PARALYDIUM – Worlds Beyond (Frontiers Music)

Paralydium is another new band from Stockholm, Sweden, being formed in 2015 – with Worlds Beyond being their very exciting debut release. The level of sophistication and maturity shown on this album is quite amazing, which really should come as no surprise as the three-track EP called The Paralydium Project (the band’s original name before being shortened) that they released in 2015 featured three lengthy tracks of brilliantly developed and incisive progressive metal, and this set anticipation levels at maximum for their full debut. The wait has been long but most certainly worth it with the nine tracks being simply stupendous and essential prog metal.

The 2015 debut featured some growled vocals but these have been left behind with all vocals now clean and crystal clear from Mikael Sehlin – and what a great job he does with his soaring and powerful voice that amazes and thrills throughout the album. Georg Härnsten Egg on drums and Jonathan Olsson on bass combine in sublime fashion to give a solid base with a driving beat which continually propels the music onwards and upwards, but the real fireworks are supplied by the guitar of John Berg and keyboards of Mikael Blankas as they both show complete mastery of their trade. The keyboards are lush with plenty of solos and interplay with the guitar, with Berg showing a level of mastery that astounds, and his work on the acoustic guitar is simply wondrous and thoroughly absorbing. As should be expected, there are constant time changes with hooks aplenty, wonderful vocal harmonies and displays of technical prowess that you would expect from a band much further into their career. If you are into Dream Theater, Seventh Wonder, Kamelot and Shadow Gallery then this will be ideal for you, and they really are good enough to stand alongside these prog metal icons. Worlds Beyond is an essential purchase and a future progressive metal classic.

Track List: Enter Paralydium (1:51), Within The Sphere (5:16), Synergy (7:25), Finding The Paragon (5:38), Crystal Of Infinity (4:23), Awakening (2:09), The Source (6:25), Into Divinity (5:06), Seeker Of The Light (7:29).