The official Redemption thread v. I Am the Storm - March 17th 2023

[Nick]

Sure, I'll listen to it tonight.

In other news, I will say I'm one of those that really enjoys the debut album, but think it is certainly my least favorite of the albums. I actually knew of Rick Mythiasin from Steel Prophet prior to discovering Redemption, and quite enjoyed his performance on the album.

[Cyclopssss]

I actually went back and watched 'Nocturnal' from the 'dreams from the pit' concert. Totally dig that song from the debut, also 'As I lay dying' and 'Window to Space'. It's like with Ray's  Engine albums, totally worth checking out!

[Destiny Of Chaos]

So I've been heavily relistening to the debut, and I think Window to Space is the one song that would really benefit from getting the Ray treatment - it's so amazing musically, but the vocals diminish my enjoyment a little, and that's a shame.

Nick, if you're reading this, any chance of revisiting this particular song?

Yes please!

I was listening to this album in the car yesterday, and it's still one of my favorites. I don't mind the vocals at all. In fact I find that they lend themselves to the storytelling. There are some fantastic instrumental sections laced throughout the album.  I hope that Redemption fans can give this album another chance. 

[kirksnosehair]

Yeah, I really enjoy that first album quite a bit too.  Like a lot of debuts it's different, but there are some real gems on there.


Not sure what I think about the new one yet.  I need a few more listens.  I've only listened twice so far.  Generally I liked what I heard.


I'm afraid I can't find much to like about the Who cover.  I would have preferred nothing to that. 

[TAC]

I'm afraid I can't find much to like about the Who cover.  I would have preferred nothing to that.

While I do like the cover quite a bit, it would've been better suited as a Bonus Track. It feels way out of place on the album proper.

Oh, and John Bush rules!

[Vlasto]

‘Art o f Loss’ is in first point Art of Music. Very long but absolutely not boring with a lot of melodic and hard moments. Album that can man discover for long time.

I personally love Snowfall , but this one comes close to and become second one.

What do you say guys about production/mix sound on this album?

[Cyclopssss]

Production is great! I'm enjoying it quite a bit, especially songs like Hope dies last, That golden light, Thirty silver, Slouching towards Bethlehem and The centre of the fire.

[wolfking]

Look at this disgusting review.  This guy should be fired, says negative shit and doesn't even know what the fuck is going on.  Fuck Metal Temple.

https://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/r_2/redemption-the-art-of.htm

"The Art Of Loss" opens the album with a barrage of neo-classical arpeggiation that might even get a nod from Malmsteen himself. And it proves to be only a warm-up for Bernie Versailles, who brings the heat throughout songs such as "Slouching Towards Bethlehem", "Damaged" (also featuring guitar legend Marty Friedman) and "Thirty Silver", demonstrating fine technique - phenomenally clean - and adding a considerable presence of melody to the songs, which is a rarity amongst a lot of the more technically inclined guitarists. Although there are moments when the lead axe-wielder's heart doesn't really seem to be in it, as some of the lead lines sounds like runs through scale exercises, but they are nonetheless always on point.

 

Fucking disgraceful.  Has the album lineup credits with Bernie listed too at the bottom, and no mention of Poland or even Mularoni, this guy has no clule.

I received my copy on Friday and have had a couple of spins, and I'm loving it already, I think it's fantastic.  Love all the guest guitarists too, great touch.

[Scorpion]

Haha, that is some failure on an epic level. Doesn't basically every press release about the album include the information about Bernie and what's going on with the band currently?

Anyway, the album is still really strong. I think some tracks are actually a little too heavy on the guitar solos, but that's basically all the criticism that I can level at it. I do think that it gets slightly worse towards the end - not too big on the cover, and the epic is a little disjointed imo - but that's only a drop from phenomenal to good, so I'm still very happy overall with the album.

[Randaran]

Damn, that review is awful. Overall, I liked the leads from the previous album better, but the ones here aren't bad at all.

[Enigmachine]

That website looks horrific.

[bl5150]

Just getting through my first listen and this seems to connect with me a lot more than their other stuff.  I think I must've got out of the wrong side of the bed the day I rated their other albums but even Snowfall really only had half an album full of material I liked.

This one starts out fairly well but after the first couple of tracks (which are still good) I really enjoyed this album.  I think the shredding adds a level of metal accessibility that helps me get involved.  It's nice and melodic for the most part too.  I think Alder's vocals are pretty average (even poor) at times but that's being picky.

Initial rating (with potential to grow) : 87%

[wolfking]

Nice Brent, I'm fucking loving this album.  The amount of solos only adds to the enjoyment for me also.  Poland is a beast, as is Mularoni, loving this guy.

Ray's voice certainly ain't what it use to be, but I have no problems with it.  Not sure what all that talk was a couple of pages back about him being out of tune though.

[TAC]

Wow, that's a high score for you, Brent.

[Nick]

Look at this disgusting review.  This guy should be fired, says negative shit and doesn't even know what the fuck is going on.  Fuck Metal Temple.

https://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/r_2/redemption-the-art-of.htm

"The Art Of Loss" opens the album with a barrage of neo-classical arpeggiation that might even get a nod from Malmsteen himself. And it proves to be only a warm-up for Bernie Versailles, who brings the heat throughout songs such as "Slouching Towards Bethlehem", "Damaged" (also featuring guitar legend Marty Friedman) and "Thirty Silver", demonstrating fine technique - phenomenally clean - and adding a considerable presence of melody to the songs, which is a rarity amongst a lot of the more technically inclined guitarists. Although there are moments when the lead axe-wielder's heart doesn't really seem to be in it, as some of the lead lines sounds like runs through scale exercises, but they are nonetheless always on point.

 

Fucking disgraceful.  Has the album lineup credits with Bernie listed too at the bottom, and no mention of Poland or even Mularoni, this guy has no clule.

I received my copy on Friday and have had a couple of spins, and I'm loving it already, I think it's fantastic.  Love all the guest guitarists too, great touch.

Hey, thankfully we have good websites to combat crap like this, like the knowledgeable and friendly folks over at www.wpapu.com

I haven't really chimed in much on this album. I certainly enjoyed it, but then again, for better or worse it is as I'd expect from Redemption. The step in guys did a great job, and Nick did another fantastic job with the songwriting. At this point I think it would be nice to see the sound branch out and develop into more new territory, but at the same time, I don't know if anyone makes music like Redemption better than Redemption.

[wolfking]

This album is fucking brilliant.

[kirksnosehair]

After several more listens I'm definitely enjoying it quite a bit. 


The guitar playing and drumming really stands out to me.  Some killer solos. 


Not a fan of covers, I'll be skipping that one when I listen to this album, but the rest is solid.  "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and "Thirty Silver" are my favorite songs.

[wolfking]

I love this album.

[ronnibran]

I was optimistic of this album when it first came out and still am so.  I can honestly say that I've listened to the Art of Loss far more times than even DT's the Astonishing (which I found amazing when I first listened to it).

For the Art of Loss, the title track and Hope Dies Last were the only ones I didn't love at first impression.  I still find the title track only OK, but now love Hope Dies Last (and every other song I loved on first listen and still do).  The album is just amazing. The last three tracks played consecutively (Center of the Fire, Love Reign O'er Me, At Day's End) is something I listen to literally every day.

I think I've ranked Redemption's albums earlier in this thread, but I think my ranking has changed.  My top three albums are (in no particular order, they're all about equal with one another) The Fullness of Time, The Art of Loss, and This Mortal Coil.

I love Ray's voice.  I understand the complaints about the sound on This Mortal Coil, but on that album in particular, I "believe" his singing.  I almost forget someone else wrote the lyrics as he really owns them in the emotion I feel through his singing.  Kudos to Redemption.

[Beowulf]

I've actually really fallen in love with "Say Something", which i found on the Japanese (i think) pressing as a bonus track.  Haunting, sparing song with Parker (Nick's daughter) singing along with Ray.  She really compliments him well! 

[kirksnosehair]

This album is definitely a grower.  I think I may even have to put it my top 3 like Mr. ronnibran.


I don't know if anything will ever be able to overtake "The Fullness of Time" which is one of only a handful of albums I've ever given a 5-star rating to.


I really don't understand why "This Mortal Coil" gets all of the flack it gets.  It's my second favorite Redemption album and I'm gonna go ahead and call The Art of Loss my #3.


Redemption is one of those rare bands that -from where I sit- hasn't made a bad album. 

[goo-goo]

I've actually really fallen in love with "Say Something", which i found on the Japanese (i think) pressing as a bonus track.  Haunting, sparing song with Parker (Nick's daughter) singing along with Ray.  She really compliments him well!

Yeah, definitely. I shed a tear or two the first time I listened to it. It's available on the European 2CD pressing. I still haven't found the Japanese pressing for The Art of Loss. Has anybody found it?

[Dr. DTVT]

I really don't understand why "This Mortal Coil" gets all of the flack it gets.

People were nitpicking and bitching because that's what people do.  The only real criticism I heard from people is the production was heavy-handed, and Nik explained his reasoning.  The production never bothered me to be honest, but I can hear what those people were complaining about compared to their previous albums.

Redemption is one of those rare bands that -from where I sit- hasn't made a bad album.

Agreed 100%

[bosk1]

Been listening to this album more just because I love this band so much and hate to give up on an album.  I still don't hold this one nearly as highly as the last two, but some of the nuances are starting to click and the album as a whole is beginning to grow on me. 

It's kinda odd too.  When I try to articulate what my specific criticisms are, they sound a lot like things people say who criticize DT that make me scratch my head and say, "I don't get that criticism at all."  But it's just how I feel about this album.  Music can be funny that way.  It either grabs you or it doesn't.  This one, not as much for me.  But it is getting there.  The big epic, in particular, is starting to gel for me, as I thought it would.  Sometimes, for me, long epics with lots of disparate parts that have a "disjointed" feel can take awhile to gel for me.  The Count of Tuscany and Illumination Theory were that way for me.  At Day's End is definitely trending that direction as well (i.e., didn't get much from it initially, but could tell there are some really good parts, so just need to give it time to digest as a whole and learn to appreciate it). 

And Nick, if you happen to read this, I'm sorry if what I or a few others are saying sounds discouraging.  I know it cannot be easy to have one's art criticized after pouring yourself into a project to create something you are proud of.  The majority of us who post in this thread are definitely fans of the band, even if this particular album may not click as much for us.  But even though I may like it a lot less than the past two, those past two albums for me are just gold.  If you had managed to release something else on par with those, I might start to suspect that you are not human. 

[kirksnosehair]

^that's why I never give an opinion on a prog piece until I've spun it at least 10 times. 

[TAC]

This Mortal Coil 

[kirksnosehair]

You know what, I'm gonna spin "This Mortal Coil" during my workout tomorrow morning!   

[TAC]

You know what, I'm gonna spin "This Mortal Coil" during my workout tomorrow morning!   

 

[nvandyk1]

So I've been heavily relistening to the debut, and I think Window to Space is the one song that would really benefit from getting the Ray treatment - it's so amazing musically, but the vocals diminish my enjoyment a little, and that's a shame.

Nick, if you're reading this, any chance of revisiting this particular song?

Just saw this.

If we were to redo something from the debut with Ray, Window would probably be it, but the lyrics were more or less adapted from a poem that was written by a college roommate of mine and while they were notionally interesting to a younger version of myself, they seem rather sophomoric and not really what we're about these days. I do like aspects of the song but I'd rather look ahead than go backward.

[wolfking]

I think the new album has become my second fav just behind Snowfall, it's fucking awesome.

[Dr. DTVT]

I listened to The Art of Loss twice today, and I love it more than when I first got it.

Most of the songs have warranted an "I need to listen to that again right now" response from me at some point in my ownership.  Today, it was At Day's End.

[wolfking]

I listened to The Art of Loss twice today, and I love it more than when I first got it.

Most of the songs have warranted an "I need to listen to that again right now" response from me at some point in my ownership.  Today, it was At Day's End.

Agree with both points here.  Most songs have that feel so you can't help but to listen to the album, then listen again.

[Scorpion]

So I've been heavily relistening to the debut, and I think Window to Space is the one song that would really benefit from getting the Ray treatment - it's so amazing musically, but the vocals diminish my enjoyment a little, and that's a shame.

Nick, if you're reading this, any chance of revisiting this particular song?

Just saw this.

If we were to redo something from the debut with Ray, Window would probably be it, but the lyrics were more or less adapted from a poem that was written by a college roommate of mine and while they were notionally interesting to a younger version of myself, they seem rather sophomoric and not really what we're about these days. I do like aspects of the song but I'd rather look ahead than go backward.

I definitely understand that. And may I say you're doing a phenomenal job at it - The Art of Loss is rising quickly as one of my favourite of your albums.

[goo-goo]

I think the new album has become my second fav just behind Snowfall, it's fucking awesome.

Definitely this. The Art of Loss is definitely a grower, but once it clicked on me, it skyrocketed to #2 behind Snowfall.

[Ben_Jamin]

Just listened and after the first two tracks, which are still pretty good, the album takes off.

My faves so far are:
Damaged
Thirty Silver
Hope Dies Last