You'd be hard-pressed to get these guys to admit it, but there are definitely some Dream Theater influences here. I'm thinking Scenes from a Memory era. However, to say they are a Dream Theater clone would be totally unfair, because they are not. As a famous Muppet once told us, they are different, but the same. It has that vibe, but rocks in a different vein. This album is very melodic. It has great riffs and keeps your ears stimulated from beginning to end. The music never gets stagnant. The musicians stay in top form while executing parts that are technical and complex. I highly recommend this album. It is unique in how it moves. Comparisons could be drawn, but the combination of elements makes them one-of-a-kind, slightly askew from anything else in the progressive metal genre. In some sections, you may start to feel like you have a lock on their song structure or style, but the pace changes often into new territory.

The musicians are in full command of their instruments. Their newest member is their bassist Heiko Spaarmann. You would never know he was fresh to the line-up from listening to the music. His signature is tightly woven into the sonic fabric of their music. There is some phenomenal bass work being done here, which is one reason this release will score many points with the listener. The group is new to the United States, but in no means are they unknown worldwide. Their skills are buffed and polished to a radiant shine. I ask you give them a try. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Keep in mind, there is more metal and hardness here then say a rock album, but for metal it is a setting or two cranked below the standard metal fare. Unless you are looking strictly for rock or you want to be nailed to the wall with sheer loudness and aggression, this may be a brand-new band for the true progressive music fan to bring into their collection. This album is a conceptual project about how everything, we included, is controlled by chemicals and the chaos created by their interactions. The songs stand alone, but lyrically stay aligned with this topic throughout the entire album. The experience may change when actively listening to the words. The music is mostly uplifting while the lyrics are more upset and cynical.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2003 Year Book Volume 1 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2003-and-2004/.