Search - Dreamscape :: Very

Solid Sophomore Relase

04/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Obviously, Dreamscape is one of the less known progressive acts in the music industry right now. But try to think of them as one of those hole-in-the-wall restaurants that you never even know existed, but has the best food in town. I've gone through a lot of obscure prog metal bands (meaning non-Dream Theater, Symphony X, or Queensryche), and Dreamscape has got to be one of the best, if not engaging ones out there. Along with Circus Maximus and Vanden Plas, Dreamscape assures that a new generation of progressive metal is indeed coming.



So let's talk about this album, "Very," in detail. Don't be fooled by its simple, childish title. This album is a huge step up from their debut release, Trancelike State. Not only is the musicality kicked up a few notches, but their new vocalist reminds me of James LaBrie (Dream Theater). But forget about musical technicality, or vocal talent. The key element that makes this album stick out is its amazing songwriting. Several bands such as Ark, Stride, Redemption, and Zero Hour have proven that it is no longer impossible to play at an extremely technical level; The new age of musicians seem to be just as capable as the legends of prog ressive music- Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci/Myung, Jordan rudess, etc...But if the songwriting sucks, who cares how fast you can shred? Well, Dreamscape proves with their sophomore release that even the most minimal instrumental parts, if incorporated into a well-written song, will always outweight sheer technicality. Not only does each song on "Very" lead you on a diverse and structured journey, but the album as a whole seems to flow perfectly, like several parts of a puzzle. There are slow songs, fast songs, heavy songs, sweet songs, technical songs, and the list goes on. I consider about 5 of the tracks on "Very" to be my personal favorites, and there are only 2 or 3 weak tracks. I've been asked before, "If you liked the album so much, why did you only rate it 4 stars?" Please note that in all of my reviews, a cd must be gold in order to achieve 5 stars; the fifth star is only reserved for the highest caliber of albums, and should not be given lightly. In my opinion, an honest 4-star cd is a MUST-HAVE in anyone's collection. And what's more, Amazon has lowerd the price of the imported version of this cd (with 2 decent bonus tracks).



So on the whole, there is no reason not to pick up a copy of "Very" if you are a fan of this type of music. If you're merely music hunting, give Dreamscape a try; I guaentee you'll find something you like about them. And get this- Their letest release, "End of Silence" is even better and more organized than "Very." This band shows some true promise for the future of progressive music. (By the way, you can check out their website for several audio samples before you make any decisions)."

Very Dreamlike

Eric Chernecki | Ontario, Canada | 11/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My friend Lucas introduced me to several bands such as Dream Theater and Yngwie Malmsteen. Dreamscape reminds me very much of Dream Theater. There are some obvious connections between Dreamscape and Dream Theater. I like the piano in Lost Faith and the music behind Thorn In My Mind, the songs are so relaxing. I'm not too crazy about the vocals, though most of my friends love them.I like the guitar throughout the CD. Some songs have hard shredding, others have mellow riffs, it's a great combination of speed and skill.The bottom line is if you like Dream Theater, you'll like Dreamscape. If you like strong melodies with good technique, you'll like this cd.Enjoy"

Hmmmm...nice

Tom Maclean | UK | 03/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I stumbled across a promotion CD of this album in a CD market in Germany whilst looking to expand my prog collection ( the name just screamed 'Dream Theater style heavy prog band'). I bought it for the equivalent of 3 quid. What can I say? Bargain of the century! OK, I can't deny that there are some blatant DT influences in here, but to be honest, they do it better than most of the other DT influenced bands. The guitar has an almost 'Pantera' like tone, and some of the riffs create a very gothic/ 'evil' atmosphere which is complimented by dreamy keyboards. The drummer's playing is certainly enough to give Mike Portnoy's drumming a run for his money. Unlike other people, I actually really like the vocals. They are very soft without being weak so to speak ,and , like the keyboards, add to the dream like quality. My favourite track is the 3 part Panterei. As long as you try not to laugh when the drummer commences the song with a riff which sounds like the intro from DT's '6.00' it really does create a host of moods. Yeah, you got it, I'm a huge Dream Theater fan. If you haven't heard either of these groups, I would recommend starting off with 'Images and Words' by DT. 'Very' by Dreamscape is essential for those Dream Theater fans still mourning after Kevin's departure from the band. It is similar to a very dark 'Images and Words'. Otherwise , if you love prog and metal, you just might find that this album is 'Where Prog and Metal Unite'. (Geddit?)"