This album/song is an awesome one, but that damn piano solo is the most dissonant cacophony of gut-wrenching noise I have probably ever heard. Up to that point it is a masterpiece which is why I rated it an 8, but god damn... Words can't describe.

Masterpiece. Even the piano solo, whom is both beautiful and chaotic. This is one of the best compositions i´ve heard in my entire life.

Written by Timmeh on 15.06.2011 at 12:59

This album/song is an awesome one, but that damn piano solo is the most dissonant cacophony of gut-wrenching noise I have probably ever heard. Up to that point it is a masterpiece which is why I rated it an 8, but god damn... Words can't describe.

I thought you were just being nitpicky. Then I heard the song. :/

The Piano solo actually gave me goosebumps. It was beautiful, Chaotic, Dark and Light at the same time. It was overwhelmingly beautiful.

About a year ago I discovered this album/band. For a long time the piano bothered me, now I feel it really adds to the song a lot of depth. It's a perfect album

One of the best songs ever.

Less of a song and more of an adventure. So many emotions here. You can rock out and you can be brought to tears in the span of minutes.

Written by Timmeh on 15.06.2011 at 12:59

This album/song is an awesome one, but that damn piano solo is the most dissonant cacophony of gut-wrenching noise I have probably ever heard. Up to that point it is a masterpiece which is why I rated it an 8, but god damn... Words can't describe.

I think the exact opposite.

The piano solo leading to dissonance and back to the song is the pinacle of this song/album. It is a great inclusion of a progressive pattern that reminds me of those in some of the best pink floyd's songs like "Echoes" or "Atom earth mother", but, inside a more metal package.

Art of Life is, in my opinion, the best album I have ever heard from a Japanese band.

An album I now have listened for years and I will continue listening.

The piano section is a bit jarring, but overall this is a fantastic album, especially if you're a fan of prog and power metal. Definitely ahead of its time for 1993!

8.9/10 for me.

A great progressive power metal album, one of the best to this day. He was an excellent songwriter, which clearly shows in his great well thought of lyrics, and the way he expresses a variety of emotions in many ways through beautifully crafted music, I say it's great musicianship all round.

The downside for me, and many others it seems, is the midway piano solo which gets tiresome to listen too, I get that he was a phenomenal piano player, and he was only expressing his emotions and feelings through the solo, but to me it disrupts the flow of the a wee bit.

Ok - I was expected this to be another high-rated epic which i'd end up hating, but, I was wrong. This is great power metal, with great proggy sections. Even the piano solo is good, I love how it gradually gets out of hand, reminds me of In the Hall of the Mountain King, just a bit more dissonant. Great stuff! I guess the album cover was a turn off for me, and that's why I didn't get into this earlier. And honestly - I've haven't enjoyed a pre-1995 power metal album this much.

Written by Timmeh on 15.06.2011 at 12:59

This album/song is an awesome one, but that damn piano solo is the most dissonant cacophony of gut-wrenching noise I have probably ever heard. Up to that point it is a masterpiece which is why I rated it an 8, but god damn... Words can't describe.

The piano solo is about Yoshiki's father committing suicide and the feelings he felt. He's a brilliant pianist if you hear his other stuff.