Style: Prog Metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Dream Theater, Haken, Seventh Wonder
Review by: Andy
Country: Italy
Release date: 16 September, 2022
At one point I was a basic prog bitch. My introductions to the world of prog included such underground hits as “Pull Me Under” and “2112”–thanks Dad–but over half a decade since I got the prog itch, my taste has taken a turn to the esoteric. I listen to noisy experimental black metal, lurching dissonant death metal, and anything avant-garde at a frightening clip; however, I still have a soft spot for classic prog metal in the vein of Dream Theater even if much of the style is cliches played out two decades ago. After all, it’s my first musical love. I will admit, though, as my average review score creeps up, I was actively looking for a band to roast. Enter Virtual Symmetry.
Virtual Symmetry play very standard prog metal with perhaps the slightest tinge of power metal: Think Seventh Wonder, think Southern Empire, and yes, think Dream Theater. Their previous album in 2020 made an impression on me, and as much as I knew the thing was a walking cliche, epic and all, I quite enjoyed it. But when I saw their name in the new release calendar, I thought to myself Virtual Symmetry couldn’t possibly write two convincing traditional prog metal albums in the 2020s. I can happily report I was wrong and that their self-titled album is one of the strongest prog metal releases in recent memory, score average be damned.
Starting with a near twenty minute epic takes some guts, but “Virtual Symmetry” on the album Virtual Symmetry by Virtual Symmetry *slays.* Slowly building up throughout the first few minutes, everything sounds like a recent Dream Theater epic, and the instrumentals throughout fully shred, showcasing excellent virtuosity. The drumming frantically shifts and varies; the guitars are crunchy and melodically solo; the bass offers more than just mimicry of the guitars; and last but not least, the vocalist, Marco Pastorino, brings his Italian power metal pedigree A-game to the table. Often belting out bars like Tommy Karevik (Seventh Wonder, Kamelot), he steals the show, no small feat considering the talent the rest of the band constantly displays.
Every other track similarly comprises many prog metal stereotypes for all you to delight in–some like “My Story Unfolds” have a more modern, Haken-esque crunch while others like “The Paradise of Lies” lean pretty deep into post-Portnoy Dream Theater. As the album progresses, the production unfortunately gets fatiguing, though, as a lot of instruments are fighting for a spot in the audial space. The on-the-nose synths prominent in the prog metal of yesteryear certainly contribute to the tiring production. They’re pleasantly nostalgic, but while the rest has a modern production sheen, they feel dated and clash with the other sounds.
The album, clocking in at over an hour, is lengthy, but I can’t think of any particular tracks I’d cut, just a minute here and there, showcasing remarkable consistency. A large part of that is certainly Pastarino’s stellar vocal performance–and that delicious Petrucci guitar tone–but I truly do enjoy every track, even at the slightly egregious length. I would consider lyrics to be the strong suit of very few prog bands, and that is no different here with such profound lyrics as “I’m like a butterfly” from “Butterfly Effect.” Pastorino sings with so much passion the lyrics are easy to overlook, though, and they still have a certain charm.
While certainly not a perfect album by any means, I am consistently blown away by the performances on Virtual Symmetry, and the whole thing made the basic prog bitch in me very happy. Had this come out a few years ago, I can almost guarantee it would be one of my favorite albums, but as it stands, Virtual Symmetry is more of a trip down memory lane. I imagine many of you reading this blog have similar stories as mine, and I know you’ll feel the same way about Virtual Symmetry as I do–that these guys know how to write damn good prog metal!
Recommended tracks: Virtual Symmetry, The Paradise of Lies
You may also like: Southern Empire, Andromeda, Chaos Frame
Final verdict: 7.5/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Label: Sensory Records – Bandcamp
Virtual Symmetry is:
– Marco Pastorino (vocals)
– Valerio Æsir Villa (guitars)
– Alessandro Poppale (bass)
– Alfonso Mocerino (drums)
– Mark Bravi (keyboard)
