http://www.livingformetal.com/reviews/review.aspx?reviewid=395
Artist :Suspyre
Title :A Great Divide
Label :Nightmare Records
Release :2007
Genre(s) :Melodic , Power , Progressive
Reviewed by :Cephalopod
Review Date :5/13/2007
Rating :9.0 out of 10
If you've worn out your Symphony X and Dream Theater CDs from too many hours of play, it's probably about time for you to pick up Suspyre's A Great Divide, because this album holds all the technical mastery and symphonic beauty that one would expect to hear from the aforementioned practitioners of supreme prog power. It would not be misleading to compare A Great Divide to The Divine Wings of Tragedy, arguably one of Symphony X's greatest albums to date, so keep that in mind when noticing the decidedly young appearance of Suspyre's members. Indeed, they play with the skill and the knowledge of musicians old enough to be their parents.
Anyone who is familiar with Suspyre's back catalogue will notice that the opening tracks on The Silvery Image and A Great Divide are both classical interludes. This is fitting due to the band's love of and interpretation of classical music. The songs on A Great Divide are essentially neoclassical pieces set to a heavy metal background. From the rich layering of sound to Clay Barton's decidedly more-than-capable vocals, everything about this album screams masterpiece. Epic keyboard and instrumental passages play like parts to a movie score, evoking emotion at all the right times.
The progressive element interweaved into A Great Divide's melodies must also not be overlooked. Funky bass lines, irregular time signatures and dissonant melodies are dispersed throughout each composition, creating in essence a melting pot of sounds that is pleasing to the prog fan's ear. In a sort of Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, both prog and classical movements play against and off one another to be heard in the forefront of the album. "Manipulation in Time" is a good example of this, beginning in power metal fashion before hitting a jazzy valley and then launching into some classic dual harmonizing.
Suspyre's dedication to their craft is evident upon listening to A Great Divide. Musicians as talented as the members of this band don't grow on trees, and the long years of rudiments and practice they surely endured have paid off. Armed with a virtual arsenal of creative ideas and some incredibly talented musicians to boot, Suspyre is set to dominate the prog/power metal world. Keep an eye on them, and watch for their next album, which is already in the works.
Artist :Suspyre
Title :A Great Divide
Label :Nightmare Records
Release :2007
Genre(s) :Melodic , Power , Progressive
Reviewed by :Cephalopod
Review Date :5/13/2007
Rating :9.0 out of 10
If you've worn out your Symphony X and Dream Theater CDs from too many hours of play, it's probably about time for you to pick up Suspyre's A Great Divide, because this album holds all the technical mastery and symphonic beauty that one would expect to hear from the aforementioned practitioners of supreme prog power. It would not be misleading to compare A Great Divide to The Divine Wings of Tragedy, arguably one of Symphony X's greatest albums to date, so keep that in mind when noticing the decidedly young appearance of Suspyre's members. Indeed, they play with the skill and the knowledge of musicians old enough to be their parents.
Anyone who is familiar with Suspyre's back catalogue will notice that the opening tracks on The Silvery Image and A Great Divide are both classical interludes. This is fitting due to the band's love of and interpretation of classical music. The songs on A Great Divide are essentially neoclassical pieces set to a heavy metal background. From the rich layering of sound to Clay Barton's decidedly more-than-capable vocals, everything about this album screams masterpiece. Epic keyboard and instrumental passages play like parts to a movie score, evoking emotion at all the right times.
The progressive element interweaved into A Great Divide's melodies must also not be overlooked. Funky bass lines, irregular time signatures and dissonant melodies are dispersed throughout each composition, creating in essence a melting pot of sounds that is pleasing to the prog fan's ear. In a sort of Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, both prog and classical movements play against and off one another to be heard in the forefront of the album. "Manipulation in Time" is a good example of this, beginning in power metal fashion before hitting a jazzy valley and then launching into some classic dual harmonizing.
Suspyre's dedication to their craft is evident upon listening to A Great Divide. Musicians as talented as the members of this band don't grow on trees, and the long years of rudiments and practice they surely endured have paid off. Armed with a virtual arsenal of creative ideas and some incredibly talented musicians to boot, Suspyre is set to dominate the prog/power metal world. Keep an eye on them, and watch for their next album, which is already in the works.
