Country: United Kingdom
Music: Progressive
Web site: www.to-mera.com
Cool songs: Fallen from Grace, The Lie, A Sorrow to Kill
U.K.-based TO-MERAs latest album, Delusions is a progressive album in the truest sense. It offers much more than a few complex time changes and a keyboard sound relegated to progressive. TO-MERAs second, proper album switches pace and style more often than George Bush changes his reasons for Americas involvement in Iraq.
Delusions is filled with many technical aspects in the tradition of genre-leader DREAM THEATER such as mathematical scale work, drum and bass play and ripping solos. In other instances, the group recalls later-era EMPEROR through its use of blasting beats and symphonic compositions. The music changes are often and sometimes random, especially the surprising infusion of jazz.
Delusion has a great amount of guitar geek appeal, yet Julie Kisss voice is a mainstream asset. Possessing vocal traits similar to Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE and other metal divas, Ex-WITHOUT FACE vocalist Julie Kiss gives the music a touch of femininity with her sweet serenades. Kiss could carry the band on her voice alone, but her voice appears in maybe half of each song. The rest of the track shows the band going off on extended jams to fill the duration of each songa customary trait for this type of music.
Frantic speed and hard-driving bass and drums often present a dialectic viewpoint when paired with the soft voice of Kiss. However, Kiss matches her band mates intensity by pushing the range of her voice during moments such as the beginning of The Glory of a New Day, which features chugging guitar and pounding drum and bass.
Upon completing a full listen of Delusion, progressive music fans and serious musicians alike should leave with a great apprehension for the music TO-MERA makes. TO-MERA finds a good balance between heaviness, melody, musical precision. They achieve this balance through blending exceptional musical talent and by emphasizing dynamics. Delusions has all the markings of a great progressive album, but the jazz parts really add nothing. Jazz rarely accents metal. It needs to stay in elevators and retirement homes.
note: 6/10
Tracklist
1. The Lie
2. Mirage
3. The Glory of a New Day
4. Inside the Hourglass
5. A Sorrow To Kill
6. Asylum
7. Fallen From Grace
8. Temptation
Total playing time 62:04
Line-up
Hugo Sheppard-Keys
Julie Kiss – Vocals
Tom MacLean – Guitars
Lee Barrett- Bass
Paul Westwood – Drums
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