This is Progressive Metal the way I like it - great musicianship, a heavy and very catchy sound, and a multitude of nonstandard song structures. Entropy is ALL TOO HUMAN's second CD, and from what I have gathered from soundclips and others' comments, Entropy is much heavier and more complex than its predecessor. This is a very good thing, I assure you.
It is interesting (to me at least), that I like Entropy as much as I do considering that it certainly contains more accessible musical elements than I normally welcome in my listening choices. The incorporation of a little funkiness, some bluesy moments, and the few Alternative Rock moments would normally send me running for the hills. Most so-called Progressive Metal bands have some or all of these influences, and the vast majority of them often sound like glorified Hair Metal (great for nostalgia - I own some RATT discs, but come on...) or Pomp Rock such as JOURNEY or STYX. I think all of the songs on Entropy (even the pseudo-ballad, "White Stones") work well for me because ALL TOO HUMAN are heavier and more complex than most of their peers, and they are just better songwriters. Very rarely can I hear a brief vocal passage that reminds me of WHITESNAKE (circa Slip of the Tongue) and actually think it is cool. Only bands like ALL TOO HUMAN and ARK have this gift.
I don't want to emphasize these perhaps questionable influences and musical moments though, because ALL TOO HUMAN kicks major musical ass, and they are among my very favorite active Progressive Metal bands. For your reference, the others are GRACEPOINT, PYRAMID, and ZERO HOUR. The best comparison that comes to mind is POWER OF OMENS, but, while I find POWER OF OMENS to be good, but somewhat inconsistent with respect to musical quality and complexity (hopefully this will be remedied on their highly anticipated follow-up, Rooms of Anguish), every song on Entropy is quite engaging.
As on my favorite Progressive Metal release of all time, DREAM THEATER - When Dream and Day Unite, every musician shines on Entropy. I guess the killer riffs and very diverse guitar performance of Clint Wilson catches my attention the most, but drums, bass, and keyboards (courtesy of special guest Derek Sherinian) all impress me as well.
The vocals of Don DuZan are another huge highlight for me. He exudes a definite Geoff Tate vibe at times (especially on "E-Killer"), but he has a unique, powerful, and very expressive voice. Many of the vocal melodies and choruses on Entropy are among the catchiest I have heard in recent memory.
As always, it amazes me that bands as good as ALL TOO HUMAN are not signed to a record label. These guys are clearly at the forefront of a metallic subgenre that desperately needs inspiration and a good kick in the ass. ALL TOO HUMAN are just the band to do the kicking. If you call yourself a fan of Progressive Metal, and you have not yet checked out Entropy, you need to do so immediately. With 8 songs and a running time of 60 minutes, you will definitely get your money's worth.
The End Times
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