Wow, once again the Sensory label drops another impressive progressive metal outing that makes me wonder just what else I've been missing from that niche of the genre over the last several years. Let's face it, outside of Dream Theater and a handful of lesser known leaders, the progressive metal genre seems to be viewed as a relatively dead scene by most metal fans, and I can't say that I'm not guilty of falsely assuming that assessment to be basically true in recent times. But damn was I wrong. On this, the band's second outing, bandleader and guitarist/keyboardist Nicolas van Dyk is joined by Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder and members of Agent Steel and Prymary for a lengthy set of eight incredible songs that in my opinion capture all of the force and emotion of what heavy metal should be. And trust me, I know that line sounds like a total load of shit, it's not the kind of sappy nonsense that I throw around very often, but this is a great CD that really makes me miss real fucking heavy metal. This one's really got it all: Soaring vocals, shitloads of blistering guitar solos all over the place, loads of shockingly tasteful keyboards that pretty much never come off as cheesy, and a rock solid rhythm section with pulsing basslines and just the right amount of subtle drum flare to keep things intense and creative without trying to force anything - all wrapped up in masterful songwriting that somehow cohesively blends showy musicianship and complex riffing with amazing choruses and interesting arrangements. Sure, there are moments where staples of typical progressive metal riffing pop up for significant stretches, such as the fairly standard "Scarred" with its dueling guitar/keyboard solos (though some of the added percussion does change the vibe a little), but both "Threads" and "Parker's Eyes" are amazingly well written songs with some crazy memorable moments that really reach a level of intensity sorely lacking in the work of most progressive metal acts. "Sapphire" effectively integrates a few samples into the start of what becomes a 16-minute "power ballad" of sorts: Emphasis on power, as for once this a progressive metal CD with almost no wimpy balladry to be found! And of course there's a bit of an epic undertaking here what with the title track being broken up into a four-part mammoth that totals nearly 22 minutes, opening with the surprisingly thrashy stylings of "Rage", which leads into the succinct and more openly melodic vocal harmonies and piano kicking off "Despair" - which does eventually surprise by taking a rather chunky turn towards thick power chords and churning picking patterns. "Release" slowly begins to pick up the pace once more with some really active riffing and more gorgeous vocal work before plowing through loads of lead breaks and coming to a quick close before the eight-minute "Transcendence" dramatically ends things off after a lengthy intro of acoustic guitars and shimmery keyboards that's among the calmest moments on the disc. Thankfully they don't maintain that dynamic for the entire piece, as distortion eventually kicks in, though the more dramatic edge is retained. The production is pretty god damn good, too. Sometimes it can feel like the vocals are leaning too far out front, or that the drums are a hint too rigid, or maybe that the guitars could use a little more juice in terms of crunch, but despite insignificant little nitpickings they've done a great job of managing to keep things sounding full and clear. Inevitably some details get pushed aside when there's so much going on, but it doesn't feel like anything essential is being lost, and the fact that the band is working in a complex and technically proficient realm that deals with loads of intricacies is certainly not lost in any way. Also impressive is the layout, as the cover art really catches the eye and the overall aesthetic of the presentation is much more artistically interesting and mature than the vast majority of these types of records. Lyrically it's not unexpected that there are some points that are simply not that interesting, but for the most part a lot of the content has more of a personal touch, and that's a welcome change from the fantasy and fiction often explored by the genre: "I've spent half of my life trying to kill my demons, and I'm frightened that the process may have turned me into one of them..." Great stuff. I'm always hesitant these days when it comes to more traditional forms of heavy metal, as there simply aren't many bands that seem to be able to pull it off anymore, but I'm thoroughly pleased to state that Redemption does the trick, and acts as a beacon of hope for the rest of the sadly suffering world of old school heavy metal. I'd say they ought to stick with the singular songs, as the record does start to lose steam once you hit the four-part title track, but the strengths still overcome.
[Sensory]
Running time - 57:25, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: Threads, Parker's Eyes, Rage, Despair]
Sensory - http://www.lasercd.com
