Soul Apart: Worldpain Traveler (2011)

Initially the solo vehicle of composer, keyboardist and vocalist Guido Lisioli, SOUL APART has since it's inception in 2004 developed into a 5 man strong band project, with one demo and two full length productions to their name. "Worldpain Traveler" is the most recent of these, and was released in 2011.

On their initial CD we got to know a band that mixed in a wide variety of stylistic expressions into their music, with a symphonic backdrop as a central element throughout and an emphasis on cinematic themes and atmospheric laden folk-inspired ones put in side by side with various constellations of progressive metal. For their 2011 disc this approach have been altered ever so slightly.

"Worldpain Traveler" is a production with a firm foundation in metal. Heavy metal and power metal oriented compositions initially, but gradually developing towards and into a more purebred progressive metal production in terms of refined arrangements and compositional structure. While the opening tracks have more of an emphasis on the guitars alone, the later tracks feature keyboards given a much more prominent role in the soundscapes. Alongside multiple themes compositions and creations sporting a greater variety of stylistic expressions explored the progressive metal tag does become unavoidable, with epic length number The Big Lie the most prominent of these endeavours. Flavouring most tracks are inserts veering off into rather different territories, and like on this act's debut album cinematic mood pieces and folk inspired passages make up the most of these. There's also a couple of jazz-inspired takes to enjoy. But by and large these are inserts that adds variety and flavouring rather than central elements in the compositions as such, which is a marked difference when compared to their 2009 production "Road to Self".

It's worth noting that mix and production, which was a major weakness on their initial production, have been markedly improved for their 2011 CD. Up to par with what most will expect from a modern band, with good balance and smooth interaction between all instruments. But the other negative asset that for me made their debut album a production much less interesting than it might have been haunts this disc as well. And while I know I'm more sensitive than most to that part of any artists performance, I still think that the lead vocals of this band does leave a bit to desire.

Lisioli has a versatile voice, able to convey a wide variety of different delivery modes. But his delivery in itself isn't quite to my liking. I find him to be at best on the few occasions where growling is needed, and for powerful, talk-like shouts he's rather good as well. But whenever the melodic based lead vocals are called for, be it in a dampened, mellow variety, the forceful wailing needed for power metal based sequences or just about anything in between, there's ample room for improvement. At some points I found myself wondering if he has fallen into the old trap of powering his voice solely with the vocal chords rather than using the belly muscles for the force and the vocal chords for guidance, but for such an experienced frontman I guess that is an unreasonable assumption to make. But at some points I felt like that might be the problem. Apart from that, the combination of accented English vocals and a tendency to nasal vocals doesn't fit my taste in lead vocals, and while Lisioli stays in pitch almost to perfection, that he to my ears often is ever so slightly off key to the instrumental backing does rub me the wrong way. Not by much, perhaps a quarter or an eighth of an octave, but enough for someone rather sensitive to such issues to take notice in a negative manner.

"Worldpain Traveler" is a fine specimen of versatile progressive metal, well produced and instrumentally well performed, with careful flavouring of cinematic passages and folk-inspired inserts adding a neat and effective dimension of variety to the proceedings. Rarely challenging music as such, but well made and with a fair degree of innovation. The lead vocals is the one part of the whole that I suspect will divide most listeners into the like or dislike camp, with those sensitive to vocal delivery most likely ending up in the latter category. As such this is an album partially recommended, with reservations as described in some detail.

My rating: 65/100


Track list:
1. Suj Quarüru... 1:56
2. ...For Us All!!! 6:01
3. Run for the Sun 5:47
4. Lights in the Past 5:16
5. El Nadaista 5:57
6. Worldpain Traveler 5:39
7. Brokenheart Man 5:13
8. Blessed by the Dark Philosophy 6:37
9. Origin Gone 7:43
10. The Big Lie 15:25
11. Brokenheart Man 2:34