Band:	Wolverine
Album:	Communication Lost
Style:	Progressive metal
Release date:	May 23, 2011
Guest review by:	BloodTears

01. Downfall
02. Into The Great Nothing
03. Poison Ivy
04. Your Favourite War
05. Embrace
06. Pulse
07. What Remains
08. In Memory Of Me
09. In The Quiet Of Dawn
10. Communication Lost
11. A Beginning

You know when you taste something you have never had before and you kind of like it? Communication Lost was like that for me. I had never tasted Wolverine before. But what does it taste like? Melodic progressive metal goodness.

It begins in an eerie mood with "Downfall", which is a premonition of what is to come, in the musical form of brooding emptiness. The album appeals to the emotions. There is also an underpinning feeling of things ending and of change. That seems to be a recurring theme stretching out to catch most songs.

Comparisons can be drawn with Darkwater, especially in terms of song structures and principles. Both are very vocal-oriented; all the instruments work around the voice which takes center stage to be served by them. Stefan Zell's vocals are truly enchanting and can easily appeal to power metal sensibilities. He is also far from being a one-trick pony: his voice is neither monotone nor monotonous; it grabs your attention. Apart from that, "Poison Ivy" is reminiscent of Green Carnation at times, especially in the beginning, but overall the album manages to set itself apart from these echoes.

You will not find a big frenzy of riffs in Communication Lost. Instead, the focus is on building atmospheres, often using the keyboards and also cellos to convey melancholy, sadness and hollowness, depending on the song. So, if you are looking for a more edgy type of prog, look elsewhere. But progressive metal comes in many different shapes and sizes, of course. It also has many clichés. The solos (long or otherwise), which in many bands exist solely for stylistic reasons, almost as a prop, are not as stereotyped here. This is a well-balanced album, which is probably its best quality. The more mellow and delicate parts will only make you want to sink in a little bit deeper. In that sense, it is a good album to listen to on those nights where you are too tired to care and just want to chill out by yourself.

While not positioning themselves on the front line of innovation in the genre, Wolverine manage to tap into the potential of their music and write appealing, engaging songs. They are not trying to write over-the-top, exceedingly ornate songs. The approach is subtle. The album is also circular, it ends where it began, but this time leaving the listener with a renewed sense of hope as it questions what happens after we destroy something, when something inside us is lost.

Highlights: "Communication Lost", "Into The Great Nothing", "Poison Ivy", "In The Quiet Of Dawn" and "Pulse".