"ONIRIC METAL"
LALU

Breathtaking!  Nah, doesn’t sound like a metal term.  Stupendous!!  Nope, too circus-y.  Musical genius!!!  I think not, too pretentious.  A blazing shredfest with thunderous double bass and music that hits you like a rampaging moose!!!!   YEAH, THAT’S THE ONE!  Actually, all of the above terms more than aptly described the cd that is now firmly entrenched as my pick (a tie with Redemption and Frameshift, actually) for the best progressive metal cd of 2005.  That cd is none other than “Oniric Metal”  by Lalu.

For those not familiar with this band, it is the brainchild of the French keyboardist, Vivian Lalu, and features the talents of guitarist Joop Wolters (Arabesque), drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend), bassist Russ Bergquist (Annihilator), and vocalist Martin LeMar.  While the above terms may describe the cd, they don’t even come close to doing it justice.  This is a cd that has to be experienced rather than just listened to.

The cd opens with “Yesterday Man” and this is about the only song that comes near to being a ballad but not too near.  A very sad song, indeed, about love won and lost.  Standouts on this cut are definitely the vocals, both lead and background.  What a way to open an album!

Other standouts on the album include “Wolven Eyes,” which (as you may be able to guess) is about a family of werewolves, the unbelievably, undeniably progressive rock triumph “Timestop,” and the 18 minute plus metal masterpiece “Potboy – The Final Frontier.”  I know what some of you may be thinking, that this is in praise of marijuana, but in all actuality – it is really a hard look at loss experienced through an addiction (albeit from the viewpoint of a young male alien).  Even though I am one of their most stalwart, diehard fans – this rivals, and possibly even triumphs over the legendary epic, “The Odyssey” from the best of the best, Symphony X.  As much as I hate to admit it, they might have found a very tough rival for my favorite progressive metal band pick in Lalu.

Words cannot do this album justice and while I would not recommend this for everyone (even those who are headbangers from way back), I will recommend it for fans of Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery, Symphony X, Redemption, and the like.  But be warned – if you give this cd a chance, you just might end up saying something along the lines of “Dream Who?”  Be afraid – be very afraid!  

Redemption - "The Fullness of Time"

Every once in a great while, a band will put out a sophomore effort that completely overshadows their first release.  The latest cd by Redemption, “The Fullness of Time,” somehow has made me almost completely forget that their first release (“Redemption”) was my pick for best progressive metal release of 2002.  To think an album that featured members of Fate’s Warning, Steel Prophet, and Symphony X could have been outdone by a new lineup with only the lead singer and guitarist intact is, to me, almost incomprehensible.  Dream Theater with only James Labrie and John Petrucci – I don’t think so.

“The Fullness of Time” is, so far, my pick for best progressive metal cd of 2005 due to the absolute brilliance of two standouts on a cd that is nothing short of flawless.  “The Fullness of Time” itself is a 4 part suite that opens with a bang and goes up from there, ending in what may be one of the most lyrically stunning ballads I have heard in many of year.  Speaking of lyrics, both of the standout pieces on this cd will bring tears to the eyes of anyone with children and anyone who has ever loved and lost.  Strange topics for a progressive metal album, I know, but that is what makes these two songs so special to me.

“Through Jason’s Eyes” is a beautiful ballad sung by a father to his young son and is a passionate plea to all of us fathers to let their kids be exactly that.  Don’t rush them into growing up, let them be what they are – children.  They will be influenced by the trials and tribulations of adulthood much, much too soon. 

“Once, long ago, I was young,
And I saw the world through innocent eyes,
Like my child, but the memory is fading now.
and now all that I can see is unfair.”

The 4th track on the cd is called “Sapphire” and is the standout track on the cd.  Running along at full steam for nearly 16 minutes, this makes one realize just how talented a songwriter and musician Nick Van Dyk really is.  This one is a tear-jerker in that it deals with the pain of a love lost.  Between Nick’s incredible guitar and keyboard work, the to die for rhythm section of Chris Quirate and James Sherwood (both of the band Prymary – another review coming soon!), and the man who could have taught James Labrie how to sing, Ray Alder, this song should be a measuring stick for anyone ever wanting to write an epic metal tune.  Again, this one is lyrically brilliant, due to lines like:

“It would tear out my heart
To be nothing more to you,
Than a smile that occasionally crosses your face.”

And

“Twenty five years from now,
What will we have,
But a pile of ash from what could have been.”

Man, oh, man – it gives me chills even as I am writing this!

Sorry to be so long-winded is this review, but there are not enough superlatives to accurately describe this album.  Technical brilliance, heart-felt lyrics, and five of the most talented musicians on the scene today add up to one of the best releases of this or any other year.