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""Long Night's Journey Into Day" is dense, furiously melodic, technically flawless and vocally very high-flying with the arrival of Tom Englund (Evergrey) at the microphone."
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4/5
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Redemption has never been as productive as since its guitarist leader Nick Van Dyk came back from the hell of a long illness, yet so often fatal. Barely two years after "The Art Of Loss", which didn't leave an indelible trace in the band's career, here comes back the Californian combo with a much awaited "Long Night's Journey Into Day".
This opus 2018 marks an event in the long quiet river of Redemption's career which, in addition to the departure of Bernie Versailles, has separated from its emblematic singer Ray Alder (Fates Warning) after more than ten years of a line up with exemplary stability. The no less legendary Tom Englund (Evergrey) was chosen to replace him.
Despite Englund's very connoted voice, there's no doubt that we're in the presence of a Redemption album. Van Dyk knew how to keep what makes the soul of the band through a very personal writing, finally much more recognizable than the simple vocal timbre of his frontman. All the typical ingredients of the band are present, the fast and sharp riffs, the multiple phases during the extended intros, the incisive rhythmic guitars, the keyboards with characteristic sounds and the rhythm section always as present. Even Englund gets caught using Alder-like intonations on melodies.
'Someone else's Problem' is a perfect example of this strong musical identity. The track, like the eponymous title that closes the album, seems to come straight out of "Snowfall On Judgement Day", whose production is furiously similar to that of the 2018 vintage. It's by taking inspiration from what he already produced in the past that Van Dyk managed to keep this unique sound signature. The rage of "Fulllness Of Time" is also present today as on 'The Echo Chamber' or 'Little Men', two tracks with the same power prog accents dear to the Californian.
Of course, this proximity with past albums is to the detriment of originality and prevents it from reaching the maximum note. Thus, 'Indulged In Colors' is strongly reminiscent of 'Black And White World' from 2009 and this "Long Night's Journey Into Day" is based on the same model as the "Snowfall On Judgement Day" of the time. But as it is one of the most successful of the band, fans will certainly forgive this shortcoming. 'And yet' and its melancholic piano/voice cleverly mixes Englund's sensitivity with the deep writing close to 'Origins Of Ruin' (2007) and when the theme is taken up on 'The Last Of Me' that follows it, the desire to shout genius is not far away. A last word on U2's dispensable cover of 'New Year's Day', which doesn't add much to the album, nor to the original.
"Long Night's Journey Into Day" is dense, as usual, furiously melodic, technically irreproachable and vocally very high-flying. Redemption remains a reference in progressive metal and will keep this status as long as its thinking head is also inspired. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Eyes You Dare Not Meet In Dreams 02. Someone Else S Problem 03. The Echo Chamber 04. Impermanent 05. Indulge In Color 06. Little Men 07. And Yet 08. The Last Of Me 09. New Year S Day 10. Long Night S Journey Into Day 11. Noonday Devil - Bonus Track Only On Ltd Ed Digi
LINEUP:
Chris Quirarte: Batterie Nicolas Van Dyk: Guitares / Claviers Sean Andrews: Basse Tom Englund: Chant Vikram Shankar: Claviers
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READERS
4/5 (2 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (3 view(s))
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