Review by JD on June 5, 2009.

Progressive music has been becoming rather big over in parts of Europe, more than ever before in the annals of rock. Over here in the more jaded North America, it still growing although rather slowly. I have heard many very good Prog-rock and Prog-metal bands, in the last few months and was happy to receive Sweden's Melaina.

To pinpoint this CD, it is a Progressive Rock album with a few dashes of metal moments smattered here and there. All of the standard progressive things are there: I found some really amazing musicianship throughout the album, there was also some well thought out and harmony fuelled arrangements and some well written and thought provoking lyrics. These were the good things about the album... what is wrong in the album is a bit more glaring and makes me shake my head a time or two.

The things that are wrong about this album make the whole project sink faster that what happened to the Titanic out in the Atlantic Ocean almost a hundred years ago. Over production spoils the feeling I knew the band was trying for, yet it is the real lack of some needed heaviness makes the music ends up feeling plainly flat. From start to finish it grinds and sputtered as it tried the rev up at high RPM’s, but ends up never getting going. It really does feel like Ferrari, that has the motor of a late 80's Lada compact.

In my view, if the band could really heavy it all up (especially in the guitar and bass department), and let the recording be more raw and straight to the point... It would totally improve Melaina’s music ten fold. They may lose some of the progressive quality, but you will get back the one thing that is needed here... that strong feel that boils up from your soul. If they don’t try this, I do not see a future for a band that clearly has some very amazing talent... it would be lost in a sea of over done.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 5.5 (way over produced)
Originality: 6.5
Overall: 6

Rating: 6.4 out of 10