At War With Self - Torn Between Dimensions

Year of Release: 2005
Label: Free Electric Sound
Catalog Number: FES 4004
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:08:00

I have noticed many times that within the progressive music genre, many artists work with others and start up new projects. Sometimes these projects last an album, others longer. Recently I received just such a new project: At War With Self. Sounds very psychological, but it turns out to be w joint venture between Glenn Snelwar, Michael Manring and Mark Zonder.

OK, Mark Zonder I know, as he has been the drummer of Fates Warning for the past 15 years. But the other two were unknown to me. Glenn Snelwar turns out to be a member of Gordian Knot, playing on the debut album. Michael Manring is a bass player who, according to the Glenn Snelwar website, has played on over 100 studio projects. In other words, we are dealing here with three exceptionally talented musicians.

Torn Between Dimensions is an album containing a lot of different elements and can be divided into several layers. The first layer is the separate play of the gentlemen, which is simply phenomenal. It is as if they have been playing together for years, so tight and oiled sounds the whole. The second layer consists of the instruments the gents play. Fact that Mark Zonder is a good drummer is known. But his play on this album is varied, but mostly mellow. Quiet different from the prog metal of Fates Warning. Add to that the warm and controlled bass play by Manring and you have the centrepiece around which Snelwar has built his string play. Although all compositions are mainly of his hand, the other two also added their contributions to them.

Snelwar does not only play guitar, but also mandolin and e-bow, which makes the music more complex and thus more interesting. As far as the e-bow is concerned, to me this is an unknown instruments, so take a look at www.ebow.com to see what it is and does. Interesting detail: on that site Michael Manring is mentioned, because of the exceptional fact he managed to put the e-bow to use on a bass guitar! As the vocals lack on the album, the musicians also need to fill up this gap, without ending up in too technical play. For the larger part, they have succeeded in that, but at times, like in "The Event Horizon," the music gets a bit crowded.

The final layer is the inspiration of the gentlemen. As said, they all have a different background in music and the music on this album contains a multitude of influences: from prog metal to King Crimson and Pink Floyd, from classic/baroque to bluegrass and jazz.

In conclusion I can say Torn Between Dimensions is a special album that will appeal to a large group of listeners. Personally I miss the vocals a bit and at times the album sounds a bit too busy. But that does not take a way the fact this is a good album.

Tracklisting:
The God Interface (4:04) / Torn Between Dimensions (5:57) / A Gap In The Stream Of Mind Part One (4:11) / Grasping At Nothing (5:22) / Coming Home (7:45) / The Event Horizon (5:18) / A Gap In The Stream Of Mind Part Two (7:45) / Run (3:04)) / A Gap In The Stream Of Mind Part Three (1:37) / At War With Self (7:17)

Musicians:
Glenn Snelwar - electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, e-bow, keyboards and string section programming
Michael Manring - fretless bass and e-bow
Mark Zonder - drums and percussion

Discography:
Torn Between Dimensions (2005)

Genre: Other

Origin US

Added: May 16th 2005
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.glennsnelwar.com
Hits: 2051
Language: english