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6 reviews/ratings
UNEXPECT - Fables of the Sleepless Empire Avant-garde Metal | review permalink
THRESHOLD - Critical Energy Progressive Metal | review permalink
ARCANE - Chronicles Of The Waking Dream Progressive Metal | review permalink
HAKEN - Visions Progressive Metal | review permalink
LED ZEPPELIN - The Song Remains the Same Proto-Metal | review permalink
RUSH - Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland Hard Rock | review permalink

Metal Genre Nb. Rated Avg. rating
1 Progressive Metal 3 5.00
2 Proto-Metal 1 5.00
3 Avant-garde Metal 1 5.00
4 Hard Rock 1 4.00

Latest Albums Reviews

LED ZEPPELIN The Song Remains the Same

Movie · 1976 · Proto-Metal
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This is the review of the Blu-Ray version of the movie that i saw for the first time in theater a long time ago. There is a improvement of the picture quality compare to the DVD version, but nothing as good as a Blu-Ray of today. What is so interesting about this movie is that it's not only a music concert, it's a lot more. There is some fiction images throughout the movie along with behind the scenes and real day life action footage with each members of the band. The musicians played a role by illustrating the story of the songs like characters in a movie.

The movie starts with the arrival of the crew and the band in Manhattan by car. The city where the show has a important meaning to the movie. There is some entertaining behind the scenes footage, that had took place during the show. It's a real treat to see the manager takes on his crew members who had let circulate some pirates posters of the band. There goes down the drain the merchandising profits! And not only that, but we learned that a robbery of the show's profits had been stolen!

Now for the actual live footage! To have footage of the legendary band is a rare historical moment and i have never been disappointed by the quality of the footage, a little dark with no visuals, because the music was so appealing to me. The idea of illustrating the show with a story is not a bad idea, but at times, i was missing the joy of seeing the band play their instrument, it's the case, especially during the song "The Song Remains the Same", who is one of the best Led Zeppelin songs, along with "No Quarter", simply because for me that's the songs that are the closest to Progressive rock with their nice atmosphere. Another highlight of the show is the 15 minutes drum solo of John Bonham, who is captured nicely by cameras.

The extras contains more songs, and more footage of the conference press talking about the robbery that i was talking earlier in my review. After 38 years, it's easy for me to give this a 5 stars, because it's still a great music to hear today despite some flaws on the quality of the footage, but put in the context of the 70's and restore on Blu-Ray, it's nice to watch. The 5.1 mix also add a new dimension to the whole experience.

RUSH Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland

Movie · 2011 · Hard Rock
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The Time Machine tour was highlighted by the celebration of the Moving Pictures's CD 30th Anniversary. The band played the entire cd at the beginning of the second set. Also they decided to play back some songs that have not been play for a long time, like "Marathon" and "Time Stand Still". For the first time, we can hear the song "Presto", live. The rest of the set contains classics songs covering all the decades, including the two new songs; "BU2B" and Caravan". The playing of the entire Moving Pictures cd was a opportunity to hear for the first time in 30 years, "Camera Eye". But at the same time, we have to endure again the same songs that the bands put on all his tours, i am talking about "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight", who are favorites among the majority of fans, but not for me. The two new songs are not great songs, but had to be put on the set list here.

For the performance, the band was full of energy, happy to be there, if we take a look at the cameras that was catching the looks and funny faces that each member through at each other, especially obvious in the song "Free Will", with Neil and Alex. The editing filming is excellent by giving us some camera shots at the right spot and at the right moment.

The picture quality on the Blu-Ray is very good, maybe not as good as Snakes and Arrows, but this is not a issue here. The DTS-HD sound is excellent with a full surround sound and a clear mix of all instruments. As for the extras, it's rather short and not memorable. I would have prefer to see more recent footage instead of some old archives stuff where the picture quality is poor, like they did on Snakes and Arrows.

So this Blu-Ray is excellent, because it's made by a great band that have survived together all these years with a impeccable musicianship. I can only be a little fussy about the set list, that's what happened when you listen too much to a band's music... Recommended!

HAKEN Visions

Album · 2011 · Progressive Metal
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After the excellent Aquarius first cd, Haken is back with their second. Could they achieve the same level quality on this one? First, the band start with a instrumental track with a classical intro and symphonic arrangements. The rest of the cd contains vocals, the usual Haken prog metal’s sound, who got a lot of Dream Theater’s and Magellan’s influence. Nice keyboards, complex guitar parts, a good rhythm section, and vocals that give more emotion to the melody. The band add to this metal sound, some jazzy tones, a little techno beat in the middle of a song. All this, around many tempo changes that are all culminated in the incredible epic song at the end. On this epic, the band display all the tricks by going in many different styles of music, without losing the melody, and keeping the concept of the song intact by repeating the theme, from the beginning, at the end. With this strong finish, the band has surpassed his previous effort. There is a little bit more variety in this cd and their last epic is at this time, the best thing they have done.

ARCANE Chronicles Of The Waking Dream

Album · 2009 · Progressive Metal
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This is my first encounter with the band and what a pleasant experience to discover a unknown band producing a cd of that quality. Strong compositions throught out this cd with a dark atmosphere create by the beautiful and emotional vocals and and the sound of keyborads With some long tracks we have a lot of change of pace that shows the ability of the band to built a tempo where the emotion is growing on you. It's heavy at times and very delicate at others that make me think of Riverside and Pain of Salvation. So, a impressive cd of melodic heavy progressive that stand out as one of the best release in that genre.

THRESHOLD Critical Energy

Movie · 2004 · Progressive Metal
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This DVD show the band in top form with some close shots that give you the impression of being there in this small venue. The music is excellent because it's a band that play a very melodic and emotional prog metal just on the border of power metal but with a original sound. Mac the vocalist has a great voice. Here he challenges the fans between some songs with a kind of self-confident look that is funny to watch. The other musicians are also interesting to watch especially the guitar work of Karl Groom and the drums of the athletic Johanne James. If the picture is not that great the 5.1 surround sound is full, well balanced between the front and the rear speakers.

In conclusion, a show that you have to see, great performance, by a great band that plays some of their best songs from their catalogue.

Latest Forum Topic Posts

  • Posted 11 months ago in Hell Ya!
    I am new here from canada, i am very excited to talk about some great metal band out there. I am mostly a fan of the prog metal bands, but i like also some avant-garde metal. I think the metal genre is alive and  had a influence  on the prog and neo-prog genre, who have incorporated in their sound a metal influence, which is reflection of the modern sound of the music.

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