I gotta give mad props to Pete and company for this sweet steampunk album cover.Having been with Threshold since 2007, and perhaps itchy to be in a recording studio since then (last year's long-awaited March of Progress notwithstanding), guitarist Pete Morten has branched out with a progmetal album of his own from his erstwhile project (which actually did several high-profile gigs before he joined Threshold apparently), My Soliloquy, called The Interpreter. And having played all the roles on this recording, save for drums, it makes for quite an impressive debut.
The Interpreter runs the gamut of influences while staying squarely in the progressive metal milieu; from the Images and Words era Dream Theater vibe of opener Ascension Pending, to the metalcore tinged Flashpoint, to the slight funk edge of Corrosive De-Emphasis, and the more mellow Marillionesque Inner Circles and Star. This is damn fine bit of heavy prog, people.
The Bottom Line: Prog metal fans should find a lot to like in this debut album from Threshold's Pete Morten, which easily proves that he's the real deal when it comes to prolific, multi-instrumentalist artists with ideas beyond their more high-profile gigs.
Tracks to Make You Sigh at Your Dusty Tascam: Ascension Pending, Flashpoint and Corrosive De-Emphasis
- Genghis actually wishes he could've rated this one higher...