Headline - Duality

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Nothing To Say
Catalog Number: 3079272
Format: CD
Total Time: 55:41:00

[In] Autumn 2003 I had the pleasure of attending Symphony X live in my hometown, and with this show the French [band] Headline was the support act. I missed the beginning of their set, but what I heard, I liked. So, I picked up their latest album to hear more of them. Well, with regards to what they brought live, the album did not disappoint me. Duality is their third album from the in 1994 formed French prog metal formation Headline and an excellent calling card of the band.

The album opens strong with "Excorcise Me," immediately showing all the bands good points: powerful rhythm section, crunchy guitars, touching keyboards and a very powerful vocalist: Sylvie Grare! A great song, but they set the bar already very high. The one thing I dislike in the song is the screams at the end, as they don't add anything to the song, but are more annoying. The solid rhythm tandem (Dirk Verbeuren, drums and Christophe Babin, bass) keeps on going, steady in line with guitarist Didier Chesneau. But it is keyboardist Aymeric Ribot who is my favourite! With just simple keyboard arrangements he knows to give the songs a fragile, emotional sound, which I like very much. Although the general sound of the album is mostly average prog metal, they do know to bring some variety, like with "For Those Who Die," which starts a bit laid-back and has passionate vocals, or "The Almighty," which has a guitar riff reminding me of Survivor (remember "Eye Of The Tiger" or "Burning Heart"?), but this song has a slightly different melody, making it a very interesting song, showing they can create their own sound. Also "Replay" shows the composing skills of the band, with some great guitar and vocals in it.

I think this album has enough originality to stand the test of time and make sure they are not labelled "a copy of ... ", but they can create their own sound, despite the at times too common prog metal sound. So I can definitely recommend this album to all who fancy good prog metal. The vocals are very powerful and the keys that give it the finishing touch. If you pick up the limited edition, you get a bonus CD with one extra song, two video clips, a making of and some more stuff, so very worth your while. Enjoy it.

Similar Bands: Vanden Plas

[This review originally appeared December 2003 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Exorcise Me / In High Dudgeon / For Those Who Die / Bereft Of Sky / Insanity / The Almighty / Farewell / My Own Life / Replay / Epilog / My Eight Sin (Bonus CD Track) / Exorcise Me (Video) (Bonus CD Track) / Exorcise Me (Making Of) (Bonus CD Track) / The Message (Video) (Bonus CD Track) / Photo Gallery (Bonus CD Track)

Musicians:
Sylvie Grare - lead and backing vocals
Didier Chesneau - guitar, backing vocals
Christophe Babin - bass
Aymeric Ribot - keyboards, backing vocals
Dirk Verbeuren - drums

Guest:

Deborah Lee - backing vocals

Discography:
Escape (1997)
Escape Through The Lands (1998)
Voices of Presence (1999) (ltd. ed. comes with EP Other Voices)
Escape - Collectors Edition (2000) (2 disc reissue includes Escape and Escape Through The Lands)
Duality (2002)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin FR

Added: December 18th 2004
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: escapeontheline.free.fr/
Hits: 2181
Language: english