Arret's Odyssey, weird name by the way.., is a German progressive power metal band that released their demo debut in the year 2005. Sixteen years later, Arret's Odyssey's first full length album is a fact, and it is called very originally: Arret's Odyssey.... The five-piece band AO, founded in 2001, consists of singer Marijn van Dooren, guitar picker Stefan Thumann, bass player Matthias Eckhof, keyboarder Jan Ihler and drummer Jens Helling and their sound/style is obviously influenced by bands like Dream Theater, Fates Warning and other prog metal bands. When I first listened to the album, I really liked their sound and style, however Arret's Odyssey's vocalist also grunts and growls on a couple of tracks which is something I really hate, as that has nothing to do with singing, in my humble opinion! So, the highlight for me is the instrumental track Equinox; the guys really show what they are capable of here! Another song that I would like to point out is the ballad-like Broken, which kind of reminds me of another German metal band Blind Guardian. Cosmic Vibrations is another decent prog metal track showing obvious Poverty's No Crime influences. All in all, if the singer stops with the grunts and growls on the next album, I could really recommend this band for pure prog metal lovers. So, check it out for yourself as Arret's Odyssey definitely have musical potential. *** Martien Koolen (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
