Despite being a 2011 release, this is the European version of a CD originally released in 2008 elsewhere. When discussing the follow up, The Labyrinth Of Truths from 2010, I already spoke highly of the music of this project by writer and drummer Heleno Vale.
And while I am tempted a little to say that it is obvious this is the first, and the second one is better blah blah, I actually doubt if that is the case.
Yes, this album takes a little more time to get into, and yes, maybe really stunning tracks are fewer, but in all honesty I think both albums are pretty equal. (and it is no competition anyway!) This is progressive metal as it should be. Various singers and players (hardly big names on this one, mostly Brazilians I guess), songs from fast to slow, from heavy to technical to moody. And while those melodies may sometimes take longer to sink in, I found that on repeated play this album keeps growing. A track like Milvian Bridge is a perfect example of the beauty Vale can create.And rest assured, that is far from the only one!
To sum it up, another no brainer for fans of the genre. Thanks to InnerWound for bringing this into the European territory. Buy it!
