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Following
the decision to release their first album as an instrumental back in
2001 it took 3 years to find the right vocalist to bring out the best in
the Stride sound and with Gary Belin such a vocalist has been found.
This album hasn’t been off my CD player or my Mp3 since I received it,
the sheer quality and diversity of the bands sound is fantastic.
I cannot
praise this album too highly and it is a late runner in my top ten
albums of the year.
After the into ' Imagine' its down to the real bones of the album with
the totally awesome 'Alive' the track sweeps and soars with every note
and Belin's vocals are just magnificent. The Instrumental
'Endeavor' is more of the same high quality musicianship as the track
unfolds the sheer complexity of the arrangements is outstanding.
'How Far' sees Belin take the reins once more this time the track is
more AOR than prog metal and this is what makes the album a great album,
because as a fan of both the AOR scene and the Progressive Metal scene
this album appeals to me on both levels, which is highly unusual these
days.
The next track 'Role Model' goes back to the progressive side of the
band with its thunderous rhythm section let loose on us before things
calm down as the vocals set in this is another master class in song
writing and arrangement.
The album rolls along seamlessly from track to track and each one just
gets better the more I listen too them and have I listened to this album
a lot. 'The Waiting' is more of the AOR side of the band and is a track
that oozes quality and is the first track that the keyboard wizardry of
Rick Flores has really had a chance to shine.
'Ion Drive' is the second instrumental on the album and is a more guitar
and keyboard oriented track with the drums and bass taking a back seat
as guitarist Joel Gregoire and Keyboards man Rick Flores run riot with
your senses.
The final two tracks 'Face The Day' and 'Time' will you totally wasted
as each on will drain you very being with their very diversity as each
song is different from what has gone before with the heavier 'Face The
Day' and the almost Journey-esq
'Time'. But one thing is for sure this album will make its mark on the
listener for all the right reasons and will make Stride a force to be
reckoned with in 2006.
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