DIMENSIONAUT

"Dimensionaut" is the debut full-length studio album by multi-national progressive rock act Sound of Contact. The album was released through Inside Out Music in May 2013. Sound of Contact formed in 2009 when lead vocalist/drummer Simon Collins (son of Phil Collins) approached keyboard/guitarist Dave Kerzner (Kevin Gilbert, Alan Parsons...etc.) about forming a band. The two of them started writing material and researching lyrical concepts (guitarist/bassist Kelly Nordstrom was also involved in this process) while hiring additional musicians for the project.

"Dimensionaut" is a concept album feauring the story of a protagonist able to travel through time and different dimensions and galaxies. Ultimately he returns home because of love, but is met with the dilemma that only he is able to travel through time/dimensions, and no one can travel with him. So it´s basically a sci-fi story of love, longing, and the choices we have to make as humans to find happiness.

Stylistically the material on "Dimensionaut" is progressive rock in the more polished and pop oriented end of the scale. Collins has a voice and singing style which are not far removed from his father´s ditto, and therefore comparisons to Genesis are inevitable. The instrumental part of the music isn´t miles from the iconic British progressive rock act either (funny enough closer in style to the mid-90s "Calling All Stations"-era Genesis, than to the Genesis releases featuring Phil Collins), but it´s actually Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson, I´m mostly reminded of, or maybe a contemporary act like Frost*. So while the music isn´t devoid of 70s progressive rock influences, this is predominantly a more fresh and modern sounding progressive rock release.

"Dimensionaut" is both well written and well sounding, so it´s a quality release on most parameters. Featuring 12 tracks (the closing track being a 19:36 minutes long epic) and a total playing time of 73:38, the album does feel a little long though and while there is a story to tell and the band probably needed this amount of music and time to tell that story, I think the long playing time means that the album overstays its welcome. You could also argue that Sound of Contact don´t bring much new to the table, and a slightly more personal and unique sound could have elevated the album to a highter level. As it is it´s however still a good quality progressive rock release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.