J-Man Reason, a British band that has now been around for almost 2 years, has finally released their first digital single with Before the Dawn. Boasting excellent instrumentation and a powerful composition, I can confidently say that I'll be keeping a close eye on where this band goes in the future. This 8-minute progressive/power metal track is a great entrance into Reason's music - it's simply a fun song from beginning to end. Although far from essential, it's a promising start for this band. It'll be interesting to hear what their first full-length album or EP will sound like.

The music here is a mix of progressive metal, hard rock, and power metal with a slight commercial edge. It's not the most original combination out there, but Reason delivers it in a professional manner. I'm reminded a bit of the more recent Nightingale albums throughout Before the Dawn. If you like soft progressive/power metal, this single may hold some interest for you. Don't come in expect a revolution in the genre, but it's a competent entrance into the scene for Reason. The musicians here are all surely capable, though there isn't a whole lot of room for them to shine instrumentally on Before the Dawn. They get the job done, though, and I have no complaints. The production is a bit dull, but it works for a debut single. Hopefully they'll have a bit more of a professional production on their next efforts.

Before the Dawn is a good debut single from Reason, and it indicates a bright future for the band. This isn't something that's going to strike you in the face with its originality or anything like that, but it's a good soft prog/power metal release. If this package included another track or two I may be a bit more enthusiastic, but that still doesn't change the fact that "Before the Dawn" is a strong composition. I'll go with a 2.5-3 star rating here. I can't wait to hear another official release from these guys!