Are your ears tuned up? Before you get to the new release from
\nMercury Rising entitled
\nBuilding Rome<\/i>, you probably should put in something from
\nFates Warning and\/or Dream Theater’s excellent disc
\nFalling Into Infinity<\/i>. Either will put you in the right
\nframe of mind for some progressive metal.<\/p>\n
It does take Mercury Rising a track to get on cue. Opener
\n“Cathedrals” introduces what could be called the album’s theme,
\norganized religion. It introduces the topic, but like a weak
\nintroduction in a speech, it doesn’t make me interested in the
\ntopic. The song seems somewhat aimless as it just goes through the
\nverses and chorus. While the lyrics “As God would show himself to
\nme\/ my conscience is my guide\/ And in his temples I would pray\/ but
\nin cathedrals I’ll not hide” set up the rebelling against an
\norganized church, musically it’s probably one of the weakest
\nopening tracks I’ve heard since Archer of Loaf’s “Welcome to the
\nLight” on Vee Vee. I wasn’t impressed with the first track.<\/p>\n
But things can only get better, right? Second track “Building
\nRome” is sophisticated and features a touch of thrashy metal
\ninfluence toward the middle of the song. The subtle double bass
\n(feeling it, not really hearing it) comes at the height of one
\nsection and provides a great contrast when the band slips back into
\nthe same musical theme as the opening section. This track strikes
\nme as being more of a “composition” than a song, certainly more of
\none than the opening track. After the repeat of the first section,
\nthe thrashy guitar comes back and the song rides the strong groove
\nout.<\/p>\n
Track four “A Narrow Door” stands out as being the closest thing
\nto a “rocker” song. Although it starts out slow, things pick up
\nwhen the band starts the third verse with these lyrics:<\/p>\n
“If it’s true that tribulation worketh patience,<\/p>\n
then I should be a patient man<\/p>\n
but patient is not what I am.<\/p>\n
Now questioning the terms of my existence<\/p>\n
No anchor here to steady me”<\/p>\n
Track seven, “Renaissance” stands out as being one of my
\nfavorite tracks. It is an acoustic track with some moody effects.
\nIt features a very melodic guitar solo. The subject is about making
\na connection with God, exemplified with the lyrics:<\/p>\n
How many times will I plead on<\/p>\n
Bended knee before I transcend to<\/p>\n
The one you would have me to be?<\/p>\n
Closing track “Think” is a mammoth track that ends the disc
\nappropriately. There’s a little bit of closure for the search that
\nhas plagued the subject of the disc as the following lyrics
\nexplain:<\/p>\n
Racing to find the answers,<\/p>\n
Running to beat the hands of time<\/p>\n
Pushing forward fighting back<\/p>\n
Where’s the finish line?<\/p>\n
I need to catch my breath.<\/p>\n
That ends the search for an understanding of religion in a
\nperson’s life. Overall, the eight songs on this disc remind me of
\npopular progressive metal acts like Fates Warning and Dream
\nTheater. As with those bands, it’s easy to get caught up in the
\nlyrics and forget that you are listening to some sophisticated
\nmusic. Aside from the opening track, this is a decent disc. I liked
\nit better than their previous one
\nUpon Deaf Ears<\/i>.<\/p>\n
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