Affector Harmagedon 2012

Armageddon is the final battle between good and evil in the apocalyptic setting as in the Book of Revelation. Take this tale word by word from the Bible, we got the most appropriated background to set another progressive metal concept album. If this overdone and you already heard the theme before then I’m sorry, you will need to relisten to this again in Affector’s debut Harmagedon. This is a new set up supergroup by Germany guitarist Daniel Fries and Dutch drummer Collin Leijenaar (Neal Morse/Dilemma). The other members are Mike LePond bassist of Symphony X and singer Ted Leonard (Spock Beard, Neal Morse). Not only this, but they show enough seriousness by hiring world foremost prog keyboardist Neal Morse, Derek Sherinian and Jordan Rudess, with one new talent we all need to keep now, Alex Argento.

We are welcomed to the setting with an overture played acoustically by real orchestra of Poland Sinfonietta Consunos. Theatrically give us enough hope that this album is real deal. As soon as the orchestra stop, we switch to the band intro. The five minutes overture instrumental set the progressive standard to Dream Theater and Symphony X level. It is clear that the band has enough chemistry together, guitarist Daniel Fries give in as many new shred with layered solos, and so on with the keyboard solos. First lyric songs Salvation entered with its eight minutes composition based on Isaiah 53. After only a brief prolog, we presented fantastic verse interlude here. An four bars of 1/16 unison of drum, bass and solos reminds us to Dream Theater, but I’m sorry this is yet another de javu and the drummer in charge is not Mike Portnoy, instead this is Collin Leijeneer. Put in consistently with the theme we enter the Rapture phase. Composition now escalated to fourteen minutes long with the whole band gone into very technical territory. Cry Song is tune to more requiem mood ballad. Falling Away and the Rise Of the Beast is a solid title that burden the composition to go on beasty. Then the titled song Harmagedon is an oriental scale feel epic song with strong hymn like chorus.  The last original composition is New Jerusalem, bring the mood to the ending.

With multiple talent on the band this is clear real deal on this year. We need to thanks them bringing Derek Sherinian  and Jordan Rudess in same studio album. Musically the instrumentation are very technical revolving around Dream Theater and Symphony X, while the song itself is more Symphony X and interestingly, Ayreon. This is due to the harmony chorus implemented in some of the songs. Singer Ted Leonard delivered all the Christian Bible verse with great character. Jordan Rudess maybe kicking himself for drummer Collin Leijeneer is maybe the missing contestant in Dream Theater search of drummer last year. Probably best project in progressive metal this year, this is must an have album.

Metalharem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Affector Harmagedon 2012
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1. Overture pt.1: Introduction
2. Overture pt.2: Prologue (keys: Alex Argento)
3. Salvation
4. The Rapture (keys: Jordan Rudess)
5. Cry Song (keys: Neal Morse)
6. Falling Away & The Rise Of The Beast (keys: Derek Sherinian and Neal Morse)
7. Harmagedon
8. New Jerusalem
09. Harmagedon (Acoustic) (06:05)
10. New Jerusalem (Acoustic) (05:13)

Also released on Vinyl including 3 bonus tracks:
09. Harmagedon (Acoustic)
10. New Jerusalem (Acoustic)
11. HarmaSuite - Orchestral Outtakes

Line-up:
Mike LePond Bass
Collin Leijenaar Drums
Daniel Fries Guitars
Ted Leonard Vocals
Guest musicians:
Jordan Rudess – keyboards
Derek Sherinian – keyboards
Neal Morse – keyboards
Alex Argento – keyboards