SINESTESIA

I'm not generally much of a symphonic-metal fan and most of my experiences have not been pleasant ones. So I was pretty surprised when this band clicked with me. Sinestesia are from Trieste and have been around for over a decade. They are billed as being influenced by a mix of symphonic progressive (Italian and English) with Dream Theater style metal. And that sounds about right, Adagio and Symphony X (without orchestration) may be other reference points. I'll cut right to the chase. The individual musicians are as technically gifted as their peers in Dream Theater (or at least close) and the playing styles are sometimes similar: heavy, bombastic, and shred-filled. But there is something much more appealing to Sinestesia. There are melodies and compositional nuances that immediately grabbed and interested me. There are some '70s Rush and Floyd influences that sometimes permeate the proceedings and the mixture was intoxicating. I'm not a shred or a blast drumming fan but they are used with restraint here and are complimentary to the melodic and powerful charge of the tracks, they add rather than distract. Vocals are in English and the singer can occasionally wander into Labrie annoyance territory with the dramatic wailing but for the most part stays below that line. He's actually every bit as good as the players in the band, passionate and with great range. The keys are a big part of why I like this: rather than the cheesy synth sound often employed by modern acts the keys here frequently sound like mellotron, adding that soft balance to the power. The 12-minute powerhouse "Aquarium" is a standout that begins with a great Rush like bass part and moves through a nice dreamy section with acoustic guitar before finally a flurry of fireworks by everyone. "The End?" is a power ballad that manages to avoid formula with a heavy right hook that kicks in after the chorus. A truly solid work showcasing a promising band. Also of note is the production by PFM's Franz Di Cioccio and the nice gatefold mini-lp sleeve edition of the release. Highly recommended to melodic metal fans.

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