Affector - Harmagedon

Verbum Lux

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Aug 7, 2011
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Anyone else listened to this? Since there's a good bit of love for prog metal here, I thought it would be worth a mention. Angelic Warlord named it #1 out of their Top 15 albums of 2012, and while Angelic Warlords reviews / recommendations are very hit and miss for, I must admit I was impressed with this one.

Brief bio from their website:

Affector is a progressive rock/metal band founded by German guitar player Daniel Fries and Dutch drummer Collin Leijenaar (Neal Morse/Dilemma). Bass player Mike LePond (Symphony X) and vocalist Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard/Enchant/Thought Chamber) - both from the States joined them when they started working on the debute CD Harmagedon. On this CD they are joined by four special guests on keyboards: Alex Argento, Neal Morse (Transatlantic/Flying Colors), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Derek Sherinian (PlanetX/Black Country communion). Also featured on the album is the Polish orchestra Sinfonietta Consonus.

I'm usually underwhelmed by musical "supergroups," but I really enjoyed their work. As the title suggests, it's a concept album dealing with Biblical End times.

The lyrics are mostly direct quotations from scripture. As they put it: "Without personal color, just the plain text." How that well that works varies quite a bit throughout the course of the album. Sometimes it's pretty cool, other times it makes me cringe. They're presented in a way that makes it interesting enough, but it really feels like the music was written with little or no regard for the words other than just suiting the general theme.

Fortunately, this isn't a lyrics-heavy album, and the music is awesome. You can listen to a couple of the songs and a teaser here..

One thing I feel I should mention is that this isn't a Christian band. I have no idea what any of their beliefs are except for Morse (Christian) and Rudess (Jewish), and they're guest musicians, but according to the band the album presents "one of many views on how things will end. Or not..... It's up to time to decide." So maybe their next album will be based on the Quran or the Bhagavad Gita, if it has a religious theme at all. Regardless, it's a cool album and something that I enjoy as both a Christian and a metal lover.
 
I was underwhelmed with the lyrics. I wouldn't expect such a lackluster effort from talented musicians (especially with great lyricists like Neal Morse involved). Musically, it was good. But it not anything I haven't heard before.

I wouldn't discourage anyone from purchasing a copy though. It's my preferences that prevent me from enjoying this release.
 
I kinda like it going by the little I listened to on youtube. I don't see anything bad about it for the time being.
 
This album is a recent buy for me, so I am still absorbing it. There are definitely some Neal Morse moments (the drummer/co-writer has toured with Neal, after all, and Neal makes a guest appearance), but it is overall much heavier. I love Ted Leonard's vocals (coming from a long-time Enchant fan here). Though I admit, he was an acquired taste for me when I first got into Enchant.

I love the song "Salvation" as Isaiah 53 is a favorite chapter of mine, and the lyrics come straight from that chapter. The way I look at it is I'd rather have them take lyrics straight from Scripture than try to paraphrase and put their own spin on them. Is it the most creative approach? Probably not. But it is the inspired Word of God. :)
 
I love the song "Salvation" as Isaiah 53 is a favorite chapter of mine, and the lyrics come straight from that chapter. The way I look at it is I'd rather have them take lyrics straight from Scripture than try to paraphrase and put their own spin on them. Is it the most creative approach? Probably not. But it is the inspired Word of God. :)

If you properly combine music and lyrics, scripture quotations can work fairly well. Consider this one which appears on the song "Salvation."

Isaiah 53:6 said:
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

IMO, it's one of the most beautiful, iconic verses of the Bible. I didn't care for how it's used here. Now go listen to Mehida's song, "Lost Ones." They used the same exact verse in the chorus, and it flows wonderfully.

Nevertheless, Salvation is a cool song. :)
 
I listened some songs of them, and I love it. Will wait until it gets into discount/my financial situation won't keep me from buying it.
 
Have purchased the vinyl version and it sounds amazing! Have to admit i had to listen to it a couple of times to really get into it, but that was they same with Theocracy for me! And hey, now i'm a number 1 fan!:lol: