long epic, that cannot make me feel so long nor lengthy. They obviously retain artistic melodic metal soundscape in the similar vein to progressive metal pioneers like Dream Theater, Threshold or Haken, and let me enjoy metal-art grandeur. Brick's gorgeous guitar explosions, Eric's fascinating keyboard potential, massive supportive perfection by John & Brian's rhythm party, and elastic, lyrical Yahosh's voices ... the combination drives me crazy joyful.

Wonderfully dramatic sounds open the curtain. Their instrumental technique is beyond description. It sounds like they would like to launch their intention strongly through such a beautiful but powerful sound collective. The middle part sounds pretty sensitive and a bit depressive, as if they would bump against a tough wall, but vaporization of 'hope' cannot be heard via their brilliant play. And in the latter part, deeply heavy but bright uptempo sound components encourage me. Really epoch-making.

An EP thirteen years after their last album, to see the feedback? Since then we know that this title will appear on their next album, a 4 tracks of almost 80 minutes. Yes, HOURGLASS doesn't do things small. this group known for playing a prog metal in the tradition of DREAM THEATER but softer, with resonances of ENCHANT, FATES WARNING, they knew how to develop their own sound on a more melodic base; this piece goes in this direction with a long orchestral introduction, a melodic sung space. The second third alternates softness and neo-prog ambiance with languorous keyboards, an acoustic part followed by an electronic ambient feedback, eyeing the TANGERINE DREAM from afar; the last sequence with a melodic orchestration on one side and bombastic on the other, on prog synth and RUSH sets fire to this long title which until then lacked pep; the guitar solo which comes snatches the air while it is the metronomic drums and the keyboard which keep you in suspense; final vocal on the colorful American progressive rock metal, that of KANSAS, SHADOW GALLERY.