Album Reviews : Eyefear – The Unseen

Australia’s Eyefear release their fourth studio album entitled ‘The Unseen‘, and is no doubt their best work to date. From the first moment you put on this CD on, be prepared to expect big changes in Eyefear‘s traditional delivery of progressive and power metal.

Not only have Eyefear amped their production value with the help from veteran producer Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pagan’s Mind), who’s given the album a much needed boost within the sound department, making it one of Eyefear’s heaviest and most well sounding albums to date; but also the band as a whole have really outdone themselves in each of their performances.

Danny Cecati has not only evolved his singer with more matured melodies and uplifting chorus’, but also sings at his best which really sets it a side from Eyefear‘s past releases. There is more variety in his vocals, something of which the last album (A World Full of Grey) was missing, as most people complained he just screamed his tits off and didn’t have much maturity in his melodies and delivery…clearly though, when you listen to the new album, you’ll agree that Danny has never sounded so good.

I’m quite impressed…then again seeing Danny live on stage is a completely different story, as comparing him live to that of a CD is in a completely different league, and he’ll clearly blow anyone away with any live performance he puts on.

Kosta Papazoglou is at the helm of guitar duties yet again, and adds a much welcomed heavier and melodic tone to the album. Something of which the band have only dabble in moments here and there in past releases, but brings it to everyone’s attention in a nice big wall of sound…a perfect example of this would be their opening track, ‘Eternal Illusion‘ which has some nice chunky riffs opening to one of my favorite tracks on the album. Solos are in an abundance once again, yet the motto is simple, short but sweet.

Zain Kimmie adds a nice flavorsome mixture of drumming. His unique drum battering really suites the albums melodic tone and mixes in quite well to the sound of the new album. Sammy Giaccotto utilizes his keyboard skills and add a variety of futuristic, ambient and somewhat operatic melodies, giving the album a nice finishing touch to an already amazing polished sound.

Clearly, Eyefear have really outdone themselves on ‘The Unseen‘. I was a little disappointed in the length however. I would have hoped for a full hour worth of music, maybe a little more, but with only  nearing the 40 minute mark this captivating album is short lived, however I can clearly see the album as more about quality, rather then quantity.

The album flows exceptionally well with moments of heaviness broken up by teary moments of emotion, giving the listener a roller coaster ride of feelings as expressed in many of Eyefear‘s songs dealing with depression, the soul and a relationship with the unconscious mind.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out Eyefear, I urge you do. They are one of the most talented bands in Australia and not only offer a great variety of progressive music, but an equally good variety of melodic and dark power metal moments.

I have nothing but high praise for this album. 9/10

Band: Eyefear
Album: The Unseen
Year: 2008
Genre: Progressive/Power Metal
Label: Dockyard 1
Origin: Melbourne, Australia
www.myspace.com/eyefear

Tracklisting:

1. Hypnosis (Intro)
2. Eternal Illusion <- Reviewer’s Choice
3. Bridge to the Past
4. The Unseen <- Reviewer’s Choice
5. Always Reasons
6. Wasting Away (Alone)
7. From Darkness Til Dawn
8. Confessions <- Reviewer’s Choice
9. A Clouded Mind