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Line-up:
Jerry Sahlin - Keyboards, Vocals
Ola Andersson - Guitars, Vocals
Peter Asp - Bass, Guitar
Herman Saming - Lead Vocals
Thomas Lejon - Drums
Release Date:
09 October, 2006
Tracklist:
1. Truth Is Pain
2. Puppeteers
3. This Wonderful World
4. Out Of Ideas
5. Hope
6. Into The Unknown
7. No Longer Touching Ground
8. Useless Argument
9. The Voice Within
10. Polish, Reduce And Enlarge (bonus track)
11. Call In Dead
12. Silent Screams
13. Introduction
14. The Millionaire
15. Joanna
16. A Father's Love
17. Memory To Fight
18. The Diary
19. A Wound That Won't Heal
20. The Final Silence
Website:
www.actworld.nu Check
also:
Surprise Of October 2006 (1)
Surprise Of October 2006
(2)
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Ok, this
is the best album of 2006! The webmaster kept prompting me to listen
to it for a long time, but I thought that it would be one more of his
“great” discoveries - he has one every week or so - so I kept
ignoring him... until he dropped by once and played it to me! That was
it. I’m trapped ever since, in this bittersweet “silence” of
those Swedish guys. It’s not only that this is the most unique,
original, sentimental album I’ve heard in a long time. It’s also
that it contains the song, which I’m sure that we will vote a
“song of the year” here in Grande Rock (“Truth Is Pain”). Just
to support my claims I can only tell you that every single one of us
here in the site ordered his own copy of the CD - and to be honest, I
think this is the first time this happens - we usually mock on its
others choices.
Now, on
the pure musical front, the album can be perfectly described as a huge
melting-pot of astonishing ideas. This means, of course, that it is
extremely difficult to categorize the music contained in here, or put
it under a specific label. Possibly I could say that this is
progressive music, in the sense that A.C.T (who stubbornly refuse to
disclose what the initials stand for) combine many musical styles and
genres. But don’t get carried away and think that these guys here
play “progressive” music like Disillusion, Dilinger Escape Plan
and other modern crap. The band here still produces MUSIC and not
sounds.
The
musical identity of the group shall be traced back in the late 70s (prog)
and early 80s (radio-friendly). I could say that the major influence
here must be Queen, especially in the orchestrations. But then again,
dozens of influences appear as the album evolves... Yes (of the later
years), Journey, Queensryche, Paradise Lost, Spock’s Beard, Prince,
and the list goes on. But the thing here is that the songs are clothed
in the A.C.T original sound, embellished by stringed instruments,
lyrical outbreaks (highly supported by a great voice), a solid
theatrical tone and even some funky elements. The moods are in general
up-tempo, but as I wrote above bittersweet, the songs are short - and
this is the biggest breakthrough of the band: that they have digested
dozens of influences (from classical music, to musicals, soundtracks
and pure rock) and manage to spit them in our face as complete, well-structured
songs. Frankly, after the first shock, the first thing I remember
myself telling the webmaster was “goodness, how on earth do they
manage to fit in so short songs so many ideas and influences?”...
and still the songs remain solid and easy to follow, even for a non-prog
fan!
Girls
and guys, do not think about it too much. This will be among your best
buys of the year - whatever kind of music you are fond of. If you like
music, if you cannot imagine yourself without the noble sounds that
keep us alive, go out and buy this one. Enter the labyrinth of the
unique guitar riffs in the way they are combined with the classical
piano. And if this album does not reach you and speak directly to your
soul, search again... you might be dead.
by Alex Savatianos 10/10
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