Charlie Dominici is best known for his debut effort as the singer on Dream Theater's debut album When Dream And Day Unite back in 1989.
Sixteen years later he emerged with the first Dominici album in 2005, a trilogy that is now fulfilled.
Does it sound anything like Dream Theater then? Well a bit, it's the same breed of Progressive Metal, this being a bit more Metal and a little less technical than most DT. There are also hints of Queensrÿche and an inch of Vanden Plas in here.
One of the best passages is the first couple of minutes of the album, a hypnotic keyboard sets a moody scene and when the acoustic guitar sets in you get a slight feel of A Change Of Seasons. From that point on a Heavy Metal thunderstorm is unleashed, lots of ingenious goodies thrown in between the dominant drum attack that just keeps pounding onwards.
Charlie's voice holds up pretty well on this disc, March Into Hell sees a varied and characteristic approach even though his expression in some instances could have been clearer. The track is a fast and straightforward deal but changes colour towards the end, settling down with a comfortable melodic guitar lick.
You could almost call So Help Me God a ballad; it's soulfully and emotionally rich while the memorable chorus drags desperate and longing shadows.
The production is not just great, it's phenomenal. The sophisticated nuances and tricky layers in Liquid Lightning appear crystal clear and at the same time the heavy parts gets extra weight as a bombastic bass burns through with immense force.
This track is a clear highlight; the clever key break and magnificent guitar solo stand out among other treats.
This is one of those albums that slowly offer you small pieces to the overall dramatic puzzle, it needs time but in the end it adds up successfully.
The first 10-minute opus is called Enemies Of God and what it lacks in an only OK chorus it has in musical muscles.
Really competent playing all around and tons of atmosphere in the compelling mid-section.
Overall the framework is immensely tight and the album keeps shifting between furious and dreamy. Revelation is carried through the night by some really intense riffs but also finds time for a cunning piano passage.
An enlightening key solo is an important piece in the grand finale Genesis, reaching another album highlight later on as a massive and effusive chorus set in. Some of the verse parts come along a bit forced but it ends on an epic note.
The spoken passages fit in nicely and seem authentic. The overall concept story about dark human nature and the end of the world is nicely framed into a grave apocalyptic setting, again thanks to excellent key arrangements.
This is an admirable piece of work and I'm impressed by the band's abilities, Yan Maillard shows both skill and stamina behind the skins but you have to take all instruments into account, this piece wins as a full package: Story line, mood and musical cooperation.
The albums biggest strength is that it offers a large scaled but coherent and captivating journey.Written by
Tommy Sunday, June 15, 2008
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 7.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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