Dimension - Ego 3.5/5
Reviewed: 2-29-08
Tracklist:
1. Tree of conscience
2. Ancient song
3. Freedom land
4. Broken heart
5. Life
6. Dreams
7. The next in line
8. Ego
9. Egoman
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I only have a handful of bands from Mexico, mainly because the majority of them are Spanish-language bands and as of right now, I haven't been able to get into the Spanish language like I have the Russian language. Dimension is from Mexico, and while a few of the members were previously in a Spanish-language neo-classical metal band called Perturbador, this band has chosen the English language. They actually live in the U.S. currently, and have signed with U.S.-based Nightmare Records.
'Ego' is Dimension's 2nd CD, and while their debut 'Universal' was pure progressive metal, much of 'Ego' could be labeled progressive power metal. The best band comparison is probably Symphony X, but other bands that have come to mind are Suspyre, Darkwater, DGM, Ivory Tower, and of course, there are plenty of Dream Theater-like moments as well. The tempo ranges from very slow to fast, there are lots of twists and turns, some neo-classical passages, and the guitars have a strong bite to them. Though 'Universal' (their debut) is good progressive metal, there are some wierd and experimental parts too, and overall I like 'Ego' a lot more, though prog maniacs are probably shaking their heads right now.
The CD has a terrific start, as the first 3 songs ("Tree of conscience", "Ancient song" and "Freedom land") are very catchy, offer up some speed, some cool neo-classical parts, and the guitar work is just excellent. I even like the modern-sounding track 4 "Broken heart", as it has an Ivory Tower vibe and a fairly intense chorus. The crunchy track 5 "Life", the slow and mesmerizing track 6 "Dreams", and the catchy track 7 "The next in line" are also very solid. But making sure they draw the attention of prog lovers, they've given us an ultra-long song, and track 8 "Ego" is it, clocking in at 20 minutes. It's quite good however, and the closing "Egoman" is a nice slow song that will surely have you thinking of some of Dream Theater's slow material.
To be honest, I'm really surprised I like this as much as I do. On paper, it's definitely a distance from the center of my tastes. Actually, I don't even have anything negative to say here (though I'm far from blown away), as I even like the soft, laid-back and unique voice of David Quicho, who fits the music perfectly. I guess this is a reminder to give bands a chance, but in this day and age (with the many bands floating around out there), that's hard to do. Regardless, I'm glad I gave Dimension a chance, as 'Universal' is good and 'Ego' is even better.
CLINT
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