Thought Chamber – Psykerion
InsideOut Music
http://www.insideoutmusic.com/artist.aspx?IdArtist=466

Rating: A

Six years after launching their debut album Angular Perceptions, North American progressive metal outfit Thought Chamber return with their sophomore disc Psykerion, out via the folks over at InsideOut Music.

Returning to this super group are original members, guitarist Michael Harris and vocalist Ted Leonard (Enchant, Spock’s Beard), who are joined this time around by bassist Jeff Plant, drummer Mike Haid and keyboardist Bill Jenkins.

Surprise, surprise, Psykerion is a sort of concept album that finds that the main character “Avakus has now awakened after his happy dream in ‘Light-Year Time’ and explores the city-like inner design of the ‘Kerakryps’ ship, expressing how much in awe he is in all of it, while also describing some of the adversity that the ship encounters and how he misses his family & friends.” Sure, ok. I have to admit though that I wasn’t as concerned by the story or the lyrical inspiration and that’s primarily because I was totally blown away by the music, which really strikes a great balance between lengthy prog inspired, thematic sections and heavier, melodic passages. The stand out tracks on this album are definitely the longer compositions “Transcend” and “The Eyes of Ikk”, which clock in at over nine and eight minutes respectively. There is a wealth of great moments of light and shade flowing throughout Psykerion, thus making it very easy for the listener to easily sit back and digest this magnum opus in one sitting.

The whole is definitely greater than the sum of it’s parts here and while each musician can definitely can be considered a virtuoso on their respective instruments, they come together in such a unified fashion that is rarely exhibited in even the most critically acclaimed bands of this ilk.          

By Ryan Sparks