Optical Illusion

Although Scandinavia continued to dominate the death metal/black metal scene in the mid-2000s, not every Nordic metal band of the early 21st century has played death metal or black metal. Alternative metal is also big in Scandinavia, and countries like Sweden, Norway and Finland have been major contributors to the power metal revival movement and progressive metal. One Swede who has been prominent in power metal and prog metal is keyboardist Richard Andersson, who European headbangers associate with Majestic and Space Odyssey as well as Time Requiem. And he keeps moving in that direction on Optical Illusion. This 2005 recording finds Andersson unveiling a new Time Requiem lineup; the newcomers include lead singer Goran Edman, guitarist Magnus Nilsson (of Space Odyssey fame) and bassist Andy Rose. But stylistically, lineup changes don't make a bit of difference for Time Requiem; their power/prog approach can still be described as Yngwie Malmsteen, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Queensryche and Dream Theater by way of Rush, Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- and Edman works out well because he is a high-pitched belter with a lot of Rob Halford and King Diamond in his vocals. Of course, Optical Illusion isn't the least bit groundbreaking; like so many others in Europe's power metal revival and prog metal scenes, Andersson stubbornly maintains his stylistic allegiance to the '70s and '80s. There isn't a trace of alt metal, rap-metal, grunge, death metal, or black metal to be found on this 49-minute CD, which sounds like it could have been recorded back when the late Ronald Reagan was president of the U.S. and Margaret Thatcher was England's prime minister. But despite being totally derivative, Optical Illusion gets credit for craftsmanship and quality; this is a solid and satisfying, if less than distinctive, example of '70s and '80s worship occurring in the mid-2000s. ~ Alex Henderson