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One of the finer exports of the recent Prog/Power movement, Sweden's Cloudscape play a very digestible style in the genre, sounding somewhere in between Pagan's Mind and Evil Masquerade with their own personal touch. Their self-titled debut was a very good release, however my first taste of these guys was with Crimson Skies, and hence it has a special place in my heart. This will definitely appeal to fans of the aforementioned Pagan's Mind, as well as fans of acts like Mind's Eye or even Dreamscape. Prog bands should really take a look at what Cloudscape have done here; they have their Progressive moments but never sacrificing their heaviness. Did I mention this is catchy as hell?

Take a look at album opener "Shapeshifter," a perfect example of how these guys sound, and showing everything they do right - fantastic guitar tone and keys that never overpower the song. Check out Micael's vocals too, easily transcending from powerful with a slight hint of aggression, into a gorgeous, angelic sound in the chorus. Where the main strength of the album lies is in tracks such as "Take The Blame", "Demon Tears" and "We Will Remain". All highly melodic, I'd be shocked if you could get these out your head. "Psychic Imbalance" is another highlight of the album, sounding suspiciously like AOR in the beginning and blasting into some earth-shattering riffage, with dramatic keys highlighting its genius. Guitarists Björn Eliasson and Patrik Svärd really own this album, with a style not too far from that of Jørn Viggo Lofstad (Pagan's Mind). Their guitar solos are always top notch, never treading into overtly flashy territory, they keep it nice and melodic, really well thought out stuff.

For fans of catchy well played Prog and Power metal this is certainly a no-brainer, you'll find hours of enjoyment from this release. Highly recommended

Standout Tracks: "Shapeshifter", "Take The Blame", "Psychic Imbalance", "Demon Tears", and "We Will Remain"