Band:	Space Odyssey
Album:	Embrace The Galaxy
Style:	Neoclassical, Progressive metal
Release date:	2003
A review by:	Dream Taster

01. Despair And Pain
02. Embrace The Galaxy
03. Emposium
04. Entering The Dome
05. The House With A Hundred Windows
06. Grand Opening
07. Requiem For A Dream
08. Seduction Of Life
09. A Perfect Day

Wait, I know what you are about to say. "Another opera, again? Aren't they tired of it?", "Yes, space! Damn original after Arjen Lucassen and Luca Turilli!" or even "Richard Andersson's twenty-fourth project, isn't it?" But wait one more second, this one is a winner! So, another Prog metal project/band from Swedish keyboard master Richard Andersson [Adagio, Majestic/Time Requiem,?] and another space opera indeed, but what an album! The idea of this project came with Andersson jamming with guitar player Magnus Nilsson. They soon contacted Marcel Jakob and Patrik Johansson both known for their work with Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and Zoltan Csörsz from Time Requiem finalized the line-up. This killer album was recorded during spring 2003 and released under Regain Records licensing.

Quite different from Richard's other band Time Requiem, this album based on the idea of a space odyssey features great moments all along. Between Yngwie Malmsteen, Ark, Ayeron and Adagio with a darker feel to it, "Embrace The Galaxy" exceeds expectations. The duet guitar-keyboard works better than on any other CD featuring Richard Andersson. The compositions are more progressive yet more aggressive and the splendid voice of Patrik Johansson [somewhere between Ronnie James Dio and David Coverdale] even capitalizes it. Magnus Nilsson has some Yngwie Malmsteen and Timo Tolkki influences. The last time I heard such an amazing job on a guitar, I was listening to early Concerto Moon releases. There is no messing around with that album, let's face it, it is gold. "Embrace The Galaxy" is an exceptional Neoclassical opera-like, very progressive with thundering guitar riffs and state of the art vocals. Not only that, it really blows my mind considering that it has to be the most powerful compositions in Prog Metal I've ever heard.

With all that, I almost forget to talk about the wonderful artwork featuring splendid pictures of nebulas, stars, moons and spiral galaxies. It's gorgeous and refreshing.

Fan of any kind of Progressive metal, this one is for you! Fan on Neoclassical, especially Malmsteen's die hard followers, this is also for you. I've rarely heard such a perfect harmony between guitars and keyboards than on "Embrace The Galaxy". Powerful songs, breathtaking solos, amazing vocal performance and killer rhythm section sum up quite poorly this excellent dark odyssey into space. So, stop complaining and give it a try, in my opinion, it will surely remain amongst the best albums of 2004. I'm addicted!