SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE - UNREAL - 2009

The French band has returned with their third full length album, after their 2 first quite successful offerings. SUE's trademark is melodic progressive metal with weight on good and hooking songs in a blend with furious technicality, great atmospheres and catchy vocal lines.

The album start out a bit lukewarm with the first track, though as soon as the second 'Down Memory Lane' kicks in, smiles start to grow and the real games can begin, this is how one remembers Spheric Universe Experience. An middle eastern influenced intro, going into some pretty thrashing riffs, before it progresses into a wicked drumbeat with playful keys in the background and the vocals on top, and from there it just progresses and progresses, while still keeping the atmosphere and needle in the thread, while it returns back to the intro theme here and there, while it keeps on progressing, without loosing the song's identity, really good songwriting skills the band show here, a multifaceted track that never loses itself, even though there are plenty opportunities.

After the second track the album develops into what expected from the French progsters, a tour de force of delicious music, a progressive adventure of the big, the band does really control their forces and have written some flawless tunes, exciting build ups, perfect highs and effective lows. And if you already know the band, you know they all know how to handle their instruments. The production is also well executed, from pretty cold and sterile to organic and fat, either embracing the instruments and sounds or giving them space and letting them flow.

A great example of another masterpiece by the band, is the last track on the record 'Tomorrow'. A track going back and forth between an organic really flowing sound and heavy bass line, ambient vocals and gripping simple keys, onto progressive rhythm patterns and riffs and and a layered choir, the song is really well build up and very gripping. A great example of how well the lads in the band compose their music. The best progressive album of 2009? Damn close and fierce the race will be!