Creation's End

The debut release from former Riot/Masterplan crooner Mike DiMeo's new act, A New Beginning finds this soaring vocalist and his crew of prodigious henchmen exactly where one would expect: smack dab in the molasses of progressive power metal. With their speed-of-light dexterity and endless dynamics, each of these eight tracks is like hearing the roar of a perfectly tuned Ferrari racing seamlessly through its gearbox. Over it all, DiMeo runs through enough scales to make the Fat Lady give up singing altogether, while the entire package is accomplished, with amazing sound quality. Those aspects are also A New Beginning's downfall. Everything here is expected and obvious, resulting in nothing truly progressive or powerful. The songs are so packed with showing off one can barely recall a riff, let alone a vocal pattern. It's another case of overkill, like trying to cram an elephant into a baby bath. If hearing unhindered wanking is your preferred music, A New Beginning is perfect. For those that enjoy a bit of soul with their performance, this is absolute torture.