Band:	To-Mera
Album:	Earthbound
Style:	Symphonic progressive metal
Release date:	October 24, 2009
A review by:	Ivor

01. Mesmerised
02. Earthbound
03. Arcane Solace
04. Another World

To-Mera's music is generally not easily accessible. From the first demo To-Mera has required a considerable effort to get into the vibe. If you picture their music as a steep hill that's hard to climb on its own even when employing four-limb drive, it was made harder to grasp by someone throwing rocks at you from the top of the hill. It required a fair amount of concentration to listen to them. Now the band are back with the new EP called Earthbound.

From the first riffs you can hear that music sounds different. The steep hill is there alright but someone flinging rocks down at you has gone out to lunch. The music has calmed a bit, lost some of the edges and corners and become generally smoother. You can still find heavy riffs and changing song structures that have already become familiar on Transcendental and Delusions, and Julie's vocals still soar over the music making you navigate two changing currents at the same time when listening.

However, it's the calmer parts where you can hear the changes that have taken place in the line-up after Delusions was released. When I listened to Earthbound I was taken by surprise how good those calm parts sounded. Jazzy interludes have been previously present but they have been more like breathers in-between the turmoil. Those jumps are still there but more noticeable, smoother and maybe more prog rock like with a better blend of keyboards and guitars. The new keyboard player Richard Henshall has added quite a bit in general to the background keyboard sound.

I don't know where To-Mera are heading with their music. I don't think they know it themselves as this EP is more of an interlude to unload the ideas. However, I do like the current approach. Blending their generally harsh-toned music more with melodic elements from jazz/fusion and prog rock, elaborating more on such brief encounters of the past seems to unveil more of the band's musicianship and song-writing skills. Solo spots in "Earthbound" and "Arcane Solace" are just excellent.

In the end I want to say that there are times on Earthbound that To-Mera remind me of Estonian prog metal band called Echosilence and some elements on their MCD Distorted Horizons. Unfortunately, this will bear any real meaning mostly to Estonians. Both stuff is excellent, though.