Shadow Gallery - Digital Ghosts (2009)

Digital Ghosts is Shadow Gallery's sixth album and the follow-up to 2005s Room V. In 2008 former lead vocalist Mike Baker passed away from a heart attack. I hate to say it, but I like the vocals a lot more on this album than the previous work. There are a lot of nice harmonies and back up vocals, and new vocalist Brian Ashland does a good job adhering to the style without ripping off Baker.

Despite that minor improvement Shadow Gallery are still a fantasy novel author badly in need of an editor. Most songs clock in at about six and a half minutes with three that threaten to hit ten minutes. They're a prog band, so this is to be expected; however, they just can't keep the momentum going through entire songs. Their last album had the same problem as well.

The opening tracks "With Honor" and "Venom" start out with strong, promising riffs, but by the time the vocals kick in they've pulled back to playing boring muted power chords. I like a good riff during the verse as well, but maybe that's just me.

Problems like this kill momentum across the album. "Gold Dust" opens with maybe Middle-Eastern tinged synth work that drops off to what sounds like third year guitar lesson warm up licks.

Still there are some really great flourishes of creativity all around the album. When the band lets loose they play some really compelling metal like the last few minutes of the aforementioned "Gold Dust." Likely the most complete song on the album is "Digital Ghost." This is one of the nine-and-half minuters, but it opens with an intro that reminded of Liquid Tension Experiment. There's a very nice melody in the chorus, a jazzy section late in the song that segues into an extended keyboard and guitar solo that finishes out the song strongly.

I don't want to encourage them by enjoying that song too much. Shadow Gallery needs to trim the fat, cut the shit and deliver an album full of four minute jam packed jams. All of the pieces are there, but they need to stop indulging on the chocolate frosting (which is actually shit).

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]
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