[asmox]

Basically, this French band has taken bits and pieces of every single non-crappy prog metal band in existence and proceeded to copy and paste them into some kind of ultra prog metal conglomeration - a 70 minute epic sci-fi song divided into 20 tracks. This might sound like a disaster waiting to happen, but it actually ends up sounding fairly original when all is said and done.

Cybion evokes shades of Awake-era Dream Theater on crack, Ayreon, To-Mera, Edge of Sanity, Persefone, Symbyosis, Evergrey, and Axamenta. Also contains guest appearances from members of Arch Enemy, Ayreon, Cynic, and To-Mera - among others.

Having heard the painfully mediocre material from the new Dream Theater disc, it only makes me depressed that bands like Kalisia are fated to forever remain in relative obscurity - because as far as I'm concerned, *this* is where modern prog metal is at.

The album seems to only be available on their official site, or directly from Season of Mist.

edit:

Also includes a second disc with covers of the following songs -

Cynic - How Could I
Dream Theater - A Fortune in Lies
Emperor - I am the Black Wizards
Loudblast - This Dazzling Abyss

The Cynic cover is amaaaazingly good. As in "I like it better than the original" good. Actually, all of the covers are extraordinarily good.

 

[plonter]

sounds awsome! i will check them out for sure.
I am a big metal (and especially prog metal) fan. so far the best in my cllection is: symphony x - "v the new mythology suit", but i guess their genre is nothing like symphony.
but dream theatre style is excelent also!

 

[YtseJamer]

Very good album.

 

[Darek]

how would you compare this album to the perfect element part 1?

 

[bakercj93]

Strange, I read a review of these guys yesterday: MetalReview.com - Review of Kalisia - Cybion

They're a really good band, but I think this will go on my list for later. I haven't been in much of a prog-metal mood lately.

 

[asmox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darek /img/forum/go_quote.gif how would you compare this album to the perfect element part 1?

Strange question.

The Perfect Element I is arguably my favorite progressive metal album of all time, but I think the style and the approach is different enough from Cybion that a direct comparison seems a little out of place.

Musically, both albums display qualities typical of progressive metal - driving metal riffs, acoustic passages, epic arrangements, powerful buildups, rhythmic and harmonic complexity, and so forth. However, The Perfect Element I has a far more grand, soaring, and melancholy presentation. Dreamlike at times. Incredibly dramatic always. Cybion is considerably more metallic and austere, not so much focused on the intense sense of pathos and empathy that permeates Pain of Salvation's music. It's more about just plain old kickass prog metal.

Not to say that one approach is better than the other. They're just different, and both good.

Lyrically and conceptually, I couldn't tell you since I've yet to look up the lyrics to Cybion. However, The Perfect Element I contains incredibly strong lyricism and storytelling, so I'd be surprised if Cybion has surpassed that.

 

[Darek]

thanks for the write up and recommendation,
i actually just purchased a copy and am now really looking forward to it after reading your write up

mm i actually asked that as i had a look at your reviews and i agree with them (the albums that i had anyways) and seeing how you loved part 1, entropia, concrete lake and disliked scarsick, i figured i would use that as a benchmark.

sidetracking a bit, have you listened to adagio's latest album ?
they had a change of singer and imo the album is an improvement over dominate