• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I really enjoyed Withem's debut The Point of You from 2013, a Progressive Metal effort with a lot of Power Metal flourishes. I found it fun, catchy and well executed despite the relative newness of the band. The band is back in 2016 with a new album, The Unforgiving Road, and I'm finding it just a little less fun this time around. The Progressive elements are still present and like the debut they are on the subtle side. Withem aren't about beating you over the head with their musical prowess. What is gone is the Power Metal vibe. The songs on The Unforgiving Road are more purely Progressive. Sure, there are melodies aplenty and the high-pitched vocals that sound a little like TNT's Tony Harnell suit the choruses, but the songs aren't as immediate and I found the energy lacking. The songwriting is too formulaic, leaving The Unforgiving Road somewhat generic. Die-hard Progressive fans may laud the shift away from Power Metal and will likely enjoy The Unforgiving Road but I miss the joyful bounce of the debut.