Band's List Progressive Heavy Ethereal (POR) Towers of Isolation

In first place let me tell you that unfortunately this band has ceased activity, but that's no reason for not writing this review and in case you decide to proceed you will understand why.

Ethereal, the Portuguese Ethereal play Progressive Metal, mixing as usual heavy metal influences with symphonic metal and some heavier moments.

The intro track gives the needed atmosphere to "The Darkest Room" and what a good surprise this track is. Good Progressive Metal with good production and a very good vocalist that sometimes resembles Bruce Dickinson. I confess this is a surprise for me since usually Portuguese bands don't invest too much in this kind of vocals (I don't really know why...) - then there is a small interlude and the band present us with a power-ballad called "Rebirth" - again the sound is bright, very well produced and the song is great, with a crescendo until it reaches a fine solo and a very good finale... it's a superb song! The epic song "The Haven of Hallucinations" is another great moment: 10 minutes long with tempo changes, different rhythms, nice guitar riffs and solos, chorus and most important it doesn't feel that long. The "twin" songs "The Altar of Disharmonic Anthems" (part 1 and part 2) are really strong tracks. The first vocals and rhythm remember me the long-lasting heavy/progressive-metal band Queensryche but the song fails to get all the magnificence it should because it sounds like it was cut before the end. The 2nd part is not really the following of the first because in my opinion, if it was it should be more epic. Nevertheless, we still have that Queensryche touch and a very good sound. The second epic song (11 minutes) is "Transcendence Envenomed". This time the band has more pronounced changes in the song rhythm along it's timeline, but it's still an epic song with power, quietness peace and fury... "Moments" is a more direct song but it's straight song is catchy and yes again it's a great song. Before ending with "Outro", the title track comes in and yes, it's all you expected it would be: "Towers of Isolation" is an opus, with feminine voices (as many other songs in the album), epic sound, atmosphere and a that progressive metal that the band had shown us all the way 'till this track.

This is a great progressive metal album, with good vocals, chorus, great songs and a complete surprise. I would dare to say that this is probably one of the finest metal albums ever made in Portugal... It's a shame the band split because they would have potential to appear side by side with many of the great metal bands in the world... Take a listen and see what I mean by that and well, give your own opinion.