Redemption
Long Night's Journey Into Day

The Redemption were on the razor's edge, on a hot seat and at risk of not making it to the holiday season; many had written them off as finished and no longer capable of producing a noteworthy album. But the blame was probably due to the constant changes in production that did not highlight the band's work, making it appear dull, dirty, not clear. “This Mortal Coil” was perhaps the lowest point, and things definitely improved with the subsequent “The Art of Loss,” but the Redemption are something else. We still remember the power of albums like “The Fullness of Time” and “The Origins of Ruin,” so the comparison with these two comes naturally.

But here is the prompt response, the quick rebuttal: it's called “Long Night’s Journey Into Day,” the band's seventh studio work. The sound returns to being sharp, venomous at the right point, never dull, always energetic. The blasts of guitar, the grandiose solos, and the frenetic drum rolls take the listener into a vortex of energy that may not reach the crystal-clear clarity of the aforementioned albums but certainly gets close. A power that, as always, features in almost every track, both in the shorter ones and the longer ones that include some timidly relaxed parts. The atmosphere always remains more or less claustrophobic; we could easily define the Redemption as “the claustrophobic side of progressive metal.” The exception is “And Yet,” not a real ballad but a track that puts melody in the foreground, although the melodic side is not exactly Redemption's strong point. Also worth mentioning is the very original cover of U2’s “New Year’s Day,” which, with those moderate metal riffs, acquires an entirely new identity while still being appreciated by those used to the original version. A positive note is certainly Tom Englund's voice, primarily the vocalist of Evergrey, after Ray Alder returned to his full-time duties with his Fates Warning. I was skeptical; I thought his more melodic voice wouldn't suit Redemption's rougher style, and instead, I had to reconsider—he proves perfectly suitable for the purpose.

Not a masterpiece, not one of the absolute tops of the year, but if you're still looking for something powerful and direct, it could certainly satisfy your needs.