Band:	Solar Scream
Album:	Divider
Style:	Progressive metal
Website:	http://www.solarscream.hu
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Misery Entwines
02. Grains Of Sand
03. Heart Carved Into Mine
04. Beyond The Lights
05. Without A Sound
06. Escape Design
07. When I Need You Most
08. Might Be Rain
09. Permanence
10. Over
11. The Last Waltz

"Divider" is the first official album of the Hungarian combo Solar Scream. Back in 2005 I remember that I wrote the review of their first EP "Ground Level" which was an excellent piece of Dark Progressive music. Their new album, musically speaking, will not be different, Solar Scream still plays an original Progressive Dark Metal and seriously I invite all the fans of Progressive Metal to check this release. For a first album, this is a real success.

I was expecting something good from this band, and I wasn't wrong. "Divider" is a really nice album of Progressive Metal. This is dark and more into the Katatonia category than the Dream Theater one but Solar Scream is not similar to the Swedish combo. Actually I think that some of the influences of the band come from bands like Katatonia or Anathema yes, but this is a lot more Metal and aggressive in general. It's a bit like if it was a mix of these two bands with Tiamat and Paradise Lost and even some thrashy combos! "Divider" is Progressive with a lot of different musical parts and structures in the songs but it's not pompous or elitist. This is Metal, thrashy and violent sometime but always with a real Prog structure. Of course the ambiances of this album are really dark and melancholic; all in all "Divider" is a really nice original release. Solar Scream has it own sound!

"Divider" is well done, the production is better than the one of the previous EP. This is not perfect too and sometime the drums are a bit weak but really it's ok and the album is featured in a nice package with a good booklet and a good cover. The performances of the guys are good, the guitar soli are excellent and only the voice Gábor Harich can be a bit so-so sometime but on the other hand his monotonous voice fits to the music. It will only be a matter of taste here?

"Divider" confirms all my hopes! I can tell you now that Solar Scream must be considered like a new real member of the Dark Progressive Metal clan. It will maybe not be easy to find this release, but if you have the chance to see it in your store, don't hesitate more than ten seconds and buy it. If you're into Dark music and like Progressive deep music, "Divider" is a must. Let's hope that Solar Scream will get a lot of deserved recognition now!