Dream Theater – A View From The Top Of The World (Inside Out) [Simon Black]
Dream Theater like everyone else, have had to completely restructure their planning over the last two years. Unlike most of their peers they have responded to the pandemic by positively deluging the market with a series of archive releases of live recordings, with a second and really not necessary live outing of the Scenes From A Memory material starting this off and then followed (so far) by four separate releases in the Lost Not Forgotten series (of which their most recent attempt to play the whole of Metallica’s Master Of Puppets live is definitely the most noteworthy). Prolific is simply too small a word and has put both Neal Morse and Devin Townsend in the shade in terms of output for once, which is no mean feat. So alongside these five live pandemic filler releases, there’s a new studio album demanding our attention and this one was not even planned, as to be fair they never really got the chance to put Distance Over Time thoroughly through its album cycle.
Ah well, onwards and upwards…
Now DT have been a little more experimental with their style in recent years. I’ve made no bones over the fact that I utterly detested 2016’s The Astonishing, because quite frankly it wasn’t – other than as exercise in excessive over-indulgence. Their response (well, not to me alone obviously) was to take a different approach entirely with Distance Over Time, which saw a much more stripped back sounding album, that tried to sound more modern, accessible and less Proggy. It’s a good album in its own right, but when I want to listen to Dream Theater, I want to listen to the kind of material that presses all the right buttons, striking the balance between a rich and harmonic production sound, instrumental virtuosity and accessibility which neither of their last two studio albums really succeeded in doing for me.
The problem I have with A View From The Top Of The World, is that it’s landed on my desk at the last minute (although that’s not really the band’s fault). Progressive albums like this are so richly layered that it often takes multiple listens to even start to unpick them, which with a run time of an hour and ten minutes for this baby is not going to happen when I’m in a hurry and a publishing deadline looming. But this time out this is absolutely not a problem, because the material strikes that balance I was taking about perfectly – it’s accessible on the first listen and the unpicking is not going to be a chore because I know I am going to be listening to this one again and again a lot.
Dream Theater like everyone else, have had to completely restructure their planning over the last two years. Unlike most of their peers they have responded to the pandemic by positively deluging the market with a series of archive releases of live recordings, with a second and really not necessary live outing of the Scenes From A Memory material starting this off and then followed (so far) by four separate releases in the Lost Not Forgotten series (of which their most recent attempt to play the whole of Metallica’s Master Of Puppets live is definitely the most noteworthy). Prolific is simply too small a word and has put both Neal Morse and Devin Townsend in the shade in terms of output for once, which is no mean feat. So alongside these five live pandemic filler releases, there’s a new studio album demanding our attention and this one was not even planned, as to be fair they never really got the chance to put Distance Over Time thoroughly through its album cycle.
Ah well, onwards and upwards…
Now DT have been a little more experimental with their style in recent years. I’ve made no bones over the fact that I utterly detested 2016’s The Astonishing, because quite frankly it wasn’t – other than as exercise in excessive over-indulgence. Their response (well, not to me alone obviously) was to take a different approach entirely with Distance Over Time, which saw a much more stripped back sounding album, that tried to sound more modern, accessible and less Proggy. It’s a good album in its own right, but when I want to listen to Dream Theater, I want to listen to the kind of material that presses all the right buttons, striking the balance between a rich and harmonic production sound, instrumental virtuosity and accessibility which neither of their last two studio albums really succeeded in doing for me.
The problem I have with A View From The Top Of The World, is that it’s landed on my desk at the last minute (although that’s not really the band’s fault). Progressive albums like this are so richly layered that it often takes multiple listens to even start to unpick them, which with a run time of an hour and ten minutes for this baby is not going to happen when I’m in a hurry and a publishing deadline looming. But this time out this is absolutely not a problem, because the material strikes that balance I was taking about perfectly – it’s accessible on the first listen and the unpicking is not going to be a chore because I know I am going to be listening to this one again and again a lot.
For a start, production wise it sounds absolutely fantastic. This act have always had a really rich sound, which they can miraculously reproduce live and this is a glorious return to that full fat sound that makes you realise what a damn fine set of musicians they are. The addition of studio maestro Andy Sneap taking a break from all things Judas Priest into the production team is significant, as he has captured the traditional Dream Theater sound and presented us with a fresh and thoroughly Metal sounding delivery to boot, as only he can.
The songs are really accessible as well, despite the fact that across that lengthy run time there are only nine of them, with the title track weighing in at a monstrous twenty minutes. Normally when they go into this mode, I know that it’s going to be uphill work liking the material, but that does not happen here. It does that epic length without boring the listener (well, this listener at least), but then this whole album seems like a distillation of all the elements I love about this band rolled in to one. I also defy anyone to not take opener and single The Alien as a prime example of Dream Theater at their best and I can foresee this one being a staple live for some time to come. Surprisingly as well, there’s not really a full on ballad here either, although parts of the title track step back the pace a little, making this lengthy beast something of a rattle by affair, and much the stronger for it. This is Dream Theater back on top form – indulgent, but not boring; impressive, but accessible and thoroughly, thoroughly repeatable. 10/10
Ødnis is the second album from anonymous German based black metal collective Dødsdrift. Following on from their critically acclaimed debut album Weltenszission, it sees the band in fine form for the follow up. Dødsdrift play a style of black metal that is equal parts melodic and atmospheric with an overwhelming air of sadness and melancholy that permeates the music. It is black metal musically but has the atmosphere and heart of bands such as Swallow The Sun and Ghost Brigade with its melancholic overtones. The melodies themselves are somber and mournful and drenched in emotion and play well against the fury and aggression in the music.
The songs are really accessible as well, despite the fact that across that lengthy run time there are only nine of them, with the title track weighing in at a monstrous twenty minutes. Normally when they go into this mode, I know that it’s going to be uphill work liking the material, but that does not happen here. It does that epic length without boring the listener (well, this listener at least), but then this whole album seems like a distillation of all the elements I love about this band rolled in to one. I also defy anyone to not take opener and single The Alien as a prime example of Dream Theater at their best and I can foresee this one being a staple live for some time to come. Surprisingly as well, there’s not really a full on ballad here either, although parts of the title track step back the pace a little, making this lengthy beast something of a rattle by affair, and much the stronger for it. This is Dream Theater back on top form – indulgent, but not boring; impressive, but accessible and thoroughly, thoroughly repeatable. 10/10
Aeon – God Ends Here (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]
Last releasing an album in 2012, a new album from Swedish tech death masters was anticipated to say the least. With such a gap between records, you have to believe that Aeon will be doing there best to make this the strongest Aeon album yet. Well they have managed to write 16 songs for the album, cut from how many is unknown but in that time they have also added Dark Funeral drummer Janne Jaloma to the band ready to destroy his drum kit for the sake of musical expression, while Tony Östman long time touring bassist makes his recorded debut on God Ends Here writing a few of the songs an imbuing the rest, with his intensely virtuoso bass playing.
This album also welcomes back guitarist Daniel Dlimi who left in 2013 but came back in 2019 who locks in with Zeb Nilsson once again for some incredibly explosive riffage on tracks such as Let It Burn where the speed is relentless welcoming Tommy Dahlström's guttural roar. The thrash elements from Aeons Black are retained here, but more sonic aggression is explored here, the band explains that many of these songs are reinterpretations or alternate versions of what they did on Aeons Black as well as adding newer riffs and songs. tracks like Forsaker are destructive but lead into choral intermissions like Into The Void thats shift seamlessly into the steamrolling title track and the shattering doom of Severed.
As the album comes into its final third they move into more symphonic textures on Mephistopheles and the final two tracks Overture:Magnum Reginae/Queen Of Lies where the Aeon sound is expanded again. After nearly 10 years of waiting Aeon come back with more precision heaviness and an inventive sound, lets hope they come back a bit quicker next time. 8/10
Dødsdrift - Ødnis (Vendetta Records) [Richard Oliver]Ødnis is the second album from anonymous German based black metal collective Dødsdrift. Following on from their critically acclaimed debut album Weltenszission, it sees the band in fine form for the follow up. Dødsdrift play a style of black metal that is equal parts melodic and atmospheric with an overwhelming air of sadness and melancholy that permeates the music. It is black metal musically but has the atmosphere and heart of bands such as Swallow The Sun and Ghost Brigade with its melancholic overtones. The melodies themselves are somber and mournful and drenched in emotion and play well against the fury and aggression in the music.
This may be melancholic and emotional in nature but the core black metal elements such as tremolo riffs, blast-beats and harsh vocals are all present and prevalent. This is music you can windmill to whilst wearing your heart on your sleeve at the same time with songs such as Ruß, Laere and Adern des Abgrunds being personal highlights. The performances throughout are fantastic with wonderful guitar work and a blistering rhythm section working in tandem together. The vocals aren’t the standard for the genre and sit somewhere between a black metal shriek and a death metal growl.
With the members of the band shrouded in anonymity and the lyrical content of the songs a mystery (unless you are fluent in German) the only thing you can really focus on during Ødnis is the music and that is a very good thing as the music here is absolutely stunning. I love a more melodic black metal style and Dødsdrift deliver that here in spades as well as having a gloomy, melancholic atmosphere that I so love in metal. Ødnis is a fantastic album and Dødsdrift are a band that now most certainly have my interest. 8/10
Reaping Asmodeia - Darkened Infinity (Prosthetic Records) [Matt Bladen]
According to the accompanying info on this third full length Darkened Infinity is a "conceptualised story of dream logic, states of consciousness and awakening" well from what I can hear this Minnesota trio have written yet another extreme technical space metal record that often strays into deathcore. There is something thematic to the record as on the first listen I seemed to have heard what sounded like one or two tracks and was actually on track 7. Now this can either be a triumph for the band as it really makes the conceptual nature of the album ring true as things blend together neatly, or it's that I find all deathcore very similar and didn't even notice when the songs changed.
According to the accompanying info on this third full length Darkened Infinity is a "conceptualised story of dream logic, states of consciousness and awakening" well from what I can hear this Minnesota trio have written yet another extreme technical space metal record that often strays into deathcore. There is something thematic to the record as on the first listen I seemed to have heard what sounded like one or two tracks and was actually on track 7. Now this can either be a triumph for the band as it really makes the conceptual nature of the album ring true as things blend together neatly, or it's that I find all deathcore very similar and didn't even notice when the songs changed.
This is part of the problem with this review I'm afraid as much as I understand the talent, and I do really enjoy a lot of tech death, I find Reaping Asmodeia a little too one dimensional for my tastes. They stick rigidly to their style which is commendable and are of course highly gifted musicians but for me repeated listens of Darkened Infinity became an exercise in futility as it never grabbed me in the way it would someone who loves this style of music. Still fans will lap it up and of its a gateway to proggier listening habits then I'm all for it, I just don't...get it. 5/10