Search - Transcendence :: Meridian Project

A fresh entry in the oversaturated world of prog rock.

John R. Craig | Austin, TX United States | 09/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With all the Dream Theater sound alike groups now flooding the market, it's sometimes hard to find anything fresh in today's realm of progressive rock/metal. Often, such bands lose sight of total song creation in favor of trying to one-up the technical chops of the competition. Transcendence's TMP may be what more song oriented music fans are looking for. Varied in tempo and emotion from beginning to end, two things remain constant: solid songwriting, and a distinctive sound that's a bit raw even during its softer moments. You won't find the heavily multi-textured synths of Symphony X, nor the psychotic guitar/keyboard duets of LTE, nor the haunting strains of the latest Fates Warning releases, but you know what...that's just fine. By avoiding conventions, Transcendence creates a sound all their own. In fact, it's unique enough that it's difficult to think of other bands for comparison. The closest I can come, and it still isn't that close, is Mindcrime era Queensryche with a dash of Iced Earth.The singer, Greg Drew, is tremendously talented. With a clear, ringing voice that I can only describe as a cross between Khan of Kamelot and Allen of Symphony X during softer moments, it runs contrary to today's trend of rough voices in rock, but it works beautifully. For those who like the lyrical material in their music light and fluffy, this is perhaps a release best passed over. While smooth in meter and rhyme scheme, it passes over softer fodder and focuses on such issues as spirituality, the loss of loved ones, self-discovery through tragedy, the finding of one's own truth, disinformation spread by ruling elites...etc. No bubblegum pop lyrics here, kiddies.The album begins with "Endless Reign," a high speed, hardcore introduction to the band with lyrics outlining the nature of discovery; just as you seem to come close to understanding, the object often slips further away. "Echoes" allows one to briefly rest the ears, as required after the proceeding aural onslaught, but doesn't allow a mental break as it sparsely paints a picture of how the past haunts us all. "No Trace" slows things down even further, but only to underscore how often past memories seem to have been made by someone else. Just when you thought it couldn't get any softer, well, you're right, it couldn't and it doesn't. "The Fall of Meridian" is a high speed, guitar driven, instrumental return to the opening track both in tone and style. Slower, but no less intense for the drop in speed, "The Wake" chugs through reactions after the loss of a loved one. "Filtered Lenses" builds on the idea of self-worth and alienation with the idea that seeing isn't always, nor should it be, believing. "Set Fire to the Sky" is perhaps the most musically intense track on the album with hammering guitar and bass lines and the first intentional vocal edge we hear from the signer. It outlines an inevitable conflict, but one must decide if the conflict is with some external opponent or within. "Israel" is a softer, introspective look at whether spiritual belief is something known to the soul, taught, or developed as one progresses through life. The music is straightforward in this piece, mirroring someone acting upon a decision. "Random Light" ups the stakes with what can be considered the most "progressive" track on the album. Off time keyboards seemingly at odds with an extremely unusual vocal line create an uncomfortable experience that mirrors the faltering steps made when one begins to question their decisions in life. As the song moves forward, the seemingly disparate elements come together and form a single, yet still uncomfortable picture where all one can do is cry out for help."Alpha" is a seeming return to and an expansion upon the musical and lyrical ideas presented in "Endless Reign" and "The Fall of Meridian." Lacking the speed of either of the former, it has a sense of impending conclusion that leads to "Omega." While perhaps the most stand out piece in terms of vocals on the album, it is also the one with which people are the most likely to be uncomfortable. Some will love it, some won't be sure what to make of it, and some might mistakenly see it as being preachy; for you see, it deals with someone who has come to believe, through the trials and tribulations of the album, in a higher power. For those who worry about an album preaching the virtues of one particular faith, this isn't it, so don't fear that angle. Rather it brings to a close the musical and lyrical ideas of the entire album. That is perhaps what I enjoy most about this album. It has the slant of a concept album without the pretensions that often arise when an album aspires to such. (I'm not against concept albums, I LOVE Scenes from a Memory by DT, but often such efforts fall to a lecture-like, trite exercise in the hands of lesser artists.) That's the beauty of TMP. The songs are self-contained, but there's a definite progression of story from beginning to end. You can take it as a whole or not, on your preference. I like to think of there being one central character, and if you view it as such, there's a life-like chain of events that brings the character to the brink of despair and back again. Also, if viewed through the eyes of a character, the lyrics take on the edge of human fallibility, so you can choose to accept the character's conclusions or not, as you will. Despite what some may consider to be the trappings of overly heavy spirituality, the album deals more with finding your own truth. Heavy stuff indeed.With a cast of talented instrumentalists who work well together rather than standing out alone, engaging storylines, and an amazing singer, the debut album from Transcendence would be a welcome addition to the collection of any rock/prog fan."