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Well, this is certainly one of the most ambitious pieces of music I've heard for a long time. Fusing together everything from Heavy Metal to Jazz certainly makes Linear Sphere a challenge to listen to. The only band that springs to mind that revel in such extreme genre fusion is Ephel Duath. An act that many people will agree are a tough act to emulate.
First track 'Reversal' starts with an Eastern infused intro before the harsh vocals accompany the chug of the guitars. Clean vocal changes also indicate a new musical direction within the track, with some impressive fretwork and 'widdly diddly' solos over some very Jazzy drum patterns. The production is crystal clear and makes the guitar work sound extremely emotive.
Every track pretty much lasts at least six minutes and incorporates many different musical leanings. This will be a joy for some readers out there but I personally enjoyed Linear Sphere when they had a more constant sound running through their music. This occurs only occasionally throughout the album and the standout track for me has to be 'Life of Gear' as even though it is still musically ambitious, there is still a constant flow and theme to the track.
It's sweetly sung for the most part and has some exquisite acoustic guitar scattered and entwined with the heavier hooks in the song.
I'm certain that Linear Sphere have a place in the Heavy Metal spectrum, probably in a similar manner to the likes of Duath and Dillinger Escape Plan. I can appreciate the talent that has gone into making 'Reality Dysfunction' The other warning that I'd feel obliged to inform the Live4Metal readership is the distinctive vocal style of Jos Geron on the record. I can honestly say that it sounds like a cross between King Diamond and Monty Python's Eric Idle. Always look on the bright side though, I don't mind either vocalists mentioned, it just takes a bit of getting used to.
Denny Edmonds : www.live4metal.com