Record Label: S/R
Genre: Prog Metal
Band Link: www.vangoughband.com
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Vangough play prog metal, unabashedly in an early 90s vein. This isn’t the intense and technical metalcore, death, and thrash that have cornered the prog scene for the past 15 years. Instead, think a downtempo Dream Theater, but softer vocals and a lot more piano.

Guitarwork, particularly soloing, is lyrical and melodic –classic heavy metal, baby. Vocals are clean and emotive in the power metal style, but without the range of a Geoff Tate or Ronnie James Dio. The piano is overdone and cheesy.

While not for everyone, not even for most metal fans, I dig (in theory) Vangough’s embrace of the melodramatic and operatic. It doesn’t work most of the time; much of the music is ballady and would belong on VH1 Classic if the songs weren’t 8-9 minutes long. But at their best, you can tell Queensyrche is an influence. And who doesn’t like Queensryche?

Bottom Line: Play this constantly if you don’t want to get laid.
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