By Rob Kachluba
Keeping up with their habit of releasing an album every two years, I believe that Redemption has released the best album of their career to date. Opening with a bang with “Path of the Whirlwind” this is the way prog metal is meant to be heard: powerful, thick production with a thrashy intensity through the verse that falls into a wicked chorus. It is followed by “Blink of an eye”, which again is all guns ablazing with heavy thick riffing and Ray Alder sounding fantastic in his midrange as it reminds me of his melodies from “Fullness of Time”. Again, I have to say with Neil Kernon behind the production duties he has brought them a very heavy dark intensified album that cries out to be heard on a big, loud system. The guitars are full and bright throughout and the bass and drums really compliment each other. I love the heavy metallic direction of this album. On the first half of this album each song comes out of the gate with no filler just all killer songwriting. “Let It Rain” is a gorgeous song that showcases Ray’s great voice and is one of the more simpler songs on the cd. It is a nice breather after the onslaught of the first half of the album. Although I don’t have a lyric sheet in front of me, “Stronger then Death” may very well be a nod to main man Nick Van Dyk’s personal battle with cancer that he has beaten last year. I know alot of the story behind his battle and for him to release such a amazing album is a true testament to both him and his bandmates. Closer “Departure of the Pale Horse” is a mini epic full of all the ingredients that make Redemption such a special band and one will be in tough to beat this album out at year end polls. Again, the playing on this CD is monstrous from all parties. Blazing solos,crisp heavy riffing, great keys thunderous bass rumblings and maybe some of the best heavy drumming you will hear from a prog metal release this year.
(Inside Out)
