Monday, May 14, 2012

Tнoυgнt Cнαmbεr - Angυlαr Pεrcεptions (2007)


As far as technically proficient genre exercises go, progressive metal supergroups tend to be quite the treat if the proceedings gel at just the right temperature. Talented vocalists matrimonially paired via label dictation or otherwise with hotshot guitarists and other high-profile specialists at their weapon of choice (drumkit, keyboards, etc.)...what more could you be looking for at this end of the spectrum?

In the case of this fantastic little project, you have Enchant's leading man Ted Leonard gliding amidst the furious finesse of Arch Rival guitarist Michael Harris, who masterminded the whole shebang. And if there's one thing I know about guitarists, its that they tend to write pretty good songs: 'Sacred Treasure' is a vintage stab at Dream Theater circa 1992, complete with synth-guitar counterpoint and some Flamenco sweeps. Some cuts are downright infectious as far as pop-metal sensibility goes though, with kudos to the Eastern scaled 'A Legend`s Avalon' and 'God Of Oblique', a song that Ray Alder would have sacrificed babies for to have written himself.

A lot of 90's and early 00's progressive metal hasn't aged quite as well as some would have you believe, but Angular Perceptions is an underrated curio from the latter part of this time period which falls into a far rarer camp than most: a release which was drowned out during a year when the market was suffocated by Fates Warning and Symphony X soundalikes, but in retrospect was a cut above every last one them in execution. You can't go wrong with this sucker!


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