Lost in Time: Headspace – I Am Anonymous

Style: prog metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Threshold, Dream Theater, Seventh Wonder, Vanden Plas, Star One
Review by: Andy
Country: United Kingdom
Release date: 22 May 2012

Prog metal was my first and longest lasting musical love–much more than a summer dalliance, the genre has been there by my side for several years through good and bad. However, I’ve grown increasingly dissatisfied with the current scene, finding dozens of albums very good with few attaining a spot in my permanent pantheon of excellence. So instead of doling out another 5/10 for some mediocre attempt at 2023 prog metal, I wanted to highlight one of the prog metal albums that has stuck around in my rotation for the long haul, Headspace’s debut I Am Anonymous, a near flawless execution of the style that initially made me love music. 

“Stalled Armageddon” begins the proceedings deliberately, the first series of riffs transitioning into a majestic, intricate piano-led riff after a long crescendo. Of course, this pianist is Adam Wakeman (Rick’s son), so you’d expect nothing less than pure excellence which he delivers in spades across the album. Not to be outdone, Damian Wilson’s (Threshold, Lalu) vocals belt choruses, delicately deliver heartbreaking lyrics, and expertly make difficult versal phrases the catchiest thing you’ve ever heard. While those two performers are the lifeblood of Headspace, the crunching guitars, plodding bass, and groovy drums each play a pivotal role in tying I Am Anonymous together. No detail is spared in the crafting of I Am Anonymous.

Yet it is Headspace’s knack for laying off that truly elevates the album above other Dream Theater-lusting contemporaries. Never afraid to slow down for long build-ups (“Stalled Armageddon” intro, “Fall of America” middle, “In Hell’s Name” intro) or repeat a particularly strong riff for multiple iterations, Headspace don’t fall into prog metal’s typical pitfalls of hyperactive soloing or impulsive transitions. Everything on I Am Anonymous feels intentional and suspenseful, building up to the next euphoric, soaring chorus or melodic solo. Therefore when a song like “In Hell’s Name” opens with an organ dirge for several minutes, I don’t fear that my time will be wasted because I already know from the previous songs that the payoff will be immense; in that case, the organ and Wilson’s vocals elegantly morph to a choral backing that is wonderfully emotionally effecting. Even the slightly tepid ballad “Soldier” has its climax as Wilson masterfully increases the intensity of his voice throughout. 

Much to my chagrin, this is not a perfect prog metal album because of “Daddy Fucking Loves You,” an epic as painfully cringey as it’s completely unironic name. Everything I’ve praised about the album’s songwriting and performative restraint is defenestrated by the band as Wilson croons in falsetto over a grating acoustic guitar in the intro before the much shreddier and bloated track meanders for the next fifteen minutes. And the band saved the worst for the end after a Shadow Gallery-ish solo section with an out-of-tune children’s toy sample and more of Damian’s cheesy acoustic singing to an imaginary child. Headspace gets back with the plot immediately with the gritty, Tool-esque basslines of “Invasion,” but since I Am Anonymous is an already unwieldy seventy-four minutes, cutting out the weakest (and longest) song would make the whole project a more approachable length. 

Lyrically detailing acts of war, I Am Anonymous heavily relies on Damian Wilson pouring his heart into the performance. When the main chorus comes back at the very end of “Fall of America,” it’s truly a sublime moment on par with the best of any prog metal in the past decade or more. Even in an album with a Wakeman providing incredible, progressive piano leads, Damian Wilson steals the show. His delivery, similar to his delivery in March of Progress, is endlessly catchy and impressive. 

Listening to this again in order to write this piece hasn’t reignited my spark for prog metal in 2023, but it reminds me that I still love the style done to (near) perfection more than any other. The weakness of new music this year is a consequence of the scene and not of my taste changing–thank god. I’m sure I’ll be returning to this album for decades to come to remind me I love prog metal. 

Recommended tracks: Die with a Bullet, In Hell’s Name, The Big Day
You may also like: Lalu, Redemption, Circus Maximus, Damian Wilson

Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives Page

Label: InsideOut Music – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website

Headspace is:
– Damian Wilson (vocals)
– Pete Rinaldi (guitars)
– Lee Pomeroy (bass)
– Adam Falkner (drums)
– Adam Wakeman (keyboards)