JAMES LABRIE — Elements of Persuasion (review)

JAMES LABRIE — Elements of Persuasion album cover Album · 2005 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
martindavey87
Having ditched the Mullmuzzler moniker of his previous solo outings, world-renowned vocalist James LaBrie of Dream Theater assembled a new line-up and released his first "official" solo album. Whilst it may come as no surprise that it certainly sounds a lot like Dream Theater and makes use of a lot of the prog metal characteristics that the band pioneered, a steady influence of nu metal, "groove metal" and electronic elements give this album enough of its own identity so that it doesn't sound like "just another Dream Theater album"... while still sounding somewhat similar to the prog metal icons.

One of the biggest differences that set LaBrie's solo work apart from his main band is that the songs are a lot more straightforward and stripped down. The song structures are more akin to standard heavy metal. But with that said, the similarities are still there. Guitarist Marco Sfogli is an absolute beast on the guitar, yet his tone pretty much replicates John Petrucci's perfectly. Matt Guillory's keyboard playing never disappoints, and drummer Mike Mangini must have impressed someone, as he would later go on to join Dream Theater!

There's nothing fancy to say here, and no overly critical insults. 'Crucify', 'Alone', 'Lost' and 'Drained' are all solid tracks that make this a good, quality progressive metal album.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us