INFINITY BEYOND

It surprised me that on this site, with all of the Dream Theater fans around, this band could go unnoticed. With a classic prog lineup of vocalist, guitar, keyboards, bass and drums (big deal, there are thousands of bands like this), this Acid Rain (there are three different bands with that name here) manages to have a sound remarkably similar to DT, but with their own style as well.

Firmly rooted in metal, Acid Rain has the musical chops to play a similar prog metal style to Dream Theater, with blazing guitar and keyboards over thundering drums and bass. The songs are very good, a few of them great. And it helps that Miguel Cacheiro's voice doesn't have that shrillness of, ahem, you-know-who.

They save the best for last. St. Vitus' Dance, a twelve minute instrumental is a mind blowing work of power and beauty.

It would be nice to find out what these guys are doing these days.