STRIDE - IMAGINE - 2005

Leave it to Ken Golden's Sensory label to take an already promising progressive metal band and guide them to their path to greatness. 2001's all-instrumental powerhouse Music Machine was seen by Sea of Tranquility as a strong threat to the throne held by instrumental proggers Planet X, but in actuality the band has been looking for that extra special singer all along and never intended to remain an instrumental outfit. In comes vocalist Gary Belin in 2004 to take up the long vacant slot, and the result is the excellent Imagine, complete with stunning artwork from Mattias Noren. Surprisingly, Imagine is not simply just a progressive metal shred fest, but a collection of 9 songs that contain great melodies and AOR hooks, making the CD a must have for fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Andromeda, as well as Journey, Saga, or Kansas.

It's the combination of bone-crunching guitar riffs, symphonic keyboards, complex rhythms, and Belin's soaring vocals that really make songs like the adventurous title track work. The icing on the cake is the virtuoso solos from both guitarist Joel Gregoire and keyboard player Rick Flores. Both are extremely talented players on their own but paired together they elevate their game tenfold. Take the intro to the blazing "Alive" where both burn intense unison lines with each other, eventually leading the path for Belin and his Steve Perry inspired vocals, turning this song into heavy, complex, yet accessible progressive metal number. The chorus, with lyrics that tell the importance of positive beliefs, is extremely catchy and memorable, and the instrumental breaks jaw dropping. Drummer Matt Kanzfer and bassist Mike Martin are a rock solid pair and keep things together quite nicely while also throwing in some virtuoso fills of their own throughout the album.

There are two kick ass instrumentals on the CD, "Endeavor" and "Ion Drive", both killer excuses for the band to perform some insane virtuosity. Gregoire's chops are pretty scary, but he doesn't go on with endless solos like other shredders of the genre, instead going for blazing quick breaks and trade-offs with Flores. Other highlights on the CD include the crunchy ballad "How Far", the symphonic "The Waiting" (which has hooks aplenty), and the epic feel of the closing track "Time".

In all honesty, there's not a weak track here, and the overall production and presentation of the CD is of such high quality that you can't help but continually hit the replay button and keep digging into the wonderful looking booklet. This band was hot already, and the addition of Gary Belin seems to be the perfect fit and put all the pieces in place. While many progressive metal releases this year have left me feeling a little flat, Imagine stands out head and shoulders among most of them, and will certainly bring Stride to the forefront of the genre very quickly.
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