(Progressive Metal) Thought Sphere - Eos - 2001, MP3, 320 kbps

After a couple of patchy records, German band Thoughtsphere delivered the excellent Vague Horizons in 2000, where they finally managed to come into their own as a band, as well as to bring something unique and of very high quality to the listener.
Barely a year later they have released a very convincing follow up in Eos, an album that in many ways surpasses Vague Horizons and showcases the strengths of it's members, specially Schäfer and Weiss. What we have here is just over 43 minutes of solid Progressive Metal, with a very strong emphasis on the Metal side. This is a very guitar driven album, full of smartly placed interludes that give the music a very gloomy feeling and very slow, soulful solos. I really like the fact that Schäfer and Weiss haven't gotten into the "I can play my solos faster than you" attitude so many Progressive and Metal bands seem to have these days. They can and do play fast from time to time, but only when it suits the song. The rhythm section is also solid, but it's mainly there to serve the guitars.
Likewise, Lohse's voice is a breath of fresh air into a scene populated with vocalists who seem to think that the only way to sing is to scream in the highest pitch they can manage at the top of their lungs. His voice feels natural, if a bit theatrical at times, which I know is not to everyone's tastes but I think it adds feeling to the music.
A very solid 4 star effort.

Armin Alic Bass
Andreas Lösche Drums
Adrian Eric Weiss Guitars
Jens Schäfer Guitars
Andreas Lohse Vocals