Venus Syndrome
Cannibal Star

I read in the press material, and many reviews of this Cannibal Star album that Venus Syndrome started as a Dream Theater cover band. Why is that so important? Wouldn’t it be quite detrimental from someone wanting to be prog do be constantly compared with something else. But then I also read that they have carved out their own way in the soundscapes, however that is something one often reads. Many mentions originality or synonyms to that but very few actually show some of it. So, what about Cannibal Star, is it an album worth getting?

Stylistically I think the roots in the Dream Theater style of prog metal is obvious, and I don’t really think they have gone away from being that cover band. They don’t play songs written by Dream Theater, but rather songs that they imagine could have been written by them. What they don’t have is the quality of singer that Dream Theater have and that is slightly positive as it sets them somewhat apart, as does the more Pagan’s Mind styled cosmic additions. It is more space than what we hear from Dream Theater, but in essence there is no new or progressive thinking displayed on Cannibal Star.

A very solid effort with good songs and decent dynamics is what we are given, and it is good enough to play. I am not sure that it is worth getting though, there are so many great albums in the genre and this one is nowhere near those. Cannibal Star feels a little bit like Dream Theater rejects or something close to that, they know their craft but need to be more adventurous if they really want to shine.

Could be worth checking out if you are a fan of the progressive metal genre, I don’t think the album has any bigger flaws and it has been fairly enjoyable to listen to as well. But it doesn’t leave any lasting impression and I question the motives a little bit, what was it that they were trying to accomplish? Was it to make something fantastic in the Dream Theater style? Then they will probably need to go back to the drawing board and look more at what Dream Theater does and what makes them so great. Was to make something new, exciting, and progressive? Then they need to rethink more or less everything as this is one more of these solid but also regressive metal albums that will never really make a mark anywhere.

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