Wow! What an array of musicians. Guild Of Others feels more like a project than a band, with only two of the contributors forming the core. The well-known names that are on the list here give a lot of hope, even though this is a debut album.

The compositions turn out to be just as thrown together as the lineup. I cannot say whether there is causality or whether it is simply an interpretation of progressiveness. What is positive, however, is that the music runs as if from a single source. Each song has a unique selling point within the album, is even composed of quite different passages and yet everything fits together into a seamless picture. At least by the standards of modern Prog Metal.

Shown as an example using "Balance": At the beginning there is a rhythmic intro that alternates between several chords played in rapid succession and a fading chord. Eventually the intensity builds and erupts in a lighter passage over which the guitars play a repeating melody, then a solo. It goes on with screaming keys behind which hectic guitars and drums rush ahead. Now the song continues with calm sounds of the keys and guitars, while the drums get even more hectic. Shortly thereafter, the drums are reduced to a simple beat, to which the guitars play rather choppy and crisp. Now it needs a swelling whirl of notes, until the first song sounds and with that more than a third of the song is over. It's remarkable how everything fits together here.

With "Always There" and "Memento" ballads are offered, which are a bit long-winded. "Elysium" then emerges again with a stomping rhythm. "Veil Of Insanity" offers a special treat, as a hard intro is followed by an almost pop-like verse with acoustic guitars. Even if some people get uncomfortable with the phrase "poppy", I have to point out that this passage in particular is great fun. Especially with the interplay of the clean and growled vocals and the powerful rhythms of the chorus.

The sound is impeccable, as is the mix. The drums sound rich and dry and always have the necessary precision to simply carry the listener along even in the wilder sections of the songs. The guitars are exactly tuned to it and master both the space-filling, longer-held chords and jagged gaits. The use of the clean guitars has already been praised. The keys dominate genre-typically large parts of the album and also get their solos. The bass is excellent to perceive, gives the whole thing more density, but hardly steps out of the shadow of the rest of the instruments. The singing is technically flawless. Mostly clean vocals were used here,

Conclusion:
Strong! Prog Metal can be daunting to the untrained ear, especially when it seems like complex song structures have been diced and strung together at random. With the album of the same name, Guild Of Others manages to avoid this. Quite apart from that, this production is simply fun due to its creative aggressiveness and also makes you want more. A damper is the lengthy middle part of the album, which is occupied by the ballads.

Score: 9/10