Review by Adam M on October 18, 2014.

Voyager sounds as comfortable on this release as any band I've heard in recent times. Their emotional take on progressive metal reaches a peak with V and it actually sounds like the band is simply laying back and having fun with the material here. There are moments the guitar riffing matches with the vocals in manners most progressive has never treaded.

The result is one of the catchiest entries to progressive metal in some times. The band's harmonies are very pleasant to listen to, but pack a punch on top of that. The band isn't all just about aesthetics though, because the song-writing on this album is more than solid to back up any possible superficial displays of musicianship. Every song offers something different for added variety. Breaking Down is an early highlight with its catchy chorus and many later songs like This Morning Light also have an impact. There are many strong portions on this album and because of the somewhat accessible sound and amount of variation, each one is very welcome. V seems like it could be slightly more complex at times, but dynamics are handled with the correct amount of balance. On future releases, I would like to see them attempt to keep their progressive element in check, however.

In terms of progressive metal releases this year, this is a surprise because it beats out Anubis Gate's album quite handily and slightly knocks off the recent Evergrey release. People looking for a well-rounded release of progressive metal with a nice production job should look no further than V. It is also my favorite of this band's overall output.

Rating: 9 out of 10