Another very accessible progressive metal release from the Lion stable in the shape of the new project that features DANIEL LIVERANI of Genius Rock Opera 'fame'. It appears somebody, somewhere has listened to my pleas for more performed, less programmed prog-metal this month as this disc along with the AWAKE release reviewed elsewhere on the site demonstrate an organic nature I feared was lost to the genre.

By eschewing the overly technical trappings and for the main part avoiding mindless virtuoso noodlings they've produced an album well worth hearing and one that could be thought of as a gentle introduction to the genre before moving onto the less 'easy-listening' fare.

The introduction of 19 year old TOMMY ERMOLLI on guitar sees LIVERANI take on keyboard duties as well as the writing but for me the star of this album is the excellent vocalist SOREN ADAMSEN. He's largely overlooked in the PR that accompanied this album but for me turns it into something worth hearing. The possession of a voice equally adept at both the hard rock stuff and the softer spacier songs is a pleasant discovery and the plan to actually tour this band makes sense with him at the fore.

The centerpiece of the album is a ten minute concept piece called "Understand" that attempts to resolve the world's secrets and ensures there's something of suitably epic nature on here but they prove equally adept at the reasonably stright up heavy rock in the excellent "Fire" or in delivering an excellent power ballad in the shape of "What You Want" which reminds me of early 80s SCORPIONS during the lighter waving moments.

At 74 minutes it does lag on occasion, most notabaly the plodding "It's Just Life" but for the main part its a good album of melodic rock crossed with progressive metal that just works.

- Leslie

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