They often say that the right thing will happen at the right time. This is now my experience with Portugal’s progressive powerhouse band Forgotten Suns. A buddy of mine earlier in the year sent me the audio files of the bands newest offering of 2015 When Worlds Collide. For the last two months I could not go one day without a full listen to the album. For some reason I can not put down the album nor cease from my attention towards it. Forgotten Suns were founded in 1991. While bands like Watchtower, Fates Warning, Crimson Glory and Queensryche left a lot of stellar work and the blueprint for progressive/power metal, it would be Dream Theater that would really take it by the horns and run with it. Remember in 1991 as well grunge had taken melodic, glam, and metal as we know it in the US and shelved it for a time. Reminder as well, Dream Theater’s monster Images And Words was yet to be released and would come later in 1992. Therefore basically what a band like Dream Theater was doing in the USA, Forgotten Suns was doing for their homeland of Portugal and Europe in general.
So I am here in 2015 and just discovered Forgotten Suns through their latest offering When WorldsCollide. There is some thrash metal influence on this record anywhere from Megadeth to Metallica. ‘Great Album’ would be a understatement this is a sheer masterpiece. Let us explore it.
The Road To Nowhere Part 1 has much a intro as Megadeth’s Foreclosure Of A Dream before kicking into this rapid fire and kick ass blast beats section much like the sub middle portions of Metallica’s One, where even the bass serves as a percussive instrument alongside the drums. Also in the intro there is a voice over dialogue that automatically sets a conceptual tone about to tell a story. At many points it is progressive thrash metal containing time signatures that ascend and climb to the opening harmonies. At about the 4:44 mark it goes into this really wicked cyber death metal style grunt. Throughout the rest of the track there is a powerful roller coaster of sheer and complex time signatures and hooks. Then about 6:35 mark there is some wicked rhythm section with a spoken word overlay of twists and turns. Approaching the 8:35 mark there are a series of killer guitar solos.
In Harms Way opens up with a thunderous rhythm section of bass, drums and guitar in unison. Soon after taking a more melodic turn both musically and lyrically with very definitive harmonies and some killer background deathy style grunts and growls. At about the 3:25 mark boom a spoken word portion emerges in death metal fashion. There seems to be a spoken word and spoken dialogue trend taking shape on When Worlds Collide here. A little Amon Amarth meets Symphony X and Dream Theater all at once.
Somewhere In The Darkness opens with a beautiful piano blended with a warm beautiful vocal. The piano lends a great deal of dark melody to this track. This is in its nature a very internal introspective track both lyrically and musically. It really borders on the form of a power ballad, however not in a classic rock nor a AOR sense. It is more of a ballad of progressive power metal vibe like Dream Theater’s – Forsaken from 2006’s Systematic Chaos. The guitar solo towards the end is very John Petrucci like especially in a track The Ministry Of Lost Souls.
Fortress Of Silence has a Ayreon style intro especially from albums like Into The Electric Castle and both parts to the Universal Migrator- Dream Sequencer/Flight Of The Migrator. Ernesto Rodrigues – Keyboards, reminds me a lot of Gunter Werno of Vanden Plas with such a very distinctive sound. Sometimes even Jordan Rudess like. Nio Nunes – Vocals at times throughout the track has a way to go to a high aggressive register to a very warm vocal.
When Worlds Collide has a gorgeous opening piano passage before embarking on a straight away progressive hard rock passage that soon ascends towards progressive thrash metal time signatures. About the 2:00 mark it breaks towards a lush atmospheric backdrop as the vocals are introduced. Afterwards entrers a rhythmic section where the bass is a more percussive instrument with the drums as the vocals kick in. This reminds me of many tracks from Pain of Salvation’s – PerfectElement Part 1 and Remedy Lane. In When Worlds Collide the band really executes the piano and keyboards as they send the listener on a journey through multiple time signatures with guitars, bass and drums. When Worlds Collide has some seriously heavy djent passages throughout the entire track that keep the track demanding the audience to listen to what is to come next.
Rise & Fall for some reason reminds me of the intro to Shadow Gallery’s – Encrypted from 2008’s Room V album. It has a very semi electric/ semi acoustical vibe. This also contains prog ballad elements much like Dream Theater’s Wither and Hollowed Years. Rise & Fall is one of those tracks I see as a acoustic track in live sets.
The Road To Nowhere Part 2 opens with a 6:30 passage of ascending progressions going in and out with various time signatures. The intro has a vibe about it that is like a musical introduction to a story about to be told. Its melodic introduction kind of reminds me of old vintage films where the credits were first before they started the film much like a movie soundtrack. This is followed by a beautiful duet between the male and female vocal. This goes one until the 11:25 mark where the track once again takes a progressive ascension in between progressive hard rock/metal. The lead and background vocals make for a perfect statement with all the elements in the previous tracks. It very much so reminds me of Dream Theater’s – Systematic Chaos with In The Presence Of My Enemies Part 1 & 2. The track finishes with a serious tight finale.
Out of the albums in 2015 I have reviewed thus far, Forgotten Suns – When Worlds Collide continues to grow on me. It is easily going to finish in the Top 5 of my top albums in 2015. I can not wait to hear this with some live in concert treatment whether I see them live, buy a live album or DVD. When Worlds Collide easily gets a 4.5/5.
Label: Frontiers Release Year: 2015 Country: USA Genre: Melodic Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Band Members & Special Guests
Veronica Freeman – Lead Vocals Leather Leone – Duet Vocals “Kiss My Lips” Tony Martin – Duet Vocals “King For A Day” Meliesa McDonell – Additional Vocals “Starshine” & Acoustic Guitars Derek Kerswill – Drums Jeff Pilson, Mel Brown, Garry Bordonaro, Aric Avina, John O’Boyle & Mike Lepond – Bass Pete Wells, Michael Sweet ,Peter Tentindo, Jimmy Durkin, Mick Tucker, Jordan Ziff, Michael Harris – Guitars
Produced by John Herrera except for: “King for a Day” (produced by Kenny Lewis) “Love Should be to Blame” & “Again” (produced by Michael Sweet)
In about 2008 a friend of mine handed me a CD that would be Benedictum’s – Season of Tragedy. What I heard was nothing short of one of the top 10 album’s of the first decade of the 21st century. Outside the mentorship and production of the likes of Jeff Pilson – Dokken Dio and Craig Goldy – Dio and legendary guitarist George Lynch – Dokken and Lynch Mob there was much more there. What I heard this ultra powerful voice that reminded me of power metal’s past like Leather Leone – ex-Malibu & Chastain, Kate French – ex-Chastain & Vainglory. I would come to find out this most powerful leather lunged melodic beauty in the form of Veronica Freeman. I was hooked from that day forward.
Fast forward to 2015 and Veronica Freeman has returned with a solo statement. affectionately titled ‘The V’ – Now Or Never. She has most definitely returned with one of the most definitive powerhouse melodic lineup’s in recent memory. Look at the introduction above to see all that participated on what I am calling a ‘Instant Classic’ and a definite easy front runner for one of my Top 5 of 2015. ‘The V’ – Now Or Never has given Veronica Freeman a more melodic metal outlet compared to the heavier power metal we are accustom of hearing in Benedictum. Let’s explore some highlights of the project.
The intro track Again, produced by Michael Sweet shares signature hallmarks of Stryper between the Reborn and No More Hell To Pay era. There is that distinctive sound Michael Sweet and Stryper have crafted melodically in recent years both in vocal range and chord progression.
Now Or Never the self titled track on the album opens with a gritty distorted killer rhythm section. Veronica’s harmonies are more in sync with with the rhythm section between the drums and bass. Now Or Never comes armed with a nasty rhythm guitar with a killer shred section.
Rollercoaster is a drummers delight. With great double bass drum blast beats in harmony with snare, tom and cymbal fills. Once again Veronica is spot on with her harmonies following the lead with more of the drum and bass backbone. Her timing is perfect.
L.O.V.E is a straight away hard rock n roll gem. It tells a story of one’s opinion on what love is to her and what it is not. L.O.V.E is one of those tracks that could hold up and be current in any decade whether it be the 1980’s , 1990’s or 2000’s. It contains both vintage and current relevent elements both musically and lyrically.
Line In The Sand is a hybrid track mixing a little melodic metal, hard classic rock and AOR. Killer guitar hooks and melodies with a great guitar solo. Line In The Sand is one of the more stringed melodic tracks on the album with a nice blend of background vocal harmonies as well.
Love Should Be To Blame, once again produced by Stryper’s Michael Sweet. This time it bears a lot of the signature riffs and hallmarks of Stryper’s Against The Law album. Veronica definitely displays much emotion vocally here. This track has a wonderful stand alone guitar solo that demands the listener’s attention.
Kiss My Lips is a power metal fans’ dream come true. On this track Veronica enlists the vocals of the legendary Leather Leone ex- Malibu Barbie, Chastain. It certainly is one of the best duets I have heard in the last 15 years. Kiss My Lips leaves a hunger for perhaps a future exclusive album featuring Veronica Freeman & Leather Leone. Only time will tell however.
Spellbound is a highly introspective track lyrically. One can only speculate what Veronica was going through when she wrote it. Musically it is a pure straight up melodic hard rock jewel.
Starshine opens up with some killer guitar work from Hitman Honey’s very own front woman Melissa McDonell.Starshine is also the second outstanding duet with both women masterfully going in and out between front woman melodies to duet style harmonies. Much like Kiss My Lips, Veronica seems to hold court with gorgeous duet clinics with other women in the industry.
Below Zero has a Aldo Nova’s – Fantasy meets Dio’s – Mystery. This is also the longer track on the album and every musical harmony, vocal harmony, and 4/4 , 5/8 .
Ready To Run totally reminds me of Dio’s – Stand Up And Shout on the metal side with a twist of Giant’s – Time To Burn on a heavy AOR side. Killer runaway jam track that will totally sound powerful live.
King For A Day features yet another legendary voice in Tony Martin ex-Black Sabbath. This is definitely one of the more heavy handed tracks on the album. It even has light elements of doom metal. Really killer detuned bottom on the rhythm section mixed with powerful vocals to perfectly complimenting the musical composition. King For A Day is the closest track to hearing anything remotely to Benedictum.
This is one of my more enjoyable reviews I have done in 2015. I can appreciate any artist going a totally different direction than what we are use to listening to. Veronica Freeman definitely put together a killer album here. This was a profound departure from what we hear of her in Benedictum but still was as heavy and melodic. I believe ‘The V’ – Now Or Never solo effort has opened a door for Veronica Freeman to go out on her own more often during her breaks from Benedictum. For this effort alone I give this a 4.5/5.
The V – Now or Never EPK (Official / Studio Album / 2015 / Veronica Freeman)
To put Iconic Eye into modern perspective this is not your parents or grandparents AOR. When you think of AOR in a hard and heavy capacity bands like Journey, REO, Styx, Survivor, Toto, etc … always come to mind. While Iconic Eye certainly carry elements of bands from AOR’s past in the same tune they carry heavier and harder elements like Gary Hughes’s Ten, Brazen Abbot, the supergroup Rated X etc… They seem to also have some prog influences such as Gary Hughes Once And Future King rock/metal opera to Pink Creme 69.
There are 12 tracks on Hidden In Plain Sight. After my multiple listens, I really believe every track and song will hold up in a live set each with their own studio integrity and purpose. You have straight away rocker hits and potential live anthems with tracks Now That I’ve Found Love, You Make It,All She Needed, Don’t Stop Me From Leaving. There are more traditionally AOR sounding tracks like Let It Rain Down , I Can Feel it , and Every Little Thing that remind me of greats like Survivor’s- High On You or Honeymoon Suite’s – I Feel It Again or Journey’s – Separate Ways.
No matter the direction of the album I feel it is one of those that will serve a two-fold purpose. One it will most definitely attract old school Baby Boomer and Generation X’ers that were around during AOR, Hard Rock’s ‘Golden Age’ and introduce younger audience to a form and genre that seems that it does not plan on going away any time soon. I give Iconic Eye’s Hidden In Plain Sight a 4/5 for giving the world a album that will eventually reach many generations to come.
When Mike Visaggio of Kinetic Element set me up with the album Travelog I was in a state a anticipation I had not been in quite some time. After my review of Anuryzm’s All Is Not For All off Melodic Revolution Records I spotted the making of a great progressive rock/metal label. Now with Kinetic Element’s Travelog it has only served to reinforce and confirm that Melodic RevolutionRecords is postioning itself to contend as a great prog label.
First of all, if you are a progressive rock purist this album will be a sonic paradise for your listening pleasure. The band lists Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson, Kansas, IQ, Transatlantic, Renaissance as some of their influences. When I listen to Travelog I hear those and so much more. Throughout this review I will point those out.
War Song is the ‘perfect’ progressive rock track to open Travelog as it clocks in at 20:29. The intro beckons the epics of the past such as Yes’ Close To The Edge and Revealing Science Of God – DanceOf The Dawn from Tales Of Topographic Oceans crossed with Genesis’ Suppers Ready and Emerson Lake And Palmers Tarkus. There is some great atmospheric keyboards tuned to mellotron and hammond organ standards, with rich rhythm sections between bass and drums. The vocals are like a cross of Jon Anderson of Yes meets Donald Faegen of Steely Dan. Between the 12:50 to 13:00 marks there is a great yet subtle fuzzy distorted guitar to match the keys in perfect harmony. The vocals really explode at the 14:00 mark and work with the atmospheric background the keyboards continue to carry in this track.
Travelog opens up with a plush 16th century style acoustic renaissance vibe. It has shades of the prog band Renaissance meets Al Di Meola . Then a plush harmonic vocal of the opening to the USA’s National Anthem. It reminds me of how Yes would use items like Roundabout‘s from their homeland or Genesis’ Selling England By The Pound, as classy patriotic inuendoe’s.
Into The Lair is a defining track. It seems as if the band have taken their influences along with their own arsenal and formed their own sound out of thise fires. With the female vocal on it I am often reminded of Annie Halsam of Renaissance and Renate Knaupf of Amon Duul ii , the 2 first ladies of progressive rock for sure. Into The Lair completely reminds me of Renaissance’s track like Mother Russia crossed with epic power of Amon Duul ii Phallaus Dei . It also presents a wide cross section of time signatures where every instrument stands out as a collective thus tightening Travelog even more.
Her begins with a lush gorgeous orchestral piano style passage. This is followed with a very deep rhythm section. The intro most definitely reminds me of the jazz style employed on Steely Dan’s Aja album with some Alan Holdsworth sprinkled over it for flavour. Her is a prog version of a SteelyDan’s Kid Charlemagne meets Yes’ Heart Of The Sunrise both lyrically and instrumentally.
Vision Of A New Dawn definitely opens up like more a jazz symphonic progressive rock assembly. Heavy in keyboards building a tapestry for the deeper colours of shade with the rhythm section between drums and bass. The keyboards at times have flute effects reminding me of Ian Anderson at some points throughout the track. At 18:26, Vision Of A New Dawn is perfectly arranged on the album. Much like War Song was a great epic to open the album, Vision Of A New Dawn eloquently and properly closes the album.
After a few listens Travelog grew on me and I understood where the band was taking the listener. If you are a prog rock purist that loves a few 20 minute tracks and a journey in your mind Travelog is that album for you. Nick Katona and Melodic Revolution Records have found a great live band and festival band. Kinetic Element are one of those bands that can be a label staple anywhere in the industry. I give Travelog a 5/5 for grace and purity of the heritage of symphonic prog’s past, present and future.
Abnormal Thought Patterns | Altered State Of Consciousness
Label: Lifeforce Records Release Year: 2015 Country: California USA Genre: Progressive, Technical, Shred, Metal instrumental,Djent
Band Members Jasun Tipton – Guitars and Keys Troy Tipton – Bass Jason Montero – Guitars Mike Guy – Drums Guest Musicians Tommy Rogers -Vocals – Between The Buried And Me Jeff Loomis – Guitars- ex- Nevermore Michael Manring – Bass John Onder – Bass
It is summer 2001 and I am in a local record store here in Houston Texas called Diamondhead Records. My journey that day was to ‘only’ buy Trent Gardner’s (Megellan) new rock/metal opera called Leonardo- The Absolute Man. I get to the counter to make my purchase and the guy behind the counter had a opened copy of Zero Hour’s Tower Of Avarice. He told me take the CD over to the listening station, BOOM I was instantly hooked in. This was a new style of Progressive Metal at the time branded Djent. I was an immediate fan and proceeded to purchase Towers Of Avarice and Zero Hour’s self titled debut from 1998. I have been a fan of Jasun and Troy Tipton and Mike Guy since. Now quite a few years after they called it a day as Zero Hour, the trio return once again as Abnormal Thought Patterns – Altered State Of Consciousness.
This time they have returned with some serious fire power from well seasoned veterans like Jeff Loomis – Guitars- ex- Nevermore , Michael Manring – Bass , John Onder – Bass, Tim Roth – Into Eternity – Guitar, and Tommy Rogers – Vocals – Between The Buried And Me .
The albums’ first track Distortions of Perception starts off with a fury of shred and shredfest with a wicked detuned rhythmic under belly. The rhythmic underbelly reminds me of theequivalent of a melodic hammer hitting a rhythmic anvil in detuned harmonic bliss. And the shredfest is up there at Malmsteen meets Satriani.
The band continues the shred and rhythm fest in their next track Nocturnal Haven , where the signature vocal style of Between The Buried And Me’s Tommy Rogers belts out one hell of a growl before popping the clutch and down shifting towards a more cleaner vocal and goes back and forth between growl and clean vocals throughout Nocturnal Haven . You may recognize the guitar solo at the 4:45 mark. That is executed quite well in his own style of one Jeff Loomis ex- Nevermore .
Blindsight is a math genius’s thinking man’s composition. With wicked and abnormal time signatures that keep the listener guessing where this track is going. The bass solo at the 2:30 mark from Troy Tipton serves as both a bridge and highlight to the track itself.
Synesthesia with a wicked double bass passage back and forth between the legendary Michael Manring and jazz sensation John Onder. Synesthesia is a rhythm musicians paradise and clinic. Synesthesia is the perfectly arranged on the album and serves as a bridge to where the remainder of Altered State Of Consciousness is going.
Delusions opens up with great drum work by Mike Guy. Delusions reminds me of the Zero Hour days and tracks like Reflections and Demise and Vestige from Towers Of Avarice from 2001 and portions of Voice of Reason and Metamorphosis from Zero Hour’s debut in 1998. They then proceed to provide a Instrumental track to Nocturnal Haven with the work of Jeff Loomis’ left in there and now Into Eternity’s Tim Roth on guitars as well.
Subliminal Perception opens up with a semi electric vibe that prog bands execute from time to time. Subliminal Perception is perhaps the most balanced track on the album. It satisfies the needs for listeners of great plush rhythmic sections and the beauty of stringed and keyboard passages. Subliminal Perception totally lives up to its name from First to final second.
While most people would consider this a comeback for the Tipton brothers and Mike Guy, I see this as a transition into the growth of the band. More of a new creation than a evolution for the band. They adapted perfectly in their lengthy absence. It also leaves you with the curiosity as to where the band is going from here. I give Abnormal Thought Patterns – Altered State Of Consciousness a 4.5/5.
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