Released by: Symmetric records
Release Date: APril 7th, 2023
Genre: Progressive Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085379689804
All music by Bob Katsionis
All lyrics/vocal melodies by Billy Vass
Tracklist:
1. The End Of Innocence
2. Restless Seeker
3. Cynical Silence
4. Vengeance Is Mine
5. Radical Realist
6. A Day Without Loss (for Nora)
7. Invisible Thread
8. Answers
9. My Island Is Home
So many albums end up flying under the radar within a crazy catalog year with tons of music that gets released weekly. It’s impossible to give the bulk of these albums proper recognition. Well here is one that falls under that umbrella, deserving proper credit.
Bob Katsionis might be recognized as the long-time keyboard player for the metal band Firewind, for years he was a key member there. He has since left the band in 2020 and moved on to other things. If you know anything about Bob, he stays busy producing and working on his side projects. The other half of the duo is comprised of Billy Vass from the band Terra 1nc0gnita. I’ll be honest I wasn’t too familiar with his other band, but having Katsionis on the project you are guaranteed to have some very well-produced and excellent progressive metal. Bob produces all the music here as well as production and mix duties.
This is their sophomore record, after I completely missed the boat on the debut titled “Ethical Dilemma”, I had to check this one out. And let me tell you I was not disappointed. The guys mend an influence of 90’s progressive metal, with likes of Queensryche and Fates Warning influencing the music here. And that is not a bad thing at all.
Billy Vass can hit some high notes now, he has very solid vocals. His voice flashes with a kind atonement to Ray Alder to some degree. Melodic as it can get.
Things kick off with the belting hooks of “The End of Innocence”, where Billy belts some high ranges here, and Katsionis provides a super smooth melodic metal groove. Great shape of things to come for anybody not familiar with their sound. The next banger comes via the plunging riffage in “Restless Seeker”, right out of the bat the melodies hit you full force. Vass sounds great on this number, with a driving consistent rhythm that is very addicting. The same enticing hooks are delivered to fruition in “Vengeance is Mine”, with the high soaring chorus adding a nice transition overall. Some of the softer risers come in later in the album with “A Day Without Loss” and the slow burner groove of “Invisible Thread”, both equally interesting and well performed.
Is easy to acknowledge the riffs Katsionis has delivered throughout the album, Man this thing just smokes all over. Is a solid release, very well produced of course. A very interesting project that deserves more attention. The choruses throughout hook you and the album never feels too redundant or dull. Big credit to Katsionis for this one as he handles all the instruments, and also great job by Vass on vocals. Again don’t let this one fly under the radar, cause it probably will.
Written by: Shadow Editor
Ratings: 8/10