ASTRAL PHASE

Besides the similarities with Dream theater, AnVision has managed to create an excellent album, in fact it adds a more atmospheric style and a very different voice, not a high pitch tone which characterizes the latter, but a more moderate voice.

The album opens with 'The Astronaut' with a small introduction which reminds me of Jean Michel Jarré, and it's an invitation to the trip you are about to take. Then, a good solo guitar pays the way for the singer to start doing his job as a good traveller narrating his story. Soon, there's a change in the style and the distortion indicates a maximum adventure of this trip. I think it's an excellent song to begin with.

Then we have SOD with a more metal sound, a more powerful guitar and a keyboard joining in with space effects. Good track indeed.

The third track is "Family Ties" with a more melodic rhythm, a good song that maintains the same rhythm all the way through.

"Mental Suicide" is one of the best songs in the album, it starts aggressive, then we have a sudden change that lowers the rhythm to give the opportunity to the voice to do its part, then it rises again for the chorus, pretty much Dream Theater alike. The solo is strong, aggressive and lunatic honoring the title.

"Mercitron" counts with good progressions and changes of mood from decisive to climatic moments, another good track in the album.

"I Can't Live Without My Love" is very clear, the ballad of the album. A song with a quiet guitar melody, an so does the voice. It has a small change when all the instruments join in and a good electric guitar solo. Not the best ballad in the world, but a good song to change the mood of the album.

"I Have No Fear" is the longest track of the album, it retakes again the powerful style that is highlighted in most of the album. In the middle of the song there's an intermission with piano that sounds really good with the rest of the instruments and again, bringing a small variation to the music. A good track to close the album.

Recommended!