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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Waken Eyes - Exodus + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.nov-08-2015 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........10 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... n/a ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Waken Eyes Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Exodus Label : Ulterium ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Swedish music label Ulterium Records was kind ║ │
│║ enough to send me a promotion copy of heavy ║ │
│║ metal band Waken EyesÆ upcoming album ôExodusö ║ │
│║ last week. Having heard that both bassist ║ │
│║ Michael Lepond of Symphony X and drum god Marco ║ │
│║ Minnemann were two members of this amazing ║ │
│║ supergroup, I couldnÆt listen to this album fast ║ │
│║ enough. ItÆs everything that youÆd expect from ║ │
│║ such amazing musicians as these, and possibly ║ │
│║ even more. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Rounding out the lineup are singer Henrik Bath ║ │
│║ (Darkwater) and guitarist/keyboardist Tom ║ │
│║ Frelek, both of whom excel on this album. Not ║ │
│║ having heard of either of them prior to the ║ │
│║ formation of Waken Eyes, I am inclined to check ║ │
│║ out their individual work based on their ║ │
│║ performances on this album. Combining the ║ │
│║ differing styles of progressive rock, ║ │
│║ progressive metal, and heavy metal, much of ║ │
│║ ôExodusö is a journey through cinematic ║ │
│║ adventures, complicated rhythm sections, and ║ │
│║ numerous time signature changes. Over the span ║ │
│║ of nearly an hour and a half, the listener ║ │
│║ partakes in a marathon of skillful performances ║ │
│║ with every listen. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Before I proceed, I will spare you all another ║ │
│║ ôMarco Minnemann is so fantasticö speech, since ║ │
│║ there are at least two other posts I can think ║ │
│║ of on this site that follow this format. I will ║ │
│║ say, though, that ôExodusö could possibly be one ║ │
│║ of his heaviest performances. Adapting his style ║ │
│║ to a more heavy metal approach, Minnemann was ║ │
│║ able to crank out all the drum sections on this ║ │
│║ album in four days! Only someone as brilliant as ║ │
│║ him could perfect 90 minutes of drum ║ │
│║ performances in that little of time. Just listen ║ │
│║ to ôAberrationö and tell me this man isnÆt one ║ │
│║ of the worldÆs most talented percussionists. Ok, ║ │
│║ now IÆm done. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ When listening to ôExodus,ö I cannot help but ║ │
│║ give credit to the amazing arrangements of Tom ║ │
│║ Frelek. Being the bandÆs guitarist and ║ │
│║ keyboardist, much of the compositions are his, ║ │
│║ resulting in a more guitar-oriented sound. Take ║ │
│║ the song ôPalisades;ö with multiple guitar ║ │
│║ rhythms playing simultaneously during the ║ │
│║ amazing solo in the songÆs bridge, I applaud the ║ │
│║ complexity and time it took to master such a ║ │
│║ difficult section. In addition to these guitar ║ │
│║ sections are masterfully performed keyboards and ║ │
│║ synthesizers, as evidenced in the opening track ║ │
│║ ôCognition.ö This symphonic introduction sets ║ │
│║ the stage, incorporating tribal percussion ║ │
│║ techniques, Arabian-sounding synthesizers, and ║ │
│║ cinematic guitar chords, almost sounding like ║ │
│║ the introduction of a Dream Theater album. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ôExodusö contains many moments of heavy metal ║ │
│║ inspired songs, while also bringing things down ║ │
│║ with necessary softer arrangements. The first ║ │
│║ half of ôCornerstone Awayö uses tremolo-pedaled, ║ │
│║ clean guitar in a supporting role to both Bath ║ │
│║ and a guest female vocalist. It all changes ║ │
│║ halfway through when the rest of the band joins ║ │
│║ in, but the listener is still left with a ║ │
│║ lasting impression of calmness and the duality ║ │
│║ of vocals. The following instrumental track ║ │
│║ ôStill Lifeö also works in much the same way, ║ │
│║ combining clean and overdriven guitars with ║ │
│║ complementing bass lines. For a while, the track ║ │
│║ reminds me of something Polish band Riverside ║ │
│║ would write, that is, until the technical, speed ║ │
│║ picking of Frelek comes in. I particularly ║ │
│║ enjoyed this track because of its mellow, calm ║ │
│║ nature. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For being a vocalist IÆd never heard before this ║ │
│║ album, I was truly amazed by Henrik Bath and his ║ │
│║ incredible range. Despite the album being so ║ │
│║ centered around multiple guitar rhythms, I could ║ │
│║ not help but focus in on BathÆs vocals on the ║ │
│║ majority of ôExodus.ö With that classic metal ║ │
│║ flair, his voice dances between mid-register and ║ │
│║ higher yells beautifully. While songs like ║ │
│║ ôAcross The Horizonö show his lower vocals, ║ │
│║ others songs like ôAberrationö allow the ║ │
│║ listener to be moved by his passionate higher ║ │
│║ voice. As I enjoyed his fervent voice, I was ║ │
│║ also interested in the albumÆs corporation of ║ │
│║ spoken dialogue. With many songs relating to the ║ │
│║ theme of love and pain, the use of this ║ │
│║ commentary from notably historic figures helps ║ │
│║ to drive the point home. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The two best tracks on ôExodusö are its closing ║ │
│║ ones, being ôAcross The Horizonö and the epic ║ │
│║ nineteen minute title track. ôAcross The ║ │
│║ Horizonö starts off slower like some of the ║ │
│║ preceding tracks, but quickly picks up pace with ║ │
│║ altering time signature riffs. Towards the end ║ │
│║ of the song, though, is when the song hits ║ │
│║ overdrive, with impressive sweep picking and ║ │
│║ tremolo picking in both rhythm and lead ║ │
│║ sections. The final track ôExodusö takes you on ║ │
│║ an exodus of its own through different movements ║ │
│║ and arrangements. The opening piano and ║ │
│║ synthesizers gears the listener for a trek as ║ │
│║ Bath sings lyrics of love, peace, and war. You ║ │
│║ will experience many different emotions through ║ │
│║ the nineteen minute track, too many to list on ║ │
│║ this post. All I can say is to find some decent ║ │
│║ headphones and rock on. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If I were to have one complaint towards this ║ │
│║ album (albeit a small one), it would be the lack ║ │
│║ of notable bass lines. The majority of LepondÆs ║ │
│║ work on the album simply follows the lead and ║ │
│║ rhythm guitar, something I noted back in my ║ │
│║ Symphonic X post previously. Yes, there are ║ │
│║ moments where he adds in a little fill between ║ │
│║ sections, but I was craving more of him ║ │
│║ throughout this album. Hopefully their next ║ │
│║ album they will be able to utilize Lepond to the ║ │
│║ extent his talent can offer. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I am thoroughly impressed with supergroup Waken ║ │
│║ EyesÆ first release ôExodus.ö ItÆs got all of ║ │
│║ the necessary artistry that comes with ║ │
│║ progressive rock and metal, but can also invoke ║ │
│║ moments of headbanging found in heavy metal. I ║ │
│║ recommend this album to anyone who already ║ │
│║ listens to each memberÆs original bands, but for ║ │
│║ those who are also fans of bands like Dream ║ │
│║ Theater, Circus Maximus, Fates Warning, and ║ │
│║ Kamelot. Please support Waken Eyes by purchasing ║ │
│║ their album when itÆs available on October 30th, ║ │
│║ and by following them on Facebook for band ║ │
│║ updates. IÆm not sure if they will be supporting ║ │
│║ this album with any tour, but you can all ║ │
│║ guarantee I will let you know, and will be one ║ │
│║ of the first ticket holders for the closest ║ │
│║ concert to San Diego. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Mike LePond - Bass ║ │
│║ Marco Minnemann - Drums ║ │
│║ Tom Frelek - Guitars, Keyboards ║ │
│║ Henrik Bσth - Vocals ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Cognition [04:18] │
│ 02 - Aberration [08:07] │
│ 03 - Deafening Thoughts [06:36] │
│ 04 - Back To Life [05:56] │
│ 05 - Palisades [07:10] │
│ 06 - Cornerstone Away [06:54] │
│ 07 - Still Life [04:33] │
│ 08 - Arise [07:43] │
│ 09 - Across The Horizon [07:50] │
│ 10 - Exodus [18:55] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [78:02 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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│ │
│■ ■│
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