New Cool Tug Review Online!!

mgirishfan

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Hey Everyone! Surf on over to www.progressiveears.com and click on Album Reviews --- or better yet, just read here!

Member: Duncan Glenday - 8/11/03 </B>
Style : Very progressive. Fairly metallic, A bit neo.

Rating : 4 / 5

Summary : This is the album will put Enchant on the map, and in the charts. It must surely be voted one of the top 10 of 2003.

Enchant has been producing progressive/neo/semi-metallic music since 1995. Tug Of War is their 7th album, and by far, their best. It is metal, with a level of progressive complexity, that should warm the heart of any discerning listener. But be advised – it may take several listens before it sinks in.

From the first track this album sparkles with Echolyn-like complexity – sudden rhythmic changes, changes of key, surprising breaks, and elaborate textures. Ted Leonard’s vocals are a little atonal in mid-ranges but he really comes into his own when pushing the high notes, in almost a James Labrie/Geoff Tate style. Most tracks feature long instrumentals which are very compelling, and very tight. A pattern found on several tracks is an excellent guitar solo with simple piano accompaniment. Different, and effective. Tug Of War features an opulent range of keyboard sounds, and the synth has particularly rich tones. (But then – Bill Jenkins has a day-job working for Korg.)

In “See No Evil” several spots feature vocals with a synth in very high notes, a palm-muted guitar bobs along in the mid tones, and a very deep, heavy bass rumbles at the very bottom of your woofer’s range – making a piece with interesting tonal variety. Then the guitar creeps in and develops with one of those beautiful solos that punctuate almost every track.

“Beautiful” … is just that. An emotional piece, it is driven by a fast tempo, led by piano and bass. Perhaps Ted Leonard’s vocals are shown off to better effect on other tracks (e.g. the title track, and “Holding The Wind”), but the song has great mood and tonal range. Yet one can’t help thinking that a more deliberate delivery would yield a more compelling song.

“Progtology” is an instrumental track featuring excellent guitar work in the low and mid ranges. Half way through the track, there is one of those surprising breaks: A guitar repeats a simple riff, after a few bars the keys and drums enter the mix, then bass and another guitar, then the piano enters with a wonderful development on the riff and it builds into one of the most comprehensive wall-of-sound passages anywhere, and each instrument remains as a clear as a bell. A beautifully crafted progressive metal piece, there is no doubt that this is the best track on the album

The final track, “Comatose”, is a 9-minute ballad that starts with vocals and piano. Whoah – did Neal Morse join Enchant? In the early and late stages of the song, the vocals sound just like Morse! “Comatose” starts with just piano and vocals, then for just a few seconds we hear one of the most haunting guitar sounds ever. Way in the distant background, a short solo with lots of fuzz and lots of reverb, sounding like the skirl of bagpipes echoing down a valley on a highland morning. It is soft enough to be missed by most people – so listen for it! About a third of the way into the song the drums, bass and guitar enter, and “Comatose” becomes a power ballad. (And thankfully, the Neal Morse sound goes away.) Then the lead guitar throws in a slow and emotional solo, followed by a variety of sounds, complex and varied. Then – oops – Neal Morse is back! The song ends with soft, sustained, key-driven notes, and you know this is one of the better power ballads out there. Anywhere. (Okay – so maybe this is the best track on the album.)

Enchant’s NEARfest 2002 performance was okay, but the standard of this album is a pleasant surprise. These songs are beautifully structured, and the production quality is excellent. Tug Of War belongs in your CD collection – and don’t forget to buy a second copy for your metal-head cousin!

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Nice job, Duncan! :) Makes me wonder what he says about a disc when he gives it a 5/5 !!!!!!!
 
Here is another thumbs up review from www.progpower.com
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Enchant - Tug of War
Artist: Enchant
Title: Tug of War
Label: Inside Out
Length: 65’30”
Tracks: 10
Style: Progressive Rock
Origin: USA
Similar To: Spock’s Beard, Dream Theater

Enchant is a band synonymous with releasing quality progressive rock albums with a variety of influences. Whilst lumped in the same category as Dream Theater, Threshold, and Spock’s Beard, Enchant have generally embraced the non-standard when it came to musical creation and this transcends to their latest studio album – Tug of War.

This is definitely one of the quickest turnarounds for Enchant as it was only a year ago that brought us the impressive Blink of an Eye. First impressions of Tug of War was that this album was considerably similar to their previous three albums (the aforementioned Blink of an Eye, Juggling 9 or Dropping 10 (2000) and Break (1998)) but the more I listen to it the more subtleties have revealed themselves from a band dripping with unchained talent.

At the forefront of Enchant is the very honest Ted Leonard, a favourite vocalist of mine, who sings intimate lyrics with desired passion. The ballad ‘Beautiful’ (a self-fulfilling description I can assure you) shows the warmth in his voice with trademark poetic penmanship one of the strongest elements to a band who show amazing depth of character when it comes to lyrical content. Reading Enchant lyrics is like reading a letter to a loved one – heartfelt, sincere and, at times, fiery.

The song structures are quite familiar although the humorously titled instrumental ‘Progtology’ (ouch!) is a tad repetitive but one of the more progressive songs on the album (surely an oxymoron? – Ed). Speaking of progressive, the expressive ‘Queen of the Informed’, driven by a strong guitar riff (Doug Ott) with the ever clear bass provided by Ed Platt, is one of the highlights of the album (all recorded, as usual, in HDCD format). Bill Jenkins, their new keyboardist, whilst contributing little in the writing phase on Tug of War, has delivered a confident assault of varied and eager strokes with some very diverse moments arriving in the form of ‘Holding the Wind’ and the finale ‘Comatose’ whose emotion reminds me of back-catalogue Enchant numbers like ‘The Thirst’, ‘Acquaintance’, and ‘What to Say’. Typically for Enchant, many of the lengthier songs are involved and diverse, giving room for everybody to showcase their skills. But for me it always comes back to Mr. Leonard whose vocal melodies hold this together so eloquently.

Overall, this is a very diverse album for Enchant. There’s heavy and riff-dominant tracks like the opening duo of ‘Sinking Sand’ and ‘Tug of War’ whilst the conceptually inviting ‘Living in a Movie’ highlights the scope of Enchant. The more ambient and poppy tracks like ‘Beautiful’, ‘Holding the Wind’, and in the inspirational ‘Comatose’ are a nice contrast to an album that never sits still. And it’s nice (read: bizarre) to hear guitarist Doug Ott belt out a few vocal notes on the track ‘See No Evil’, one of the less typical songs for Enchant but also one of the albums highlights.

Tug of War is very rhythmical and a highly enjoyable album. Fans of Enchant will lap it up but for those looking for something ‘different‘ from what they’ve done in the past then you may have to dig a little deeper to find the gem that is hidden here.

“What we have is wonderful; It’s sublime; It’s magical; Divine; It’s beautiful.”​
Added: August 8th 2003
Reviewer: Gary
Score:
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Related Link: Enchant
Hits: 105
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And another

www.ytsejam.com

Enchant, Tug of War – InsideOut Music, 2003
Watch your back, Spock’s Beard.

Enchant is going on tour with you this fall, and I think you’re going to have to work very hard to outdo the material from their latest release. “Tug of War” has it all – emotion-packed vocals, excellent keyboard work, heavy guitar riffs. I had trouble prying it out of my car stereo to do this review; it’s been there since I received it 10 days ago.

The cover art isn’t nearly as nice as yours, so I didn’t spend much time on it. But once I took the CD out of that cardboard demo sleeve, I found myself listening to what is easily in the top 5 of albums I have heard this year, maybe even top 3. Every track flows beautifully. The lyrics tell stories that just about anyone who’s ever had contact with another human being can relate to.

And all the elements of classic prog are there – unmistakable vocals, screwy time signatures, signature organ accents, funky chord progressions. The kind of stuff that makes you remember that progressive rock is not a dying art form.

This is an outstanding album. If there’s a bad song on it, don't tell me because I'm feeling, well, euphoric about it.​
Added: July 26th 2003
Reviewer: Michele Hriciso
Score:
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Related Link: Enchant official site
Hits: 60
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Good reviews all...but Ted does not sound like Neal on Comatose! :)

And another from www.progressiveworld.net

Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, August 2003 Enchant paints their story on a rock ‘n’ roll canvas, which happens to be on the CD cover of their spanking new release Tug Of War. If you look closely, you will notice covers of several of their albums within the picture. The title and the cover image are an intimation of the stories inside.
The title track is the one song that caught my attention in an eye popping way. The perspective of an addict and alcoholic and the person watching the one in denial of the disease that lies, gets a hard look in very clear-cut and honest way. No one knows better than this writer does, as I have lived the lie and come out the other side to tell the tale. Looking into the mirror of life and seeing the struggle from both sides of your personality, the good and evil and the endless tugging back and forth can be a trying experience. I find it interesting that there are two different people in the picture. The key is to not let what is on the other side of the mirror suck you in, because what is real is what is standing in front of the reflection…or is it? I get the message of the songs, the cover image and the entire premise of this album. The fact that the music is killer helps, too.
This band keeps getting better and better. The influence of the classic progressive-rockers Kansas is evident, particularly in the vocal department with Ted Leonard. This front man has panache to spare and the pipes to back it up. If the band is in the middle of a driving rocker complete with bobbing and hooking bass lines, pounding rhythmic drums, fiery guitar lines that pierce your soul and keyboards that ‘enchant’ you, Leonard has no trouble changing the inflection of his voice to fit the mood provided. That is the one key element that makes this whole thing work for Enchant. If you do not have a lead vocalist that expresses the emotion and meaning of each song your ship is lost at sea. Make no mistake; this ship knows exactly where it is going.
They have topped themselves yet again with an extraordinary album by recording 10 grand progressive rock/metal tracks that call to you repeatedly; now that is the kind of CD that is worth giving heavy rotation in your stereo.
Rating: 4.5/5
 
Hey huge thanks for sharing these! the Prog Power and Progressive World reviews are totally cool and I think really good ones!

Keith has obviously been there and fought that war with himslelf! Thats what Tug of War is all about! what a great understanding of the song!

Hey I don,t really here Neal either but eveyone hears something differant! I just know Ted sounds amazing and has never sounded better!