Needs more listens, but sounding good. Scenes From A Memory written by Haken with a Devin Townsend clone on vocals.

Simply incredible.

From the first tracks I knew I had stumbled upon something magnificent. Opus has shot right up to the top of my 2023 list where it belongs. As I stated earlier it has a very classic prog sound fused with circus-like melodies and occasionally random Haken breaks, all under an incredible vocalist who has a very Devy timbre.
The opening tracks set the stage well, the overture is absolutely perfect, achieving exactly what it should. The first proper track, "The Death Of Simpson" opens with what I originally thought was quite a generic and overly technical riff, but soon the song proves its quality. It's an amazing prog track, and is probably one of the best modern-Opeth tracks I've ever heard. Every song from here is a masterpiece (though "4D Printing" feels a bit like overkill) but the real standout track is the incredible "...And Then There Was One". Words cannot describe the beauty of that song.

I might add the album's storyline is very intriguing from what I've gathered, "The Death Of Simpson" is excellent in its storytelling manner, very theatric. I unfortunately haven't managed to find a summary of the concept online anywhere though.

Written by 24emd on 20.07.2023 at 11:33

Simply incredible.

Glad you like it. When I find a new band or album and get it added to the database and if just one single user discovers it, then my job is still done. Because it is indeed an incredible album.

This is seriously impressive and definitely one of the stand-out progressive metal releases I've heard this year. The songwriting is excellent.

Written by 24emd on 20.07.2023 at 11:33

Simply incredible.

I know this is super unlikely, but if you haven't heard Symphony X, that's the first band that came to mind when I heard this. Especially their albums Iconoclast and Paradise Lost.

Written by LeKiwi on 08.09.2023 at 05:36

Written by 24emd on 20.07.2023 at 11:33

Simply incredible.

I know this is super unlikely, but if you haven't heard Symphony X, that's the first band that came to mind when I heard this. Especially their albums Iconoclast and Paradise Lost.

Hmm, I don't really hear a lot of Symphony X influence here, but perhaps you're onto something, because the two albums you mentioned are my favourite from them. Maybe the vocalist gave you the impression? His higher range has a Russel Allen rasp to it (though I've mentioned a couple times he sounds like DT, but that's more his lows).

Written by 24emd on 08.09.2023 at 15:50

Hmm, I don't really hear a lot of Symphony X influence here, but perhaps you're onto something, because the two albums you mentioned are my favourite from them. Maybe the vocalist gave you the impression? His higher range has a Russel Allen rasp to it (though I've mentioned a couple times he sounds like DT, but that's more his lows).

Oh yeah definitely the vocals, but also their choice of rhythms are distinctly SX to me. And while SX and DT and SX are quite similar in many ways, one of the things which draws me to SX is their choice of scales/phrasing (a lot less...cheesy for lack of a better word). That's sort of what I'm hearing here...maybe the band's affinity for the something-minor scale.

Edit: not the right word, but the music sounds grittier (not just the vocals) here compared to DT, which makes me think of SX.

Written by LeKiwi on 09.09.2023 at 00:37

Written by 24emd on 08.09.2023 at 15:50

Hmm, I don't really hear a lot of Symphony X influence here, but perhaps you're onto something, because the two albums you mentioned are my favourite from them. Maybe the vocalist gave you the impression? His higher range has a Russel Allen rasp to it (though I've mentioned a couple times he sounds like DT, but that's more his lows).

Oh yeah definitely the vocals, but also their choice of rhythms are distinctly SX to me. And while SX and DT and SX are quite similar in many ways, one of the things which draws me to SX is their choice of scales/phrasing (a lot less...cheesy for lack of a better word). That's sort of what I'm hearing here...maybe the band's affinity for the something-minor scale.

If you mean harmonic minor, then I definitely agree, also a lot of the faster technical riffs (the more power-y parts) sound like SX. But then I guess there's the more upbeat songs like "Dance With Me" which bring to mind "About To Crash" and "Surrounded" from Dream Theater.

Oh, and when I said DT, funnily enough I was referring to Devin Townsend! But the point remains, since there is still Dream Theater influence.

Edit: I do think Nospūn have their own sound though, I sense a great future ahead of them.

Written by 24emd on 09.09.2023 at 03:32


Oh, and when I said DT, funnily enough I was referring to Devin Townsend! But the point remains, since there is still Dream Theater influence.

Edit: I do think Nospūn have their own sound though, I sense a great future ahead of them.

Oh man I totally missed that. Their sound does take after Devy quite a bit. And definitely a band to follow! I'm thinking about bumping this to a 9...mid 8 on the first listen, but admittedly I didn't give it my full attention as I was rushing around. Glad to see a solid prog debut with all the trite stuff around!

A lot of hype around this release, I will give it a chance soon, see if it raise to it.

Really great album, if they can maintain this quality with future releases I bet they will be one of the biggest names in prog

Couldn't get excited over Dream Theater for over a decade; yet what these guys doing still feels somewhat fresh. Best find of this year for me.

First listen was just okay, but after another couple times now I can't stop. Definitely my favorite prog album of the year so far. Hoping this band can get some more attention going forward

Thoroughly good shit. I was hooked from the first listen even though I didn't like some jester-box sounds in the first couple of tracks, thankfully they are far apart

Very nice debut

I knew this was coming... but... album of the year!

Probably my prog album of the year. I wasn't sure how to feel about it at first but it really left an impression. All this from their first album. Wow