Neal Morse - Momentum 2012

Usually Neal Morse alone is enough to kill the time with some awesome prog music. This month, Neal Morse team up (again) with Mike Portnoy and recorded newest progressive material called Momentum. While Mike Portnoy already coming out with two big projects this year, Adrenaline Mob and Flying Colour (and a jam tour with Derek Sherinian, Billy Shehan and Tony MacAlpine) , this album with Neal Morse is perhaps the closest album in the same spirit of Liquid Tension Experiments. Serving bassist is Randy George. Also please welcome Paul Gilbert and fresh blood Adson Sodre in guitars department. This album is something Neal Morse heaviest I ever heard, the spirit is all there, different with the previous album "Testimony 2" that a rather technical works.

The ball is set high as soon as Momentum in play. Neal's keyboard licks started accompanied with Portnoy's  signature tom-tom fill. Vocal is still there with Neal Morse signature harmony chorus. The songs is uplifting, something Ayreon met Dream Theater. Of course high level musicianship is the main menu here. Thoughts Part 5 is very complexes composition. A use of orchestration effect, multi odd tempo and awesome singing layering is why Neal Morse the top dog of progressive head nowday. Smoke and Mirrors suddenly ease down, the main point here is the nice song writing in ballad form. Time to enjoy how minimalist Neal Morse's vocal and basic acoustic guitar still can do. Weathering Sky is built upon thematic licks with element of funk inside. Freak is again different feel, lighter and happier mood, Neal Morse cleverly put five different style of song to "prelude" the "epic" last composition, World Without End. Listen to the slow introduction built up, this is superb epic progressive metal act. The main first "movement" is instrumental focus on Neal Morse shredding keyboard and guitar solos. The lengthy 33 minutes composition is the same height as Dream Theater Six Degree ... era song, that Mike Portnoy maybe missed this lately years.

This is yet masterpiece recording by Neal Morse. He seems conquered yet another Everest of music since this is something his most "metal" recording. Mike Portnoy is keep burning other drummer's kitchen by close the deal to be Neal Morse drummer. Bassist Randy George cold handed down all Neal's keyboard notes, not to meantioned Portnoy changing groove. Paul Gilbert enjoy his high time in throw in high level progressive jam. Adson Sodre is the rising star of the band here, we going to heard from him again soon. What differences Momentum with other progressive metal material is Neal Morse self voice, is still faithful in hard rock style. Lyrically, Neal Morse is always in Christian faith contents as so do this album. Get the latest progressive rock and metal master recording in Momentum now.

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

Neal Morse - Momentum 2012
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1. Momentum (6:25)
2. Thoughts Part 5 (7:51)
3. Smoke and Mirrors (4:38)
4. Weathering Sky (4:15)
5. Freak (4:29)
6. World Without End (33:39)

Neal Morse - vocals, guitars, keyboards
Randy George - bass
Mike Portnoy - drums
Adson Sodre - guitar
Paul Gilbert - guitar