The way musicians presented their music changed when the idea of the concept album came into the music industry. While not exactly sure of who started it, the perception with which fans listened to the music changed a little with its coming. With a story curated in the album and each song acting as a scene of a movie or chapter of a novel, concept albums are like an audiobook/movie with vivid expressions and songs that get etched in your memory.
Also, supergroups are a lot like “trending” news on social network; they come, cause ruckus, and go. Always fleeting, that’s what sets them apart. Musicians from different bands and genres will meet, create music that is totally mesmerizing and leaves everyone awestruck, and then leave after the album release on a short tour, only to not be seen for some time.
But what happens when a supergroup gets formed to create a concept album? That has to set the music industry ablaze, which is exactly what Headspace did when they released their debut album ‘I Am Anonymous’ in 2012. When musicians like Damien Wilson (Vocals, Threshold), Pete Rinaldi (Guitars, Haken (live)), and Adam Wakeman (Keyboards, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath (live))meet, they will cause nothing less than “progress-trophic” destruction. Headspace has set out to release a trilogy, beginning with ‘I am Anonymous’ (2012), with the second part of the trilogy being ‘All That You Fear Is Gone’ set for release on 26th February. When will the final part of the trilogy be released? Will the supergroup stay together after the trilogy is over? No one knows for now – not even the band – and let’s just leave it at that for now.
‘I Am Anonymous’ was an immensely powerful album that I still enjoy thoroughly. The current album in discussion has no regard to the propriety of sticking to one sound, but we’re not talking about fusing different genres here. What has set the album apart from its predecessor is its incongruity. Beginning mightily with the prog-metal track “Road To Supremacy”, it takes an immediate detour to country music in “Polluted Alcohol”. Yes; how a metal band transitioned itself from metal to country in the same album, I don’t have slightest of clues. The whole song, lasting a little over 6 minutes, is a country song. Damien Wilson is known for his vocal range, and here, he puts on the carousel a different side of him that no one has seen. Though there are songs that offer a sweet changeover between metal and country, “Polluted Alcohol” is a stand-out track.
What’s a progressive metal album without a long and epic piece of music? Your thirst for this is soothed with the 13-minute song “The Science Within Us” which concludes the first half of the album and takes it to a whole new level. With most parts of the album being a nice blend of music driven by the guitar and keyboards, the result Is impeccable, and the solos here simply cannot be put to words.
The title track sets the example of an ideal acoustic song; the melody simply sways you to your dreams, making you totally lose yourself in the music. With keyboards transfusing euphonic music, one transpires with the song. The album has also been produced by Damien Wilson himself, and you will notice how each melody, each riff, each note is clearly audible, showing his marksmanship as not only a great vocalist, but as a great musician and producer. However, many may say that Headspace sounds similar to Dream Theater, but I think they’re codswallop. They’re both different bands; one can easily differentiate between the two if one listens carefully. The only reason why some say this is because Damien has a voice similar to that of James LaBrie, which can confuse a listener. But if you pay enough attention, they’re both different but equally good.
‘All That You Fear Is Gone’ is another milestone in the journey of Headspace. The fort that they have set out to build in three different parts is starting to stand strong, with not a weak crevice that can jeopardize it even after it is fully done. Every Headspace fan wants to know how the trilogy will end, but they know it’ll be strongly emotional and mind-numbing. But before the last part gets released, this second part is highly recommended to all progressive metal fans.
