I originally had this slated for the progressive rock side of Music Street Journal, but in retrospect, it really doesn’t fit there. I know, it’s the first time we’ve put a Magna Carta release anywhere but under “progressive rock.” And, yes, there are some prog moments and prog elements at various times on the disc. Overall, though, this is essentially nu-metal. I’d consider it closer to Tool than just about anything else. It’s quite good nu-metal at that, but a bit limited sometimes. There tends to be a bit of a monolithic nature to the early portions of the set.  Still, this is entertaining. However, while I’ve got a pretty wide range of what I’ll put under progressive rock, this is decidedly heavy metal. Some extremely creative metal, though.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Keyboards bring this in, then it seems about to fire into some metallic prog, but it settles into something closer to fusion. The metallic elements do rise up from there, but they drop it to a more stripped down techno meets prog arrangement for the verse. The cut runs through with that sound and the heavier ones bouncing off one another.