Review Lost in Thought - Opus Arise 2011

The definition of progressive is to move forward and advance and coming to music we have progressed during thousands of years by people braking rules and doing something new, which in my opinion is what progressive music is all about: progression. Moving forward. However, I’ve always thought the definition of progressive in metal is somewhat wrong. And hard to define. Because what makes a metal band progressive? It can’t be to be progressive since so much that isn’t this is called progressive metal, so is it to be strange or weird? Or to have a lot of tempo changes? Or what? According to the unwritten and subconscious definition of progressive metal Lost in Thought should be progressive metal, but to me they might just as well be a power metal band that has let loose some spirit. Lost in Thought have big keyboards, lots of tempo changes, does strange sounds and have an almost “spacey” sound with a vocalist that sound a bit like James LaBrie. And that’s also the commonly definition of progressive metal, more or less. However, I don’t think they really are that.

Fuck the genre! How does the music sound? My thought exactly, who cares what the sticker say? If what we hear is good then it doesn’t matter what the music is called, who has done it or where it comes from. So, about the Britt’s in Lost in Thought – is it progressive metal they play?

No, honestly, I don’t care about that. On april 29th Lost in Thought release/d their debut album, called ‘Opus Arise’ and what we’re given is a metal album that’s heavy and filled with strong melodies and different kind of strange things here and there. The vocalist, Nate Loosemore, has a wide spectra in his voice and can handle most things from high pitched falsetto screams to almost growly tones. He’s also borrowing the same voice distorter Cher used in her 1998-99 hit Believe to give his voice an even wider spectra, and as long as he use it for effect and not to sing entire vocal lines with, because then it sounds as ridiculous as it did when Cher used it.

Musically it’s very complex and advanced, like a smart phone or something. The instruments live their own life, especially the keyboards who doesn’t seem to be connected with anything. Overall though I think it’s quite straight to the point and it doesn’t matter that the band makes some “crazy” moves like playing strange keyboard- and guitar solos, adding odd sound effects that makes the album feel like a sci-fi movie and changes tempo in the middle of the songs – I still think they sound like more or less any other band that plays progressive metal (there we go again with that). It’s strikingly similar to Threshold and Pagan’s Mind also pops up in my head and even though it’s competent, very complex and overall good I don’t feel as hurled in to a new world by ‘Opus Arise’. It feels like a progressive metal album usually feels like – which isn’t to move forward and advance, but to be as identified by their genre as most other music are.

So be it, they might have failed to progress music but except from getting lost in Wonderland and meet cheshire cats is the album any good? Well, yes it is! I’d absolutely say ‘Opus Arise’ is a good album, only eight songs but with a playing time of 49 minutes where most minutes are good or very good. They are great musicans and have a vocalist with a crystal clear voice that even makes falsetto screams sound good but most importantly have a very nice standard tone in the voice- It is comfortable songs with good melodies and a nice flow.

If I’m to be completely honest, music isn’t all about progress and moving forward, even though it’s good when it is. Most of all though, music is best when it sounds good and as something coming from the heart of the musican, which is something ‘Opus Arise’ does. Sure, it reminds you of many bands, but say the band that doesn’t do that? I think it’s a good album that isn’t making any wild attempts to stand out but just the same feels worthy to have your attention. Lost in Thought is like an insecure and shy child that takes after the cool kids even though the little rascal is interesting enough on his own. I wouldn’t call ‘Opus Arise’ a classic album, but yet the same it’s a damn good album!

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Lost in Thought Opus Arise

Lost in Thought
Opus Arise