• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

Standing Ovation: The Antikythera Mechanism

Progressive Metal

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook
Inverse Records
by Craig Hartranft,  11.15.2012

I suppose naming your band Standing Ovation could be considered more than a little pretentious. What if you played your music and nobody gave you one? I don't think this Finnish band will have that problem. Their first full length album, The Antikythera Mechanism is a fine collection of progressive metal.

Standing Ovation:: heads up.

Yet, their progressive metal doesn't necessarily fit into the traditional mold. Sure they owe a debt to peers like Dream Theater or Symphony X, but there's a more reckless modern feel to their sound. Also, the music is both equally dense and technical. For example, on I Have Superhuman Powers, a clever tune, every player weaves their part with assertive intensity and skill, sounding nearly in bitter competition with each other, but only complimenting each other. And you get much more of this throughout The Antikythera Mechanism.

Conversely, With a song like Break the News the intensity and complexity takes a back seat to what can only be described as simply heavier melodic rock. Then there's humorous Hey Ho! which sounds like a pop rock song tricked out with heavy power progressive metal. It's curious and compelling, speedy and intense, and crazy catchy. For more conventional progressive metal the three part The Antikythera Mechanism may be the best example, mostly in first and third parts. Part 2 can offer some of that aforementioned rushing dense intensity, notably in the second half of the song.

Standing Ovation's style of progressive metal on The Antikythera Mechanism is compelling and challenging and, therefore, mostly entertaining. Exactly the things a prog metal fan wants. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Standing Ovation's style of progressive metal on The Antikythera Mechanism is compelling and challenging and, therefore, mostly entertaining. Exactly the things a prog metal fan wants.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]