Two members of Fates Warning, John Arch and Jim Matheos, formed a new project called Arch/Matheos (duh) and released their debut album, "Sympathetic Resonance" after eight long years of waiting since the excellent EP "Twist of Fate". This album is like Fates Warning 30 years later except it's updated obviously. 

John Arch definitely is the mastermind behind Fates Warning's success and downfall(they sucked after he left) and now he's doing it again with this project.  I'm not entirely sure if it's going to be a permanent thing or just a project.  I guess we will find out soon enough.  Anyway, he practically picked up where he left off when he disappeared after Fates Warning time and it's like he never left the music scene.  It's crazy how great he sounds and his talents haven't faded away.

It's full of insane guitar solos and the vocals is absolutely killer.  One thing for sure, don't expect another Fates Warning album! It is very prog and and even heavier.  I even detect Nevermore style riffing in some songs.  There's a lot of variety with the tempo and vocal ranges.  I haven't become bored as I listen through the album and every song is at least enjoyable though most are great.  At the same everything flow together and each song complements each other.  There is one thing that really disappoint me is the bass.  The bass is mostly just in the background and there is nothing special about it really.  As you regular readers know I am bass fanatic and I want to hear more bass!


Definitely a great comeback album for John Arch! Recommended for progheads and anyone who dig interesting metal album.

Score: 8/10

Labels: arch/matheos, fates warning, metal, nevermore, progressive metal, review

Second full length by Baroness, a progressive Sludge Metal band who are famous for the masterpiece, "Red Album" and they definitely doesn't disappointed me with this album. To be honest, I'm absolutely thrilled they decide not to make the exact same album as "Red Album" because then that would be bit...stale. They change their style a bit in this album and become more fun and catchy.

This album is much more progressive and focus more on the song structure. There's some repetition throughout the album and that is a good thing. I liked the fact I'm able to hear some amazing riffs over again and again yet at same time it's not occurring so often because there is some variety as well. The vocals is not the best and when I first heard the vocals I was taken aback at first because I'm not used to that. However, I gotten used and start to really appreciate the style. It actually really fit the music really well. It's definitely not for everyone but if you either enjoy the style or can get past it then you will absolutely adore this stuff. One thing that I really dig a lot is that blues feeling hidden in there somewhere... It's there but not quite there at same time so if you kept listening to the album over and over again then you will detect it like I did.

Best Song: "A Horse Called Golgotha" such a killer song and my favorite Baroness song. Killer chorus and just amazing vocals, guitar riffs, drumming...heck it's nearly perfect song. I don't want to say it's perfect because perfection doesn't exit but this is pretty darn close!

Worst Song: none...I can't pick which is the worst because this is such a killer album and I can't bring myself to pick a song and call it "worst song" out of the tracklist.

Score:10/10- Yes I gave it a ten...it's definitely album of the year for me and quite possibly of the decade. It's up there on my top ten favorite album of all time....but I need to give it some time to see if it will pass the test of time which I am pretty sure it will.


www.myspace.com/yourbaroness

Labels: 80s metal, baroness, progressive metal, review, sludge metal

The Human Abstract is one fantastic progressive metalcore band. They released one of my absolutely favorite debut album, "Nocturne" in 2006. A friend of mine introduced to a music video by them and that's what got me hooked on this album.

The production is pretty good considering its a debut album and the band put a lot of emphasis on clear production for vocals and the guitar works. The only complaint I have here is that I don't really hear the bass that well and the drums was more of a "background" noise on this album. I can tell the drumming was excellent but they put a bit too much focus on the guitar so drums got a little bit lost in the picture.

I really love the way the guitarists kept playing different riffs but at same time its all cohesive. There is no "samey" songs in the album and I can definitely tell the difference between each songs. That is very refreshing and something different in the metalcore scene at that time. A.J. is definitely talented guitarist and unfortunately he is not with the band anymore. That got to be the biggest blow for the band.

If you are bored of the typical metalcore and want something refreshing and different then I definitely recommend this album. Its really excellent and I still listen to it regularly after two years so far.

Best Song: "Vela, Together We Await The Storm" and "Crossing the Rubicon"- two of their most complicated and successful songs. Love almost everything about those two songs.

Worst Song: "Desiderata"-the least interesting song on the tracklist. Still a decent song though.


Here's a music video for you guys to check out. Its seriously good!




Score: 8.5/10 (lost some points for mostly inaudible bass and drums being background noise)

www.myspace.com/thehumanabstract

Labels: american metal, metalcore, progressive metal, progressive metalcore, review, the human abstract

Cosyns is one of several projects by the man, Derek Corzine. Some of you might know him from Aletheian, Bloodlined Severed, and Whispers From Heaven. He's very talented musician and I guess he decided to start an instrumental metal project. Yes, you heard me. Instrumental. Now, don't get me wrong...I am not fan of instrumental music in general because it's hard to keep it interesting without the vocals. However, this is really good stuff! Technically there are lyrics but we, listeners, will have to figure out from the rhythms in the songs. Derek decided to use Morse Code concept with his music and pretty much "sing" the lyrics in Morse Code. I have to admit this is very interesting concept but he's not the first one to do it. Meshuggah has constructed many songs this way and so have few other bands. However, I think it's first time someone done an album in Morse Core in its entirety.


The one thing I really don't like is the programmed drummer. He does it well but I know he knows a lot of drummers so I think he should brought someone in to do the drums for him. That's just my opinion. The guitar work absolutely slays! I'm not surprised because that is his specialty and I expect it to be top notched work.


Best Song: Christ Wept- the first song on the EP. It only have one sentence in lyrics which is Christ wept. At first I was hesitant because I thought it might be bit repetitive but its really not. It's very well thought out and I absolutely love the guitar works on this song. Drumming was pretty good even though it was programmed.

Worst Song: Outward- still a very decent song but this is where the drumming is starting to annoy me. Other than that its still a great song.


Score: 7.5/10 (would've been much higher if he used a real drums)


www.myspace.com/cosyns

Labels: aletheian, american metal, bloodline severed, cosyns, derek corzine, instrumental, progressive metal, review, whispers from heaven

Theocracy is a band started by Matt Smith in 2002 and it took him five years to released this album. The wait is more than well worth it! I pre-ordered this album then listened to it the day it arrived. I couldn't stop listening to the album for days. This is truly an amazing progressive metal with strong power metal influences. Matt Smith definitely is one of the best vocalist out there today. He's great with the guitarworks too. The title track is 22 minutes long! Usually long tracks like that is hard to listen sometimes due to the length but Theocracy hit it home with this song. I absolutely love the interludes, guitar works, and keys in the song. Absolutely beautiful song. The lyrics is strong Christian theme and it's truly meaningful, nothing cheesy. I truly recommend anyone who want some good metal to listen to Theocracy and buy this album. 9/10


www.myspace.com/theocracyband

Labels: american metal, christian, power metal, progressive metal, review, theocracy, ulterium records