Stride - Imagine

[TheGraveDigger]

Artist: Stride
Title: Imagine
Release Date: 2005
Label: Sensory

This has been one hell of a year for great progressive metal releases. I rank Stride’s new album right up there with the debut of Circus Maximus "The 1st Chapter" and Pagans Mind "Enigmatic Calling" which are my two other favorite prog releases of the year. This band is obviously doing something right as they just opened the 6th installment of ProgPower USA which is North America’s biggest and most prominent progressive and power metal music festival. It is obvious with every prog review that you are gonna some how draw a comparison to Dream Theater. There are many clones out there and many bands that try to sound like Dream Theater. Stride do show a good deal of influence but the band goes way beyond just sounding like another Dream Theater. There is a great deal of AOR sound fused with this well crafted progressive metal which along with Dream Theater brings bits and pieces of Journey and Kansas to the table making things interesting. Vocalist Gary Belin will have you thinking of Steve Perry during many instances throughout the album. I feel that this band has a lot to offer and will shine in the huge world of metal music and not be just another prog band lost in the mix. If you have not heard this band yet I highly suggest checking them out. Fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Journey, Kansas, and Pagans Mind will definetly dig this. Stride a long with Circus Maximus (who also played ProgPower USA this year) will play a big role in the future of progressive heavy metal. In a few short years I can see these bands having much bigger fan bases and possibly returning to the ProgPower stage in a higher slot.

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