Odd Dimension – The Blue Dawn (Review)

Odd Dimension - The Blue DawnThis is the third album from Italian progressive metallers Odd Dimension.

For an very rough idea of what The Blue Dawn sounds like, think of a metallic modern fusion of Dream Theater and Rush. It’s an imperfect description, but it gives you a decent idea of what to expect across the 64 Continue reading “Odd Dimension – The Blue Dawn (Review)”

Aversed – Impermanent (Review)

Aversed - ImpermanentThis is the debut album from US metal band Aversed.

Containing 57 minutes of material, the album’s style is one that takes melodic death metal as a base, and then builds on this with elements of progressive metal, melodic black metal, melodic thrash metal, and orchestral power metal. The end result is Continue reading “Aversed – Impermanent (Review)”

Iotunn – Access All Worlds (Review)

Iotunn - Access All WorldsIotunn are a progressive metal band from Denmark, and this is their debut album.

Full disclosure – when I saw that this band is fronted by the singer of Barren Earth and Hamferð, I got quite excited and it immediately made me hungry to listen to their album. The man has one of my favourite voices in metal, and on Access All Worlds, he puts it to damn fine use. Continue reading “Iotunn – Access All Worlds (Review)”

The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral (Review)

The Lylat Continuum - EphemeralThe Lylat Continuum are a progressive death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Ephemeral is a 56-minute trip into progressive death metal waters, although the death metal influences are not always prominently displayed; the band’s modern progressive metal influences are Continue reading “The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral (Review)”

Arcaeon – Cascadence (Review)

Arcaeon - CascadenceArcaeon are a technical/progressive metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.

Cascadence contains 49 minutes of modern metal that takes from the technical/progressive metal/metalcore and djent genres to craft an engaging, well-rounded album. The promo blurb recommends this for fans of bands such as Periphery, Monuments, Devin Townsend, Intervals, and Architects, and it’s hard to disagree. Continue reading “Arcaeon – Cascadence (Review)”

Oceana – The Pattern (Review)

Oceana - The PatternOceana are a progressive metal band from Italy and this is their debut album.

As an introductory description of The Pattern, I’m just going to be lazy and quite the promo blurb – “The intent was to mix progressive metal elements with European-style death doom. Influences, from a musical point of view, range from Edge of Sanity to Katatonia, from Paradise Lost to Duran Duran, from Metallica to Dream Theater, in a Continue reading “Oceana – The Pattern (Review)”

Devils Reef – Chosen by the Sea (Review)

Devils Reef - Chosen by the SeaThis is the debut album from Devils Reef, a death metal band from the US.

Chosen by the Sea contains 35 minutes of death metal that incorporates elements from both technical and thrash metal. Continue reading “Devils Reef – Chosen by the Sea (Review)”