UMUR "Outcast" is the 4th full-length studio album by Canadian progressive metal act Heaven´s Cry. The album was released through Prosthetic Records in June 2016. It´s the successor to "Wheels of Impermanence" from 2012, which was the band´s first studio album in 10 years. "Outcast" features the same lineup who recorded "Wheels of Impermanence (2012)". Pierre St-Jean (vocals, guitars), Sylvain Auclair (vocals, bass, Chapman Stick), Réné Lacharité (drums), and Eric Jarrin (guitars). The latter have had a busy year, as he has also released the "Beast (2016)" album with his other project Despised Icon.

"Wheels of Impermanence (2012)" was a quality comeback release by Heaven´s Cry, but it didn´t quite reach the heights of "Food for Thought Substitute (1996)" and "Primal Power Addiction (2002)". "Outcast" pretty much continues where "Wheels of Impermanence (2012)" left off, although to my ears it´s slightly more interesting.

Stylistically the material on the 7 track, 50:48 minutes long album is progressive metal, but with the distinct sounding Heaven´s Cry twist. The vocals are not your typical high pitched progressive metal vocals, but rather a melodic hard rock singing style (often layered with harmony vocals), although the melody lines are generally relatively complex. The multi-layered guitars, intricate rhythm work, and adventurous song structures are Heaven´s Cry trademarks by now, so they are not that surprising, but still a very interesting and sophisticated combination of musical elements. While the tracks feature clear structures, there´s often a loose organic feel to them, which makes the music a bit unpredictable, which is very entertaining.

The material on the album is generally well written, but to my ears the album is frontloaded with the best tracks as the last couple of tracks on the album are sligthly sub par to the tracks which open the album. Tracks like "The Human Factor", the title track (which features vocal harmonies reminiscent of Alice in Chains), and the dark grinding 14:16 minutes long "The Day the System Failed" are high quality material. Heaven´s Cry shine on those tracks. "If I Only Knew" is a good quality track too, but the remaining three tracks of the album aren´t that remarkable.

When that is said "Outcast" is still overall a high quality release and even the more unremarkable tracks are still above standard compared to a lot of the output of other similar contemporary artists. Heaven´s Cry still have a rather unique sound and it´s obvious they will continue to pursue and develop that sound no matter what happens. I´m pretty sure they aren´t the most commercially successful act on the scene, so not following conventions and trying to blend in, is probably not in their best interest if they want to make a living out of playing music, but that´s obviously not their main goal. The adventurous and bold spirit of their music make them true artists in my view and while "Outcast" may not quite reach the heights of their first two releases a 4 star (80%) rating is still deserved.

UMUR "Wheels of Impermanence" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Canadian progressive metal act Heaven´s Cry. The album was released through Prosthetic Records in September 2012. It´s been 10 years since the release of the band´s second full-length studio album "Primal Power Addiction (2002)", but Heaven´s Cry were never an act to rush things. They haven´t been inactive though, as they´ve been busy with other projects. Most prominantly guitarist Éric Jarrin has also been a member of Canadian deathcore act Despised Icon since 2002.

Heaven´s Cry have always had a very unique sound and while "Wheels of Impermanence" is somewhat different to their first two albums, it´s still unmistakably the sound of Heaven´s Cry. One of the things that always made Heaven´s Cry stand out from the crowd, was the fact that the band featured three guitarists and that the use of keyboards in their music was sparse. The interplay between the three guitarists were highly original and provided the band´s music with a unique sound. To my initial horror, the band have opted for a more conventional lineup on "Wheels of Impermanence", with two guitarists (Pierre St. Jean sings lead vocals too), a drummer and a bassist. But not only that! The keyboards now have a more prominant role in the music (although still tastefully placed in the mix). This change in lineup and the more frequent use of keyboards in the music have quite a bit of impact on the final result.

While the music on "Wheels of Impermanence" is still highly intriguing and cleverly composed progressive metal, it´s slightly less sophisticated compared to the predecessors. That counts for both sound production and the actual compositions. Heaven´s Cry still produce very original sounding progressive metal, that requires more than a few listens to understand and appreciate though. It´s not that the tracks are overtly complex structured, and most are "regular" length tracks, but the detail level, and vocal melody lines that aren´t instantly memorable, are factors that´ll challenge most. It´s stylistic elements that are positive for the longivity of the album. Overall I sense that Heaven´s Cry have taken their music in a slightly heavier direction with more power chord riffing and heavy rythms too, but it´s only occasionally and "Wheels of Impermanence" is quite the varied album. Tracks like "Consequence" and the closing instrumental "A Glimpse of Hope" are examples of tracks that stand out.

The musicianship is, not surprisingly if you are familiar with the band´s earlier output, on a high level. Everything is delivered with tight precision but never in a clinical fashion. These guys are able to put a human touch to their music that is greatly enjoyable. Lead vocalist/guitarist Pierre St. Jean is a skilled vocalist, who can sings in a darker and more raw tone than most progressive metal vocalists. His vocals are often layered with harmony vocals that at times reek of Alice in Chains.

Upon conclusion I think I prefer the first two albums to "Wheels of Impermanence", but it´s still a welcome comeback and a great album in it´s own right. For fans of progressive metal who´d like their progressive metal to be a bit "different" (featuring a personal sound), I find the album highly recommendable. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.