After a few songs, I told myself “That is a chuggachug band”, but I have been surprised by the last songs there.

Beginning with a sci-fi intro track “Descent Into Denile”, the tracks will take you through different landscapes, but without changing place too much… kinda like when you’re in a train.

The comparison doesn’t stop there: blast bears and aggressive low-register riffs resemble the relentless sound of the train’s wheels on the tracks. The singing there might recall some of the wind howling through half-open windows, with occasional clean singing here and there, for prog’s sake. I would have been well without that though.

Keyboards aren’t legion, but bring a soothing touch to the album’s aural assault with some strings, piano, and other synths. The drum seems programmed, not that it shows that much, but the snare spilled the beans. This fact might add yet another level of “mechanical” to the sound of the album.

To my liking, there isn’t enough low end here. Yes, the riffs are low, and there is bass, but it seems like there is something lacking in the bass!

The songwriting is killer, most of the time using non-conventional song structures, but emotions are poorly carried throughout. That might be the point, though… I mean, if you’re going to do a sci-fi album, emotions in music are so 600 BC. So yeah, fuck emotions, for the most part. The songs aren’t minute, and the longest is Perish, with a 9:27 minute mark. The other pieces all play for more than 5 minutes, except the introduction.

There is great potential in the band, and expectations for the future are high! But for now, Open Denile still has some things to learn to put on a perfect effort.

Visions of the Next Dimension is really worth it, and don’t be afraid to give a listen to the band on their facebook page.

80/100

Open Denile facebook page

-D