 Exhibition
- "The Sign Of Tomorrow" Limb Music Publishing / SPV 2003 Is this a year of great debuts? A debut from a band that features ex-Seven Witches singer Bobby Lucas and former members of Eternity X. They are delivering a nice mixture of the progressive touch and old school U.S. eighties metal. No shit, but some of the themes are giving an impression as if we traveled back into 1989's Dream Theater debut. Mummy with glowing red eyes rising out of the eternal oceans of sand. O.K., I am talking about a great cover artwork. Take another trip inside ancient Egypt. Here is the key of great knowledge and wisdom. Who is strong enough, who is the chosen one to poses these eternal summoning powers and who will be lost from burning and blinding light when discovering universal truth? Sorry, I've lost my point for a moment. You can simply enter the door without exit. What I especially like about this album, is its live production that captures a real power climax that this band is capable to develop. We have all sort of constant dramatic changes inside the songs. The rhythm line just can't stand still. Sudden drum breaks are coming out of nowhere. Drums are done with full force, pushed very much in front of the production. All the time, the music runs in a very unpredictable way. Shredding guitar sound sometimes resembles early Dream Theater. Also by its powerful structured palm muted riffing accompanied by great involvement of keyboards. ("Before The End Of Time" or in a title "boneshaker" piece). Bobby's vocal lines sometimes remind me of Helstar's James Rivera or even of Bruce Dickinson. He brings pure angriness within his incredible shouting. A touch of evil! "Dark Horizon" is a real drama with its great middle section, again full of diverse changes. Motives are perfectly put together and offer a real high ambient atmosphere. The next song "Shattered Memories" is a right piece to cool your head down after devastating "Dark Horizon". But when this cool refreshment is over, the band continues with shivering "Queen Of Pain". Aaaaaa this is it! Yessss what intensity and energy this band is blazing out!!!! Not to talk about the final song "Voices In The Night" with fantastic involvement of melancholic keyboard lines, that also bring oriental feel inside the chorus. Intensity won't stop for a single moment throughout the entire record. So there is nothing much left for me to say. This album is spitting out amazing power of untamed wilderness. A fantastic creation! This album will surely gather (under its unity flag) lovers of early Dream Theater and fans of old school speed U.S. metal acts like Helstar or early Fates Warning. I'm sure that this band hasn't spoken the last word yet! No sugar added, just pure evil blistering power!
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