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Degree Absolute: Degree Absolute
Degree Absolute - Degree Absolute - [Sensory]

2006-06-25

Degree Absolute can be defined after exactly five seconds into the first track – prog metal – and they're proud of it, without any real attempts to break the genre’s limits. For the rest of the album they don't really seem to try to sound different or better then known bands in their genre (Dream Theater, Fates Warning and so on), but mostly trying to get us all to feel that they can belong to that list of artists, for that cause, they're on their way there.

The brain behind the project is the multi-instrumentalist Aaron Bell, who plays guitar for over thirty years and worked with loads of different people, also recruited for the album mixing is long well known Neil Kernon (who worked with Queensrÿche, Nevermore, Spiral Architect and Cannibal Corpse among others), the band was formed in 1999, having Dave Lindeman on bass, and Doug Beary for drums.

Who's this for? For fans of U.S prog metal , Absolute degree use a lot textures already set as standard by generic fathers like Dream Theater, which gives them both pros and cons, they are easy to relate to, but sometimes you have to look deep inside to find the genuine origin, but also take notice that it might not be there at all.

Two things are always up front in this kind of music – vocals and technique on instruments. Instrumentally they have it all, everything is real tight, good guitar- drums relations, sometimes breaking into somewhat Opeth-esque acoustic breaks (you can find them mostly in their latest releases), and for their own good I will say that they sometime manage to sound more interesting than Dream theater guitar solos.

Vocal-wise, Aaron gives a good try at it, but just isn't good enough to play with the big boys, I guess that’s because he comes from a more guitar aspect so he doesn't have the feeling that the vocals should have as a main thing, making him miss a lot of points on, though I will say in his benefit, that unlike vocalists like James LaBrie and Russel Allen, his voice is very much likeable, while their vocals are often disliked by some.

Degree Absolute are in the right direction, though they really should stop making check points to see if they can become equal to other bands and start looking on where they can lead, maybe then they will flourish.

Roy Povarchik



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