"Metaphysical" is the second album by NYC's own Creation's End. It's the followup to the very promising debut "A New Beginning." The band has progressed a bit since the debut. The most notable change is the lack of epics on this album. Prog fans are probably concerned.
While it's not an entirely bad thing, the album could use an epic.
The same lineup returns for this album, headed by the strong, husky vocals of
Mike DiMeo. There is really nothing Mike can't sing and he adds a lot of power
and passion to each song. Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie Band) is on lead guitar and
he is still one of the most underrated players in metal. The album has good,
clear production but perhaps could have a thicker bottom.
The album
starts out with quite a few upbeat songs. "The Chose None" is one of my
favorites, with a memorable chorus. "Bivariate" is another favorite.
However, many of the songs in the middle of the album blend
together. The band is clearly out to write "songs" versus extended
jams. "Part of You," while being slower, is a solid and melodic track.
The album closes out with three very good songs: "Bring to Life," "Constructing
a
Savior" and the gentle closer "Singularity."
As mentioned,
if there was one epic and fewer shorter tracks,
the album would have a better flow and still have something for everyone. Still,
I respect a band for doing what they want to do and not forcing it. The album is
very strong musically and shows this band has potential. Creation's End just needs to
keep refining their sound and try to separate themselves from all the prog metal
bands out there -- not an easy task, but this is a very talented band.
