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Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish review



Reviewer:
7.6

91 users:
8.12
Band: Andromeda
Album: Extension Of The Wish
Release date: April 2001


01. The Words Unspoken
02. Crescendo Of Thoughts
03. In The Deepest Of Waters
04. Starshooter Supreme
05. Chameleon Carneval
06. Extension Of The Wish
07. Archangel
08. Journey Of Polyspheric Experience [bonus]
09. Eclipse [bonus]

Andromeda's debut album entitled Extension of the Wish finally brings together what has been taking the band years to contrive. Problems with vocalists have set this band back a number of years. After submitting his demo 'Welcome to Forever' to the WAR label, guitarist Johan Reinholdz and his band would wait two years to be picked up by the Century Media label in order to release Extension of the Wish. Lawrence Mackrory from the Swedish death metal band Darkane acts as a temporary fill-in on vocals because Century Media basically fired Andromeda's pervious vocalist. Mackrory isn't a big winner here with the vocals. His dead pan singing style comes across as very monotonous and droning over the accolades of prog that back him up. Listening to him in Andromeda makes one glad that he was replaced by David Fremberg, a more talented vocalist that performs the prog vocalist job well but doesn't over accentuate high-ended notations. The production fails slightly on this album, but not enough to ruin the listen. Still flawless, the album sounds like it was recorded in a cave or somewhere where sound cannot escape so easily. The bass playing of Gert Dunn, who does not appear again in Andromeda, is nowhere to be found except during the breakdown that introduces the refrain in Star Shooter Supreme, a very catchy and fun song featuring very cheesy lyrics about space. The instrumental piece Chameleon Carneval highlights the elasticity of Johan Reinholdz's guitar playing, bringing arpeggios and scale runs to life with some meaty chord work along with some organ melodies to balance it all out. This piece takes off with some nice virtuoso solo work, but the progressive instrumentation of Andromeda doesn't reach full tilt until Morphing Into Nothing on Andromeda's second release entitled II=I. The best track on this album is arguably Crescendo of Thoughts. It is easily the most progressive piece on the album; chock full of enough time changes, fusion-inspired scale runs and wankery to listen to over and over again in awe. In short, even though Final Extension is a much better Extension of the Wish, the debut captures the rawer and less polished adventurous fun side of the band during the formative process.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 8
Production: 7

Written by Kap'N Korrupt | 12.07.2006




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 53 users
14.08.2006 - 05:03
Aresius
Account deleted
what!? 7.6!? no way! awesome band cant believe it
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14.08.2006 - 06:29
Kap'N Korrupt
Account deleted
Dude, I didn't wanna simply praise the album...I don't write reviews like that...you have to be critical in an album review...I still love the album a lot and think it's awesome but the point of a review isn't to just glorify the album...
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04.10.2006 - 03:09
Beto Gtz
Account deleted
This album is the best thing to happen to metal in a lot of time. and your giving it a 7.6, you gotta be kidding me.
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04.10.2006 - 04:56
Kap'N Korrupt
Account deleted
Instead of fuckin' bitching like a little cry baby whine ass why don't you write a review and send it in...

How about you learn to read...once you do, read my review and then realize why I gave it a 7.6...

Honestly, why do I waste my time responding to you people anyway...especially you Beto Gtz..whoever the hell you are...
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08.03.2007 - 07:04
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
Nice review, a 7.6 isn't THAT bad guys. Especially in an unbiased critique...
Ratings are so overinflated on this website anyways...
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13.11.2007 - 23:37
4look4rd
The Sasquatch
Nice review mate, indeed this is a great album and a 7.6 is a decent rating too (thought I would give more)
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06.03.2010 - 05:56
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Did not like this album, bore me to death... but well, I was only searching for a progressive metal album to see if I finally truly enjoy one..

Really liked ''Archangel'' thou
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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