EPYSODE - review added 11th August 2011
Album Review: Obsessions (2011)
For fans of: Prog Metal
"Obsessions" is a concept album telling the story of a young police profiler investigating a series of murders and crossing paths with several supernatural phenomena. If you don't like concept albums, don't be scared, the result is good...very good in places.
Performers include singers such as Kelly Carpenter (Beyond Twilight, Darkology), Oddleif Stensland (Communic), Rick Altzi (At Vance, Thunderstone), Magali Luyten (Ayreon, Beautiful Sin, Virus IV) und Liselotte Hegt (Ayreon, Dial, Valentine) alongside band leader and guitarist Samuel Arkan, bass player Kristoffer Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation, Dial), lead guitarist Christophe Godin (Morglbl Trio), drummer Leo Margarit (Pain Of Salvation) and keyboardist Julien Spreutels (Ethernity).
The sound this ensemble creates is beautifully melodic but often monstrously heavy. It's like getting stuck between a rock and a hard place and finding a meadow full of butterflies. The guitars, in fact the playing in general is splendid, and the mix of vocal talents works better than it has any right too. Some rock operas or concept albums sound forced and boast a varied cast list seemingly for the sake of it. This one just sounds right, as if it's from a proper band with a long history. In fact my only quibbles are that not all the songs work as well as they should, and it does go on a bit. There's well over an hour of material and, though some albums work well at that length, "Obsessions" arguably outstays its welcome.
Song wise, first track proper 'First Blood' is a beast with claws and a pretty hat - deadly but attractive. 'Fallen´s Portrait' is a progressive ride through unfathomable complexity that's so accessible it rips the fabric of space time. Best proper prog song I've heard in ages. 'Season Of Redemption' is an epic track, and the fact Rick Altzi is there in the background only serves to make it sound even better. The 'We Don't Need Another Hero' style chorus on 'Last Sunset' makes it a cool end to the album.
In Summation:
Perhaps a bit long, and not always sonically perfect, "Obsessions" is a flawed masterpiece. The Epysode team should be damned proud of this.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Track List:
01. File 41807
02. Silences Of Dawn (Poetry)
03. First Blood
04. Obsessions
05. Invisible Nations
06. Gemini Syndrome
07. Fallen´s Portrait
08. Season Of Redemption
09. The Other Side
10. Shadow Lord
11. One Chance
12. Divine Whispers
13. March Of The Ghosts
14. Last Sunset
Band/Performers:
Other Info:
Mix and mastering Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pagan´s Mind, Jorn)
Label: AFM Records
Artist's website(s): Epysode | MySpace | Facebook
