Tunnelvision - Tomorrow

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Massacre Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:30:00

Tomorrow is the second studio album from Finnish band Tunnelvision, following their well-received 2000 release While The World Awaits. Taking a slightly darker direction, the band has released a solid answer to their debut. This is a heavy prog metal album, impressive on the ear, a great contribution to the metal world from these five guys who have stacks to offer.

Though the songwriting on Tomorrow is not overly remarkable, it's still very enjoyable; a very well put-together album. It starts strongly, with the heavy "Calling," a blend of thumping percussion (courtesy of Mirka Rantanen), racing keyboards (Vili Ollila), chugging rhythm and shameless solo guitars (Juhani Malmberg). The bassist Lauri Porra is also not a backseat driver in this outfit, with prominent solos and lines throughout the album, and he's immediately noticeable right from the opening track. Porra's bass also opens one of my favourites - "Lightning," of slightly slower tempo, and featuring a beautiful chorus.

"Time Of The Hunter's Moon" is a highlight, up-tempo and hustling, heavy and relentless, and the one I'd recommend listening to if investigating this album. All the musicians shine on this track. Porra again takes my breath away with his flying solo halfway through; Malmberg follows hot on his heels with a speedy run of his own. Ollila's keyboards take the front seat in the oddly-themed "Don Juan's Triumph," syncopating it up, with a very Dream Theater style solo in the middle.

"Ribbon Of Tears" is lighter, more whimsical, and with a soaring chorus that is a delight to listen to. It's followed by "Long Voyage Back," instantly flinging us back into the hard and heavy side of Tunnelvision (though the ending to this song is oddly John Williams...). The final and longest track, "While The World Awaits," takes its name from their debut album and features one of the most impressive guitar solos on the album. I'm listening to it right now, as a matter of fact, and ... oh yeah.

About the only complaint I have about this album - and it's a very minor one - is that the vocals (Marko Waara) are occasionally shaky. Waara's voice is superb in the lower registers, but struggles just a little when he goes higher up. That said, he does do a great job for most of the time, with highlights from him coming in "Ribbon Of Tears," "Silence," "Lightning" and "Parasite."

Oddly enough, as much as I did like this album, it's been difficult to write about. It seems to be at a level where listening to it is highly enjoyable, but nothing truly sticks in the mind afterwards. This sounds strange, even to me, but it's as close as I can come to explaining my overall feeling about the album. Still, it's a praiseworthy work; it's got some great elements to it, and I'd recommend checking it out.

Similar to: Dream Theater, Shadowkeep

[This review originally August 2003 appeared at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Calling (4:27) / Silence (4:36) / Parasites (6:01) / Lightning (4:40) / Time Of The Hunter's Moon (5:35) / The Hermit (Wait And See) (7:00) / Don Juan's Triumph (7:00) / Ribbon Of Tears (4:28) / Long Voyage Back (6:23) / While The World Awaits (11:00)

Musicians:
Marko Waara - vocals
Juhani Malmberg, guitar
Vili Ollila - keyboards
Lauri Porra - bass
Mirka Rantanen - drums

Discography:
While The World Awaits (1999/2000) Tomorrow (2002)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin FI

Added: January 31st 2005
Reviewer: Karyn Hamilton
Score:
Artist website: www.tunnelvision.xrs.net
Hits: 3039
Language: english