James LaBrie
Impermanent Resonance

And while we were waiting for the new Dream Theater album... meanwhile, many fans of the quintet were playing the new solo album by vocalist James LaBrie.

And it's a rather interesting album, although James LaBrie's offering is clearly of a lower level than that of his original band. Anyone who has listened to the previous two albums (excluding those produced as Mullmuzzler) knows perfectly well that the style of LaBrie's solo work is decidedly less demanding and more oriented towards modern and commercial metal.

The real solo adventure, the one that simply bears the singer's name, began in 2005 with "Elements of Persuasion," which struck for its metal sound quite different from Dream Theater's, heavily influenced by electronics and an almost nu-metal approach that even caused some to turn up their noses (remember the amusing "outburst" by Richard Benson); then five years passed and "Static Impulse" was released, which was a bit less liked than expected due to its certainly heavier and more engaging sound but less inspired in terms of ideas.

And here we are three years later with "the cheese" coming up with this new "Impermanent Resonance," and I must say that this time he hit the mark. It's still a pretty metal album, very alternative and modern, always far from the typical prog-metal style of his original band, with tracks always quite close to song form. But it's better than "Static Impulse" in several aspects: it offers less cavernous, less death-oriented riffs but above all, it is more varied in sounds. The keyboards and especially the electronic sounds return to take a more prominent role, almost at the level of "Elements of Persuasion"; perhaps that album will remain better overall, but there are quite a few interesting elements and sounds here. In a few words, the ideas are there, and it seems that more attention has been paid to melody this time.

For me, it's precisely the strong electronic influence that makes the difference in this album, making me like it significantly. The crystalline sounds of the almost nu-metal "Undertow" and "Letting Go," the looping ones of "I Got You," the colder tones of "Lost in the Fire," the more peculiar ones of "Amnesia," and the more refined atmosphere of "Holding On" are elements that stand out and are appreciated.

Also worth mentioning are the well-known back-and-forth between keyboard solos and guitar solos, an element that cannot be overlooked when talking about LaBrie's solo work; that keyboard is so distorted that it really seems like a guitar, and many at first thought they were all guitar solos until someone pointed it out to them (including myself). It's quite a strange characteristic but gives a particular charm to the product.

There might be some flaws, but nothing significant. Perhaps it's missing a true ballad, one of those intense ones that stand out because they enhance James's melody and voice; "Say You're Still Mine" comes close and is quite moving, but the chorus doesn't sound much less metal than the other tracks. And then James's voice isn't sufficiently highlighted; you know, an album by a singer rather than a musician should showcase the vocal abilities of the name on the cover more, but here the vocalist seems to be just one of the participating musicians.

In essence, however, we are faced with a truly enjoyable album, not a masterpiece, but still a metal record rich in powerful and catchy melodies and interesting elements. Recommended especially for those who do not love the overly technical approach of prog-metal and are looking for something less demanding but at the same time not trivial.