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August 29, 2008 |
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01. Traces
02. Then Blood
03. Dreadful Angel
04. Phantoms
05. Born Of Ashes
06. Parfum
07. Obscure Oblivion
08. Realm Of Dreams
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Like any truly Progressive band, and by that I mean one that consciously and actively works to progress their sound, their style and their integrated influences, TO-MERA is difficult to summarize. Consider a base coat of OPETH's penchant for meandering lamentations, with various accentuated custom details such as chillingly beautiful vocals that could rival a choir of angels, over the top virtuosity ala DREAM THEATER or SYMPHONY X, chaotic MESHUGGAH-like tempo shifts, symphonic overtones in the vein of STRATOVARIUS, and a smattering of well infused Jazz eccentricities. All that and we're barely scratching the surface, but perhaps you have a better understanding of what Progressive Metal was meant to be, and of the idea that yeah, TO-MERA understand well; very well indeed.
The aforementioned "base coat" provides the primary backdrop for 99% of the vocals, functioning as the framework of a good portion of these particularly long songs, and this is the playground where vocalist Julie Kiss' considerable hypnotic vocal talents work their magic. The music underlying the vocals is still engaging, but typically more compositionally low-key (though still impressively complex) to complement Kiss' sultry serenades, which showcase one of most magnificent female vocal talents to ever cross the river into the land of Metal.
And anytime Kiss' vocals fade into silence, it's best to brace yourselves because you truly have no idea where the band is about to take you next. Could it be a staggeringly heavy, off rhythm riff marathon? A tribal-fused drum detour? A dizzying jazz breakdown? Perhaps a jaw dropping solo strafe? You just don't know, and chances are that after the first couple times through a song like "Phantoms", "Dreadful Angel" or "Parfum", you still won't know. But what you will know, inarguably, is that you'll want more. To fully dissect the ups, downs, ins, outs and in betweens of this album would be a monumental task, and at any rate its best left to the interpretive inclinations of your own appreciative ears. Suffice it to say that TO-MERA is a meeting of masterful musical minds in every possible aspect, and every musician is putting their laundering list of instrumental capacity on display for the unknowing public, and even if it seems like an overload of eclectic eccentricities to some listeners, anyone would be hard pressed to cast doubt upon the obvious abilities of the collective genius known as TO-MERA.
The one detraction that could possibly be perceived as a chink in TO-MERA's proverbial armor is the notable lack of vocal presence when the band takes one of its numerous treks into the realm of guitar shreddery and most intense Metal moments. There are several sections that would virtually erupt from the speakers with immeasurable power with the presence of some relevant adrenalized Metal vocal symbiosis for some added kick. Unfortunately, Julie Kiss is not built for such things - which is far from a criticism concerning her formidable mastery of melody; but a touch of gruff Death Metal aggression or Thrash-minded menace and even a counter response of appropriate male melody would round out the band's wide range of elements perfectly. A master of vocal shape shifting the likes of CARNIVAL IN COAL's Arno Strobl would work wonders to complete the circle for this already brilliant band, but all in all it is of proportionally little consequence.
TO-MERA are the newest and possibly brightest light in the true world of Progressive Metal, only one album into what is destined to be a triumphant career by all accounts. Those who live to dissect the millions of subtle nuances, shifts and changes a competent Progressive Metal band builds into their work will have an absolute heyday with "Transcendental", and will in fact find that TO-MERA have themselves transcended the common strictures of Metal to create a lasting legacy that is at once identifiable, irradiant, and irresistible.
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