Lion/Warner
Lead vocalist and main man IAN PARRY continued his sci-fi saga CONSORTIUM PROJECT with the second installment in 2001. Still utilizing brilliant guitarists like Patrick Rondat (ELEGY/solo), Stephan Lill (VANDEN PLAS) and Thomas Youngblood (KAMELOT), basists Jan Bijlsma (VENGEANCE/AYREON) and Patrice Guers (ex. RHAPSODY OF FIRE), keyboard player Gunter Wernö (VANDEN PLAS) and seasoned drummer Dirk Bruinenberg (ELEGY, PATRICK RONDAT etc, etc) the sound and performance must have been Ian´s least problem. The sci-fi was spiced up with the headlines of the day concerning e.g. global warming. And the whole shebang was mixed by Tommy Newton (HELLOWEEN, KAMELOT etc.) and produced by Ian himself.
The opening title track was a show of progressiveness. The project was quite heavy for a progressive band and also keen to utilize their various mother tongues for spoken intros. Surprisinglyy the first monster track is one of the more straightforward ones, “The Catalyst”. The guitar riff and the keyboards are in accordance and the refrain is strong without having hit ambitions. There is so many tracks to enjoy here, and the weaker moments are merely two. “(Momentary) Lapse of Reason” is a bit too oddly progressive for my liking and the refrain is too weak. For once I question the vocal performance, and that is in the second oddity, “What You Sow, You Reap”. The refain is only so-so, but the grooves work well. One of their finest moments on the other hand is “Collide-O-Scope (When Past and Present Collide)”. I suspect Patrick Rondat to contribute the French intro, and the arrangements are top-notch. There is harmony in the mix if it all and the solo is a masterpiece. I can warmly recommend this as an addition to any progressive metalhead´s record collection!
Track List
Continuum (in Extremis)
Asylum Seekers
The Catalyst
Intrusions of Madness
(Momentary) Lapse of Reason
Mirror Image
Sentiment in Sanctuary
What You Sow, You Reap
Asphyxia
Collide-O-Scope (When Past and Present Collide)
Poetic Justice
Intrusions of Madness (Bonus Demo)
Poetic Justice (Bonus Demo)
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