Metal Reviews

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This new Shadow Gallery CD is indeed very good, I ve listened to it three times and I have really enjoyed it. Tyranny, beeing my favorite SG album, is continued here with pretty much the same sound.
It is a very good work by SG.

I listened to a bit of this. Sounded a lot more prog rock than prog metal, but I liked it. I look forward to giving it a full listen. It has received excellent reviews all over the Interinet.

I think I need to give this one a listen. Sounds pretty good from the review.

Great cd cool bonus disc.

I'm definitly going to have to check this one out

could not get through the first two tracks without being bored to death. I did not let it finish. Mayeb it was my mood. I read all the hype and never encountered the previous albums , so I figured what the heck. I have decided to avoid anything with the words (prog) atttached to it now because I apparantly just do not get it. The musicians are good, the vocals are good, the songwriting im indifferent on, the songs can be long (but not epic) but the results when mixed is thin, boring ,and not metal too me. Maybe I will spin it again later and let it finish. I just have too many cds to attend to.

I felt the same as you, I couldn't get through this thing, it bored me to death. I still have it and overtime I plan on hearing it in its entirety because I like the singing and the music. So I can't fully explain why I don't like it yet, all I can say is I was bored and I decided Savatage would make for a better listen.

To me, the reviewer nailed it. Shadow Gallery are more musical than Dream Theater. Tyranny is still my favorite album, but I need to have the patience to sit down and listen to the whole CD - I cannot experience it piecemeal. The music and storyline (rewarding once you take the time to listen to the lyrics) mesh wonderfully.

Room V is the continuation of the story from Tyranny, and like that album, I need to experience it as a whole. The music waxes and wanes superbly. The one drawback is the several instrumentals in a row in the middle of the album that break the flow (IMHO). But to me, this cements SG's postion at the pinnacle of the prog metal world. Yes, it takes some time to digest the music and the story, but the effort is well worth your time.

[quote="figlt"]To me, the reviewer nailed it. Shadow Gallery are more musical than Dream Theater"

Totally agree after my dissapointment with Octavatrium Room V grooves all over it.

I think the one advantage Tyranny had was the, I don't know what to call it... 'dramatic flair' in the verses. Room V on the other hand wins hands down when it comes to choruses, wich I think has more similarities with Legacy than with Tyranny. And yes, to do a rather onedimensional comparison, Shadow Gallery has surpassed Dream Theater in my opinion.

I recieved the 2CD edition a month ago today, and the 24:36 long medly was well worth the slightly higher price.

It really is more of a progressive rock album with some heavy parts and not really a "metal" album. I hope I wasn't misleading in any way with the term "prog metal" as looking back at my review, it really doesn't apply to this album at all. There are heavy parts but not really "metal". It's for fans of amazing progressive hard rock and those metalheads who can also recognize great music when they hear it whether it is heavy metal or not.....

I couldn't agree with you more Marty, great review. It is more prog rock then anything, but these guys have never been too metal either, alhtough Tyranny had more heavy hitting songs, this album is more laid back and has more emotional stuff. I think the concept carries on nicely from Tyranny and the guitar, wow, damm these guys are smoking with the guitar solos on this album, i haven't heard solos like this since Pink Floyd. I think is a worthy follow up, but be adviced all metalheads, is not Metal, and it takes a quiet amount of spins to fully grasp the story and the music, you have to let it sink in and enjoy it. Shadow Gallery said it best, they said the people who know great music will appreciate it and others, well is not for them.

Okay, listened to this carefully last night. I do like it quite a bit. Honestly though, as mentioned, there's very little metal in here, it's about 80 percent prog rock and 20 percent metal and that's stretching it. I don't mind, because I like prog rock too and it's very well done. The vocal melodies are oustanding and definitely the highlight for me. Also, the one song at the end that has the Queensryche vibe is awesome. My only complaint about this CD is there are too many extended sections of instrumentation without vocals. What was playing was good, but sometimes felt like it dragged on. I know the band is supposed to be progressive so that type of stuff is normal, but with such a good vocalist I didn't see the point in such long sections without vocals.

question : I have Tyranny and find it quite boring... how would yu say this album sounds compared to Tyranny ? Is it better, worse ?

:roll:

Well there is an interesting question, I dont know too many people who say they didn't like Tyranny, but of course you are a rare breed, you also say that Operation Mindcrime is not your fav album from Queensrche, it just happens to be my all time fav album .

K getting back to your question, i dont think that this album is better then Tyranny but its pretty damm close also i think you might enjoy this album if you have the time to listen to it alot of times, you need to understand the concept fully, Tyranny had more heavier songs, this is more laid back, in the first half of the cd, with some awesome ballads, see the melody is what does it for me, and the amazing guitar leads and of course the vocals are great aswell.

The second half of the disc is where the heavier songs are, such as Room V and Archer of Bem Salem, it stays in the SHadow Gallery style of music, other then that, if you like just great music overall, not metal really, because this is more prog rock actually, but i say just give it a try, listen to it multiple times, if you're expecting a head banging album this is not for you, if you can appreciate the story and the music compositions , then maybe youll like it. I also agree with the instrumental parts, that makes it a bit boring, if only they hadn't split 2 of the songs and made it into one, then it might go by faster, other then that, great work of art. It took me like 6 listens to truly appreciate it.

ok, thx for the info

I'll try check this one though I'm pretty sure it'll bore me... :roll:

I agree that you have to take several listens to start enjoying this album. I personally think it is great when you listen for the first time to an album and dont know what to make of it exactly, but you have the feeling that you need to listen more carefully to find out what you missed the first time. And every time you listen to it you discover new amazing stuff. That happens to me with tyranny, and it will happen with this one for sure, too.
This is what I like about prog metal or rock.

I listened to the samples and don't fint it very exciting, especially the vocals. Sounds pretty boring. Just not enough tension or variation.

I just bought Tyranny and it has completely taken me by suprise. Definitly worth checking out.