Introspect

1.] "A Different Scene" - Hmmm...this is similar to DT's more aggressive material ("The Mirror" and "Lie" from Awake) with a bit of Queensryche thrown in. It also reminds me a bit of the band Ion Vein. This isn't a great song, it is too much like Lethal, too much like Ion Vein.
2.] "Grudge" - Aaack!!! Why does every band influenced by Queensryche and Dream Theater sound like Ion Vein and Lethal??? I don't like this song, the vocals are monotonous and annoying. The Quiet Room's vocalist is basically an irritating version of Geoff Tate or Tom Malincourt (Lethal), on this song anyway.
3.] "Second Time Around" - This one sounds promising in the beginning with a cool instrumental but it soon falls flat with annoying vocal melodies. Maybe it's just me but if you like power/prog metal like older Fates Warning, Ion Vein or Lethal you will probably like this cd.
4.] "Altered Past" - I do like the heavy guitars on this song (and on the entire album) but the vocal melodies really lose me. Too weird. And the keyboards are almost lost in the mix on this tune as they are on the entire album. Again, the vocal melodies are killing me.
5.] "Drowning" - Death by vocal melodies!!! Help me!!! Take the worst of Queensryche and Fates Warning and you have this song. Actually, this song gets a bit better as it goes along, it has a creepy edge to it. Still, the Quiet Room isn't my style.
6.] "Laughing at Your Expense" - Nope, I don't like this one, either. This song is just another sound-alike power/prog song to me.
7.] "Holding On" - This is a slower, calmer song than the previous tunes. And-surprise, surprise-it doesn't do much for me. I like my progressive metal just that; progressive heavy metal. I don't like progressive power metal.
8.] "Extramental" - Heavy opening. That is how I will describe this song: heavy opening. Hee, hee.
9.] "Suspended Seconds" - This is a ballady (is that a word?) song. The music is pretty darn good but the vocal melodies just don't fit. Hey, at least the keyboards are fairly prominent on this one (unless the elves are trying to fool me). After awhile, the song gets really heavy but that doesn't last long. Oh, well.
10.] "Undetermined" - My ears hurt.

I know I didn't give this album a wonderful review but this whole power/prog thing ain't for me. I need to say, in all fairness, that Introspect has been receiving very positive reviews from other writers. In fact, my review is the only negative one I've seen (and I've seen several). So, please, take my review with a large grain of salt. If you are into power/prog, I think you will really like this album. As I've said, if you enjoy older Fates Warning, Lethal and Ion Vein's stuff, you will most likely love this album, I obviously don't.

Rating: 5 (but I'm biased)
by Joseph White
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