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Visions of Morpheus released their debut near the tail end of last year with a bit of positive buzz, and I can't say it's unearned. The music is in that old '90s vein of progressive power metal somewhere between Symphony X, Dream Theater, and especially Royal Hunt in the use of keys and the DC Cooper-esque vocals of Jeff Pearson, who really steals the show with his confident delivery and strong vocal lines. The rest of the band aren't slouches either, as you get the expected tight rhythmic work, hairpin time changes, and neoclassical leads that define the genre. There's always a risk of the songs ending up disjointed and unfocused, but the songwriting is actually pretty smooth and accessible despite the clear complexity, without the excessive wanking and shapeless structures that often plague the genre. I do think that it's a bit long at over an hour, and they probably could have saved a song or two for a later release to tighten this up a bit, but none of the songs are bad or even mediocre, with highlights such as "Cathartic," the moody "Ghost," and the blazing single "Watch the World Burn" being first-rate tracks almost worthy of their inspirations. Fans of prog and power metal alike will want to keep an eye on these guys, starting with this album.