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Digital Ruin Dwelling In The Out Review by Gary Hill With many CD's the question comes up, is this prog or prog metal. Some are really easy to define, others not so simple. This one falls into that second category. However, although there are some very definite prog tendencies to the music presented here, I would have to place it in the prog metal zone. This is definitely not a bad thing, particularly since the disc draws at times from such influences as Rush, Dream Theater and Fates Warning. With influences like that, how could you go wrong? Indeed, this is a very strong CD and sure to please fans of harder edged complex music. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 3 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years .

Track by Track Review

Living For Yesterday Weird effects lead to dark, hard edged tones that give way to frantic prog metal jamming. The cut drops to dark atmospheric modes, and continues by alternating between these modes, with the frantic section feeling a bit Dream Theaterish. It ends with the ticking of a clock.

Darkest Day Sound effects followed by frantic dark hard-edged riffing begins this one. As the verse starts, the cut becomes more melodic, feeling a bit in the mode of bands such as Fates Warning. This is a very strong and emotional piece. It features an awesome instrumental break with some very tasteful guitar work. It is a song about a suicidal moment. "Into the darkness I said goodbye, Behind the mask of death, I saw a world beyond our flesh and blood."

Dwelling In The Out A quirky tempo and "way-too-deep" bass makes up the main focus of this track. It is another very evocative number. It is slower during this quirky section, but becomes more straightforward and hard-edged progish metal in sections. "I've never feared sleep so much, Or dreams that come in the night, When will I find all that I need, How can I live without you." It features a very strong prog metal jam that leans heavily towards prog late in the cut.

The Forgotten Weird effects and gameish war sounds begin this one. Frantic riffing starts over the top as the sounds get more real sounding. It becomes a very dramatic sort of prog metal in a balladic mode. This is is a dark cut that alternates between the balladic mode and hard rocking progish metal. It has some great haunting spoken voice-overs.

Adrift Wonderful moody sedate tones begin this one, and the first verse is in this mode. The chorus is a harder take on this same progression, and the composition builds in progish tones from there. This is another killer cut.

Night Falls Forever Pretty piano based prog ballad type tones begin this one, and carry it for a time. As the cut continues, it gets much harder, but still in a very progish mode. This one has some strong DT leanings at times and is pretty awesome. It is one of the strongest tunes on the disc, and includes overlaid spoken word samples at times.

Machine Cage Electronic sorts of sound effects start this one. Then a dark metallic build takes the cut up. It breaks loose into a killer prog metal jam. It seems to be quite a bit in the Fates Warning vein and is very potent.

Letting Go With an almost Rushish staccato intro, this cut builds on that style, but in a more modern prog metal format. It is a strong cut on a very strong disc and includes a great instrumental break.

The Agony Column This is another strong, but basic prog metal piece.

Along The Way Beginning with piano that feels almost like a dark and twisted child's lullaby, the cut begins building on this structure into a kick posterior prog metal number. It is incredibly powerful, the spoken voice over clip adding worlds of emotion.

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