VISIONS FUGITIVES

For me, Them starts things off on the wrong foot, it feels like a song that doesn't know where it belongs, the production makes the voice sounds muffled and the thrash riffs do little for me. Imagination picks things up though offers some really amazing moments, especially around 1:20 which kicks the song into higher gear? At least a different gear. Vocals fit better and the instrumentation is better on this one. The suite begins and initially I wasn't able to really get into it, I enjoyed parts of it (Allegro, Fugue and Dance for example) but wasn't able to get into the suite as a whole.

On repeated listens however I discovered just how magnificent this suite really was, I'm not going to go into it bit by bit, just know that normally when metal bands try to play classical music it sounds forced and contrived but this sounds genuine, as though it were a natural sound for the band. The low production quality and lack of a backing orchestra aren't really missed on this suite and in many ways it gives the album a more raw DOY feel that I think fits the sound.

The Healer keeps the quality at an extremely high caliber. Unfortunately, the power-metal based Days of Sorrow doesn't bode as well with me leaving the album with a slightly bad taste in my mouth. The album isn't perfect, the production is't great and there are some weaker songs but the sheer ambition found in this record and the amazing technicality of the musicians more than makes up for it.

4/5 stars.