ovidiu
SUPERIOR was one of the most interesting and unfortunatelly underrated prog power metal German bands!I don;t know why they didn't had the success thet other really less talented bands had,because this guys were really good!The debut album was a shock,especially the amazing production was trully impressive and the intelligent music delivered- a metal in Queensryche style with powerful vocals and very,very well composed music!The second one YOUNIQUE wasn't inspired at all,because the guys tried a new musical direction,more experimental and that's why they deceived many fans!Well,this 3-rd and final studio album before they split up,because they made a final LIVE album,well ULTIMA RATIO was like a swan song for them,they put so much ambition,creativity and passion to do an impressive conceptual album in the vein of OPERATION MINDCRIME,but they had the worst idea possible -to offer the album to a weak French label that didn't had the possibilities to promote this album to a superior level!OK,in FRANCE they were huge,but outside FRANCE..that was the main problem!Talking about the album...the comparisons to OPERATION MIDCRIME are obvious-the similitudes with the central theme-mind manipulation and the capacity to play with people's intelect!The production is awesome,the playing amazing and the interludes between songs have a FLOYD flavour... Very enjoyable musical discovery for concept metal album fans,very good musicianship and in the end the regret thet this album doesn't get a wider recognition,because ULTIMA RATIO is a very complete and complex album!It's understandable...perfectly legitimate the deception and disgust of the musicians about making such a high caliber album,that they didn't get the deserved appreciation!Anyway...what remains is a superbe concept album,a solid piece of true art a true ear musical candy for the amateurs of intelligent metal ,with powerful vocals and competent German musicians!5 STARS for a forgotten musical pearl,one of the best concept metal albums !