We are pleased to reunite with the progressive project 'Dilemna' after a 6-year absence, the last album 'Random Acts of Liberation' dating from 2018. On the line-up side, the founding member and keyboardist 'Robin Z' has surrounded himself with talented artists with, first of all, the drummer 'Collin Leijenaar' and the guitarist 'Paul Crezee' who were already present on the last opus ('Collin Leijenaar' having also participated in the project 'Kayak' in 2018) but also newcomers with the singer 'Jermain Van Der Bogt', nicknamed 'Wudstik', who was one of the singers of the last show '01011001 - Live Beneath The Waves' of Ayreon' and who participates in the project 'For All We Know' of 'Ruud Jolie', member of 'Within Temptation', but also the well-known bassist 'Kristoffer Gildenlöw', and who is pursuing a solo career after his departure from 'Pain Of Salvation' (latest album 'Empty' from 2024) and who participates in other projects including 'Kayak'. Other guests have joined the basic line-up with, among others, keyboardist 'Derek Sherinian' from 'Sons Of Apollo' and ex-keyboardist of 'Dream Theater'. 'The Purpose Paradox' is a concept album based on the story of 'Neon' who is a man caught in the monotony of modern life, struggling to find meaning in his existence in the midst of chaos. Ultimately, the takeaway message is that 'Neon' finds his life purpose in the solid values of human beings, namely family, friends, freedom but also music. Musically, we are taken into catchy progressive rock thanks to accessible melodic lines.
From the first track 'Sanctuary', the feeling of immediate accessibility is present from the first chords and the first chorus immediately sticks in your head but, the composition bordering on 8 minutes, also offers many more sought-after progressive passages such as this magnificent calmer passage in the middle of the track or this instrumental part in the second part (see video above). Same observation in the mid-tempo 'I Am Neon' which follows, the atmosphere being hardened by more supported guitar riffs bordering on metal and 'Wudstick' shows all his vocal talent in this style (see the video here), then, 'Electra' which is the mysterious voice which comforts 'Neon', is also a beautiful moment of progressive with a rhythm section which takes us into multiple changes of atmosphere, the instrumental section in the middle of the title making a keyboard solo then a guitar solo succeed one another being remarkable and the sung parts bringing again this catchy melodic side. After the energetic finale of 'Electra', the introduction of 'Thunder' brings a very nice contrast by showing a much calmer face with a magnificent piano/voice section in which the singing of 'Wudstik' is very soft and unrecognizable compared to the previous title, then, the title gradually gains power with, again, beautiful instrumental sections (see the video here). Followed by 'Allies' which begins with a pop melody and which hardens the tone past the singing part for two unbridled instrumental sections on which 'Derek Sherinian' poses overexcited keyboard solos.
We start the second part of the album with 'Not Enough Now' with a catchy melody on which 'Wudstik' shows all his vocal talent in the chorus and, despite the rather short duration of the title, the change of tempo in the central part with a 'Floydian' guitar solo is remarkable and shows that one can do progressive without composing long developments. More common and less progressive, 'Glow', is nonetheless a beautiful melodic title that takes us back to the 80s for the sung parts and which benefits from a new remarkable guitar solo in the second part of the title, then, 'Cities' flirts with electro sounds, presenting a calm and relaxing face in the first part and gaining momentum for the repetitive phrase 'I don't want to see tomorrow' to then fall back into sound effects that gradually fade away. We arrive at the centerpiece of the album which is a real progressive labyrinth that takes us through different musical landscapes, alternating melodic sung passages with more technical instrumental parts (remarkable solo by 'Mark Lettieri' at 9:57), each artist bringing his stone to the building and the epic finale giving an irresistible desire to press the play button again.
In summary, between sought-after instrumental progressive parts and melodic sung parts that hook the listener, 'Dilemna' is a magnificent concept album that could be a gateway for all those who want to discover progressive rock because everything is implemented to offer us accessible compositions thanks to catchy melodic lines... | |
