Ebonivory – The Long Dream I: A Review

Aussie prog metallers Ebonivory release the first part of a double header in June with The Long Dream I. I am a really big fan of prog metal (prog of all types really) so I was looking forward to checking this one out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SPyUelllF8

My initial reaction was that the album is really polished. Almost Metallica style. Now I’m not a fan of bands playing a single note, then manipulating it in a computer to make it ‘perfect’ and putting it into the track, I much prefer to hear real people playing real instruments. Mistakes and all. However, that almost put off the entire album but I kept my mind as open as I could and persevered.

Thankfully, there are some nice pieces here. For example there is a vocal section in “Cats” which soars and sounds great, there is a great bass section in “Explosions After Dark” and I like pretty much all of “Tales of Termina”. The final song “Introvection” is pretty solid too making the final few songs lift the entire album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG687JOZcMo

The album as a whole is good, but it’s not great.

However, I will be back for The Long Dream II, here’s hoping that one will knock my socks off.

Score 6.5/10

Track Listing

1. Introduction
2. Hanmer Street
3. Persist
4. Patting the Black Dog
5. Cats
6. A Colour I’m Blind To
7. Sea Sons
8. In Reverie
9. Window Man
10. Explosions After Dark
11. Tales of Termina
12. The Bluegums
13. Introvection
    Label 
    Wild Thing Records
    Release
    5 June 2020

    For all things Ebonivory, click HERE and to purchase the album, click HERE