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: : REVIEW : :
 There could not have been a better concept to produce the Frameshift project, other
than combining the ideology of the literary works of Richard Dawkins, copulated with
music that tends to tread the fine line between soundtrack music and progressive
rock/metal, and who else to add the vocal endurance to this project than none other
than James Labrie.
Being a project straight from the mind of Henning Pauly, a concept album that talks
about evolution being screwed by scientific research and so forth, using technical
biological terms, and the whole controversial gene theory type subjects without
going overboard outside reality or into science fiction territory.
 Such a concept deserves such discreet production, combining all types of sounds on
this record; for which there are elements of all types of prog and metal artists.
Starting out with “The Gene Machine” keeping a quick pace, with Ozric Tentacles
neo-techno/industrial rhythms and ambience, and an unsurprising approach to the
Dream Theater sound with “Spiders,” setting the tone for what you might think is
going to be one completely aggressive record; but let us switch gears here. More
laid back and mellower cuts are on the way, such as the “River out of Eden” and
“Your Eyes,” which sound like some of Spock’s Beard’s or The Flower Kings’ more pop
oriented material, while “La Mer” adds an emotional piano ballad to this record.
 “Nice Guys Finish First” is one of the more diverse tracks, beginning as power pop
meets Yes harmonizing which leads into more of an introspective and atmospheric
opus, “Arms Races” and the symphonic “Message from the Mountain” are returns to the
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence vein of aggression. The more power ballad oriented
material include “Origins and Miracles” and “Walking through Genetic Space,”
containing absolutely no cheese factor. “Cultural Genetics” and “Bats” are the most
avant-garde cuts, complete with your noise overtures to add a more confusing
atmosphere to compliment the lyrics, sort of ending the record on the aggressive
note, however the final cut “Above the Grass Part II” is like a finale that ends all
confusion, being more or less an eased back ballad to bring Unweaving the Rainbow to
it’s final close.
 Other than the songs on this record, and the copulation of different styles, the
musicianship is way above par, giving many of today’s guitarists, keyboardists, and
drummers a hell of a run for their money, the playing in retrospect is not weak by
any means, and it’s surprising that these players don’t really receive the same
stature that many other top notch prog and metal guys do, but maybe things will
change with this record.
 Overall it’s an all around awesome record, not dark by any means, pushing all the
doom and gloom bullshit aside, almost in many cases sounding like a coked up version
of OSI. To sum it all up, it tends to be a perfect cross between Images and Words
and Feel Euphoria with a little more of a soundscape environment involved, otherwise
it makes for one great album, and don’t be surprised if you too are blown away by
it.
Reviewer: Tommy Hash
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
: : Visit the artist web site : :
http://frameshift.progrockrecords.com/
JamesLaBrie.com
Chain
Matt Cash
Little Atlas
: : DISCOGRAPHY : :
Unweaving the Rainbow - 2003
: : Honors : :
Album of the month for December
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