Behind

Superior is a band often compared to Dream Theater who strung out 3 albums in the mid to late-90s and early 00s to little notoriety. I don't believe they sound all that much like Dream Theater in the grand scheme of prog. And you surely won't find any noodling here. A good comparison would be a more stripped-down, more metallic version of Threshold.

The music here is great: long tracks, short tracks, ballads, heavier tracks. It really only gets boring at Hades where a riff is recycled from earlier and the Pantera/jazz vibe it gives off is a bit cheesy. It is a microcosm of the album done in the worst possible way. It still isn't really that bad.

The highlight of the album for me would be the cosmic and grand ballad Dreamtime. Just a dreamy song. The production on this album is pretty crustal clear and quite sharp and compressed. There is a touch of atmospheric notes in all the songs primarily from keys. In this one it is just beautiful. It is a very introspective-sounding song with some additional drum sounds and orchestrations and even a flute. It is as epic as it is emotional. Honestly one of the better songs I've ever heard. You will find it on repeat for quite awhile.

The album is filled with highlights though. Why is a balladic epic tune that eventually turns into a prog epic. There is always heavy riffing here. Some would cry Pantera but its more tasteful and complex than that. Think of bands like Memory Garden, Morgana Lefay, or Enola Gay. It has that power metal edge. Some of the riffs are quite clever as well. The Truth Ain't Kind is a good thrashing opener that foreshadows the djentish prog leanings of modern times, but remains more metallic and tasteful. Dial 911 again brings the Lefay influence, just a solid mid-paced stomper with some darker atmospherics thanks to the organ. On tainted silence the dramatic orchestration reminds me of Royal Hunt though this is considerably heavier. Michael Tangermann is a great vocalist the way through, in this track he brings that more screamy Midnight/Conklin/Cooper range. It has a nice Savatage ballad-like bridge as well. The keys, guitars, drums, everything is tasteful on this disc. It ends with Until the End which is a menacing yet placid ballad-like track with some impish sounding piano.

This is one of the great prog releases of the mid 90s. Stuff that is just mysteriously overlooked by the metal community.

Recommended tracks: Dreamtime, The Truth Ain't Kind, Dial 911, Why, Tainted Silence, Until the End.