Snowfall on Judgment Day

Progression doesn't necessarily consist of a single, macroevolutionary leap that redefines an entire musical genre, but often takes the form of an individual artist's horizons being broadened, and it is this variation of the concept that is at the heart of the Los Angeles-based outfit Redemption. Originally conceived as a supergroup consisting of longtime Agent Steel guitarist Ben Versailles, Steel Prophet front man Rick Mythiasin, Symphony X drummer Jason Rullo and relative newcomer/multi-instrumentalist Nick Van Dyk, this project seemed mostly akin to a side-effort by most involved that differed from their principle bands in terms of general style, yet found itself employing blatant elements of all of them just by virtue of the persons involved. Naturally it morphed into something a bit different since the 2003 eponymous debut hit the market given the exodus of half the lineup soon after and a fairly prolific output in the years since, to speak nothing for the long-term tenure of Fates Warning vocalist Ray Adler that would follow. Codifying themselves as a more streamlined and impact-based answer to the virtuosic take on progressive metal popularized by Dream Theater, the second half of the 2000s would see a highly consistent and engaging studio output by this fold, culminating with 2009's Snowfall On Judgment Day.

Relative to the bulk of progressive metal that had already been created between 1989 when Fates Warning's Perfect Symmetry and Dream Theater's When Dream And Day Unite shifted the trajectory of the sub-genre towards something less tied to its traditional heavy metal roots, this is pretty standard fare from a songwriting perspective. The wall of sound created between the groovy guitar riffs, dense and occasionally noodling keyboards and largely mid-paced and nuanced rhythm section tends towards building a consistent atmosphere of consonance, albeit somewhat ambiguous in its progression, that allows for a heavy emphasis on the melodic and lyrical content of the vocals. It's a bit more technically geared, riff-happy and dark when compared to the bulk of the bands from Sweden and the U.K., mostly due to Versailles' guitar input, but there is a persistent tendency in this music to cater towards Adler's vocals. For the most part, the Fates Warning vocalist in question shies away from any overt vocal gymnastics, preferring instead to emphasize a husky, mid-ranged tone that dwells more on a smooth timbre and leaves all of the jagged edges to the guitars. It's a fairly unique dichotomy that leans on the metallic side wherein the instrumental performance is concerned, but vocally has more of a light affectation similar to early Threshold.

Despite the band's generally Christian-themed lyrical content, this album doesn't exhibit the same sort of lofty character often associated with acts such as Harmony or Theocracy, but has more of a contemplative feel to it that generally runs the gamut between being a light affair after the mainline 90s progressive sound and the darker one often heard out of Nevermore and Symphony X. The opening anthem "Peel" opts to begin things on notably dark and aggressive note, with an underlying groove/thrashing character to the guitars and a generally more rapid and chaotic feel between the drumming and keyboards, while Adler's vocals have a somewhat grittier character. By contrast, the second offering "Walls" has more of a classic late 90s melodic prog feel to it with maybe a danker bottom end, with the chorus hook being a borderline singalong romp. The bulk of what follows presents a sort of back and forth between light and darkness, with "Leviathan Rising" often pounding the ground with a level of ferocity comparable to This Godless Endeavor and punchy cruisers like "Another Day Dies" and Fistful Of Sand" also being notably dark and forbidding, while "Black And White World" and "Unformed" blend softer ballad elements into what is more of a tuneful yet still riff heavy exercise in progressing from A to B.

At the end of the day, this can be best described as a typical progressive metal offering with a few atypical mannerisms that give it a unique charm when compared against many of the better known bands that have shaped the scene. It doesn't quite possess the same degree of stylistic eclecticism and technical flair to put it in the same league as Dream Theater, nor is the songwriting elaborate and nuanced enough to fully fall into the post-No Exit paradigm of Fates Warning, but in terms of quality it brushes elbows with concurrent offerings by both bands. Apart from the massive and mildly convoluted 11 minute closer "Love Kills Us All/Life In One Day", which is the closest this album gets to a full on emulation of Dream Theater's signature sound (to the point of sounding like it could be a lost track from Images And Words), this is a bit more on the accessible side for those who are either new to progressive metal or are otherwise only occasional consumers of the style. It has a bit more of a metallic edge to it than most of the mainline bands of Europe, and carries more of that signature North American sound that most bands from the U.S. inherited from Rush. It's not quite this outfit's best showing, but it is a solid and highly engaging listen that walks the tightrope between impact and atmosphere quite effectively.

The Los Angeles based progressive metal band Redemption was brought into the spotlight when they released their best effort at that time in Origin of Ruin in 2007. That album was the beginning of a whirlwind year that saw them open for Dream Theater and earn a spot on the ProgPower USA festival that fall. Now, the band returns with a new album (Snowfall on Judgment Day), new record label (Century Media Records), and some minor tweaks in their brand of progressive metal that may actually get the band farther than before, and considering the success of their last album, that’s saying something.

One of the noticeable differences between Origin of Ruin and Snowfall on Judgment Day is the pace at which Redemption approaches the music. For most of Snowfall on Judgment Day, the music seems to go at a slightly faster pace than what most fans of Redemption have known. However, that is the only real change in Redemption’s overall sound, as they still have the thought-provoking lyrics and equally mind-bending music - all of which originates from the mind of guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter Nick Van Dyk - and the strong vocal performance of Ray Alder. All of that is merged together to create a powerful album that will entertain you as much as it will make you think, as songs “Peel,” “Black and White World,” and “Fistful of Sand” show. Lending a hand is producer Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Circus Maximus) and James LaBrie of Dream Theater as part of a duet with Alder for “Another Day Dies.” Of all the Redemption albums, Snowfall on Judgment Day seems to be the easiest one to get into, which bodes well for those who are just now finding out about Redemption. That isn’t to say the long-time fans of the band will wonder what the band is doing, as the core of their sound remains intact. The album also finds Redemption at its very best, as they elevate themselves to a level that few other bands have or ever will attain. They are consistent with who they are from a musical standpoint and the message isn’t too preachy, which is a common problem for bands who have a hidden message in their songs.

Long after Dream Theater decides to hang it up, progressive metal music will be in good hands with Redemption. They do a lot of things that Dream Theater has done and can’t be accused of being a Dream Theater clone, even doing a few things that will stick with the listener for a while. Long-time Redemption fans will easily get into the album, while those who are just beginning will want to look into the band’s other albums when they are done listening to Snowfall on Judgment Day. A surefire top-ten album this year, Redemption has come up with an album that will stand the test of time in Snowfall on Judgment Day.

Originally posted on http://www.metalpsalter.com

So, here we have Redemption's newest album, Snowfall on Judgment Day. I was actually slightly anticipating this, I must admit. Their previous album, The Origins of Ruin, while far from perfect, was certainly a step in the right direction from the mire of sappy melodrama that was The Fullness of Time; indeed, I actually enjoyed it a fair amount. So, would Redemption continue the trend upwards and release something on par with their debut? Sadly, no, not even close - Snowfall on Judgment Day is a muddy, uninspired mess of too many sounds with not enough ideas.

The album kicks off with some wasted space in the form of goofy orchestration, which cuts suddenly to our first riff. The first thing you might notice is the production - it's *very* brickwalled, complete with thick guitars, background keyboards, and the obligatory obnoxiously loud kick drum (honestly, why do bands feel the need to do this?). There's simply too many sounds on this album, too much auditory information to process at once, yet none of the melodies are particularly memorable. Ray Alder's vocals then enter, revealing yet another problem - he simply sounds terrible here. Oddly muted, unnecessarily multi-tracked, and with absolutely no memorable vocal lines in sight. He seems to be going for the angst value here, and it doesn't work at all. Eventually he hits some more melodic material, but that doesn't really work, either. It's hard to believe this is the same man who sang on Parallels or even A Pleasant Shade of Gray.

The songs are all longer than they really have any right to be, stretching every idea to the very limit. The *shortest* song on this album is 5:15, and the longest clocks in at 11:00. There simply isn't enough substance here to fill that length. If they had buckled down and written some short, intense tracks they'd at least have had a bit more variety to keep me interested. As it stands, sitting through all ~70 minutes of this album feels more like a chore than anything else.

The music here itself isn't all that bad, but it's certainly nothing to write home about. Modern prog cliches are piled onto each other, played very well but lacking any sort of inspiration. Often, in true Redemption fashion, it just falls into sappy nonsense. While there's nothing here as overtly vomit-inducing as The Fullness of Time Pt. 4, Snowfall on Judgment Day certainly has its fair share of poppy nonsense. The first whiffs of it appear on Walls, with its big "emotional" chorus, but it hits full force on Black and White World. It doesn't stop there, though - What Will You Say? is one of the worst ballads I've heard in a long time, complete with saccharine vocal lines and wretched lyrics, that somehow manages to last over five minutes without once engaging the listener. The album's closer opens somewhat promisingly, but once again dissolves into tripe reminiscent of a Disney movie soundtrack towards the end. I honestly thought Redemption might be leaving this crap behind with The Origins of Ruin, but I know better now. I guess cheese-packed, sugar-coated melodies are just too deeply ingrained in Nick Van Dyk's songwriting.

The album's attempts at aggression generally don't fare much better. Leviathan Rising chugs along, contrasting snoreworthy modern thrash with hooky choruses and ultimately doing nothing of value. Another Day Dies follows along the same path, only with the added bonus of Dream Theater's James LaBrie providing some vocal lines, which, while not particularly good, are certainly a lot better than most of what Alder does on this album.

There are some legitimately good songs here - Unformed is genuinely moving, especially given the subject matter, though it still could have been better without the plethora of keyboard lines. Keep Breathing continues in a similar fashion, and while the lesser of the two, is still quite passable. Fistful of Sand is the only aggressive track of the album that doesn't fall completely flat, though that Peel-like chorus is still pretty lame.

The musicianship is all immaculate, flashy, and utterly uninspiring. The riffs are aggressive, crunchy, and for the most part quite pedestrian. Good ones pop up every now and then, but even those are mired in the crappy production. The keyboards are everywhere, playing atmospheric bits as well as diddly little melodies which you often can't really pick out due to there simply being too much at any one time. Every so often they'll thankfully throw in a brilliant Bernie Versailles solo to break up the monotony, but even his guitar wizardry can't save this perpetually bland album.

This isn't a particularly good prog metal album. Redemption are obviously a talented band, but talent and lengthy compositions aren't enough to produce good prog metal. The number of melody lines you can play at once won't help you when none of them are good enough for the listener to recall a half hour later - quality of quantity, as cliche as it may be, holds true here.