dtguitarfan This is the album that finally convinced me that I loved Redemption. After this album, I went back to their older albums and discovered I loved them too, but before this album I used to tell a good friend of mine who was a big Redemption fan that I felt like the band was 5 instrumentalists soloing at the same time. When I heard this album, I felt like I was hearing how the band had matured and cohered. I remember also that it seemed like every time I listened to this album, my favorite song on the album changed as I discovered I loved another song on the album. It is still hard to pick a favorite, though I would like to mention the song, Keep Breathing. This song was written by one of the two guitarists, Nick Van Dyk, about his daughter Parker, who has a degenerative disease causing her to lose her eyesight. The lyrics explain how as a father he can't stand to see his daughter in pain, but at the same time is amazed at her strength and bravery and tells her that it inspires him to go on. As a Progressive Metal fan, this doesn't happen to me very often, but the first time I heard this song I had to pull over as the tears began to flow. The whole album is powerful, and don't be surprised if your speedometer begins to climb as you listen to this album.

arcane-beautiful When it comes to "Progressive Metal", it can either be very different or very samey. Dream Theater for example are not afraid to dip their feet in the pool of other genres and experiment. Then there is what I like to call "stereotypical progressive metal.," which can either be a slightly more technical version of power metal or it could be modern metal with a more technical side, using polyrhythms and showing off virtuoso.

Redemption fall in to the category of the more modern metal, basically technical metal but with a very heavy Symphony X and Dream Theater influence.

While listening to it, I was expecting it to be very samey, but like Progressive Metal; you soon get drawn in by its magical powers.

This album is a great album. It at times is a wee bit samey and very penis envy, but meh, it's very enjoyable & there are some extraordinary songs on it.

1. Peel - Very Symphony X. Interesting vocal style for Ray, who when in Fates Warning (mainly No Exit), his voice was a force to be reckoned with. The chorus in this song is amazing. The solos sound a wee bit too much like Symphony X, but don't get me wrong, the instrumental work is amazing. An amazing way to start the album.

2. Walls - Pretty cool chorus. Ray shows off more vocal styles as well. I love the keyboards in the chorus playing arpeggios.

3. Leviathan Rising - This song kicks major ass. The use of 7 strings is amazing. The chorus is also really good. The piano accompaniment is very Dream Theater. The song is very Nevermore as well. I love the lyrics of the song as well. Basically I love this song.

4. Black & White World - The intro is really cool with amazing discourse between keys and bass. This song is actually about Nick's daughter who has Cone Dystrophy (eye disease, the keyboardist of my band Eternia has it, and it's funny because she's nearly blind, but she can rock any instrument known to man). A very weird thing happened when I was listening to this song last night. The TV was on and when the title was sung in the song, the programme that was on (CSI or some show like that, they're all the same really), the screen went black and white?very weird coincidence. Albeit the funny story, the song is amazing and extremely epic.

5. Unformed - This song is again very Dream Theater. Very kick ass with a great chorus.

6. Keep Breathing - This song is really amazing. The lyrics are based on Nick's own dealing with his daughter's contraction of Cone Dystrophy. The lyrics are incredibly beautiful and very emotional. The music of the song is actually quite dark. The instrumental section is amazing with some spectacular polyrhythms.

7. Another Day Dies - Yay, James LaBrie. This song sounds a little bit like a faster version of one of his solo stuff. His vocals are great in this song and so are Ray's. The production is a wee bit muddy to be honest.

8.] What Will You Say? - Quite cheesy but very catchy and effective.

9. Fistful Of Sand - Very kick ass intro. Almost sounds too much like Nevermore. Mammothly heavy with an amazing chorus and some kick ass polyrhythms.

10. Love Kills Us All/Life In One Day - This song has an amazing build up. The instrumental sections are amazing. This song has a weird structure, not standard at all. The vocal melodies in this song are amazing. Rays vocals also are highlighted really well. What a way to end an album.

CONCLUSION: This album at times can be a little bland, but it is amazing. The small flaws can be easily overlooked. A great album.