Time Signature Borrow me your production...

Genre: progressive metal

Part of making progressive music is experimenting, and I think that Tangent Plane deserve some credit for their experimenations with some strange and interesting things every now and then, but I must admit that I think that things do not alway work in favor of Tangent Plane on their sophomore release.

The vocalist has a unique voice, and normally that is a plus in my book, but here it sounds like he is trying too hard at times to sound different, which ends up becoming slightly annoying to listen to. They keyboards also become annoying, I think. It's true that keyboards are an obligatory instrument in much progressive metal nowadays, and that's fine by me. I just don't get the choice of effects from the keyboard soundbanks on this release, most of which sound very cheesy. I am sure they are supposed to serve in the name of epicness, but, honestly, I think they just end up making the music sound silly.

I also find the production to be sub par with the guitar sound being too fuzzy and unclear, and it is irritating that the hi-hat is barely audible and that the cymbals are very low in the mix.

I actually think that the production is the main reason why my experience of this album is not a positive one. Had the production been better, the music migh have come across more balanced and less sub par. Because there are a lot of good things on the album, and I really think it is a big shame that the music itself has to suffer that much because of the bad production. The twenty minutes plus title track would have been incredibly good had the production been better, but, it its present state, it is just twenty minutes of annoyance.

I really think it is a big shame about the production, and I really hope that Tangent Plane are more lucky when comes to the production next time.

adg211288 Project Elimi is the second album by German Progressive Metal band Tangent Plane, which was released in 2011. The mammoth album features a total of seventy-six minutes of music spread over eight tracks. That sounds ideal for a progressive metal release right?

Indeed all the ingredients within Project Elimi are right – variation, heavy riffs, symphonic keyboards, good use of acoustics, an over twenty minute long song (the closing title track), and good production. This recipe, when written on paper, is one than I (and I expect other prog fans as well) should be drooling over waiting for it to be cooked up, but the chef that put this together needs some more cooking lessons, because for some reason all the elements in the pot are correct, yet the result just doesn’t work. Or rather it just doesn’t work as well as it should, Project Elimi isn’t without its redeeming factors, indeed every song has the odd moment that hints of how well the album could have worked. It is not offensively bad which is a blessing, but the release just fails to capture me as well.

Aside from the fact that I don’t think the band has put all those elements together particularly well, my biggest complaint about Project Elimi is the vocals. Jan Michaelis does have some stronger moments, but most of the time he comes across, for want of a better word, as irritating, and much of his delivery sounds forced. A better singer might actually have saved the album from the complete drag of mediocrity than I have ended up viewing it as. That’s what the album comes across for the most part, a complete drag. The songs are generally long with the twenty-two minute piece along with three others clocking in over mine minutes, and another two over seven. Only one, Do You Live, comes in at under five minutes. I actually found that one of the better tracks on the album along with Deadborn, which showcases that Tangent Plane could potentially offer something good up. Again I did not enjoy some of the vocal performance of Deadborn, although it is generally more bearable than on some tracks. It still drags it parts of its near ten minute duration, albeit less so than it could have done as per the rest of the album’s example.

Project Elimi isn’t an unbearable listen, but it’s not exactly memorable either as much of it is just unremarkable, especially the title track which never really gets going in over twenty minutes despite the band’s best efforts. I have heard much worse albums though, but the most positive thing I can say about the album is that it showcases the band’s potential if nothing else. The band should really analyse what they did with the short song Do You Live, since the band seems a much stronger unit playing shorter pieces that all these long ones. It’s quite possible to play progressive metal without long songs, just listen to most of Evergrey’s output for evidence of that. That’s the issue here I think, the band seems to have tried too hard to write long tracks.

In conclusion I write this album off as a missed chance. The elements are here but it just needs to be executed better towards the band’s apparent strengths. A change in singer would not go amiss either, or at the very least the current one needs to up his game. I mentioned earlier than his vocals sounded forced, but that’s true of the whole album really. I’m sure this would have been a much stronger effort if it felt a little more natural. Still if these guys can iron out the bugs then they do have potential to be a force to reckon with. They’re worth taking note of for that at the moment, and I hope to be pleasantly surprised by these guys on a future effort.

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven, scoring 4.8/10)

J-Man Assessing an album like Project Elimi is no easy task. Fans of obscure progressive power metal will definitely want to check out this young German group - there's no doubt that Tangent Plane have plenty of goods to offer. Unfortunately, these rewards are often difficult to see on Project Elimi, the band's second full-length effort. Don't get me wrong; this is a competent album that should satisfy fans of the genre. Unfortunately, a few crippling flaws add up to a less-than-satisfying experience for me. Project Elimi's general lack of jaw-dropping moments and Tangent Plane's decidedly derivative approach make for an experience unworthy of a near-80 minute playing time. I was excited about this album when I first received the promo in my inbox, but even after multiple spins, no "magic" has shined through. There's surely an audience (and a fairly large one, at that) for Tangent Plane, but they will need to definitely look into improving their compositional talents before this reviewer is truly impressed.

The music on Project Elimi is progressive power metal with nods towards the early variant of the scene. Expect nods in the direction of Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Fates Warning, and even hints of Symphony X. Symphonic keyboards, heavy guitar riffs, and epic song structures dominate this hefty 76-minute album. With such an intimidating running length, some filler is almost a guarantee. Many songs are close to the 10 minute mark, and the final track, "Project Elimi", is a monster epic at 22:17. Solid riffs are present throughout, but a good portion of the album comes across as a bit generic and uninspired. Project Elimi isn't at all without highlights - "Deadborn" leaves me speechless every time. This is simply one of those albums that's filled with high-quality musicianship, crystal clear production, and technically excellent music, yet it often leaves me cold. I can only hope that more memorable songwriting will only develop in time from this talented group.

Tangent Plane is a group of talented musicians with tons of potential, but Project Elimi is ultimately an underwhelming experience. I wouldn't at all be surprised if a future effort from Tangent Plane really knocks my socks off - they have the chops to pull it off. As of now, the band's second full-length leaves a bit to be desired. If talented musicianship from unexpected sources is what you're in search for, Project Elimi is worth much more than the 2.5 stars I'm giving it. If you're looking for an original progressive power metal album with stunning compositions... maybe next time.