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as well as brother drummer Eddie Marvin; and ProgRock Records President Shawn Gordon (along with Pauly) provided the storyline of this dark, sad, depressing, but twisted concept. <i>An Absence of Empathy</i> brings us the story of a man who experiences what it is like to commit acts of violence (serial killer, violence in schools, torture, rape, war& ), hyped by the media. <br><br> The album starts with <b> An Absence of Empathy  Human Grain Pt 1 </b> which introduces the character and the state of mind surrounding him. It is a fast-paced song, combining a lot of electronic sounds with heavy guitar riffing. Bach s signature singing is showcased throughout the song. The ending of the song just sets the pace for the rest of the album. <br><br> <b> Just one more </b> talks about what is going on inside a serial killer s mind. Bach s voice shines throughout this track. High notes, low notes, and a raspy voice make this song one of the highlights of the album. The rhythm section is simply amazing on this track. The guitar solo on this track is probably one of the best solos that Pauly has played. <br><br> <b> Miseducation </b> is the next track. This track is about violence in schools focusing on the teacher. The guitar-double bass drum pattern is amazing. Again, the rhythm section shines throughout this album. A Judas Priest-like chorus is heard throughout the song as well. This is probably the song where Bach s signature style of singing is most present.<br><br> <b> I Killed You </b> talks about a murderer lead by impulse. This is a slow-paced song that sometimes sounds like a ballad. The lyrics can be very confusing on this one. The highlight of this song comes when Bach comes in heavy-death metal kind of voice. But then Bach suddenly stops and we hear him, supported by Jody Ashworth on bass vocals, in a-cappella mode. It is a very interesting and intriguing section, but still it does not pull you away. Then an organ-guitar-organ-guitar solo comes in, unison (guitar and organ) follows, and then another a-cappella part comes in (this time with music). The outro for me is the best part of the song. A very soft, gentle melody, accompanied by a beautiful guitar solo ends this amazing track.<br><br> The next song is about torture. <b> This is Gonna Hurt </b> starts with a techno-metal guitar-drum loop leading into a section that causes the feeling of being crazy. The lyrics on this particular song are a bit intriguing. You can feel the craziness going through this individual s mind. I think the best part of this song is the feeling that this particular track causes. <br><br> Next up is <b> Push the Button </b>. This track talks about modern war. It contains a Priest-like chorus, and it showcases Bach s voice again with his signature style of singing. The highlight for me in this song is the last two minutes of this track. Kind of a Toolish feeling at the end, and back to straight 80 s rock again. <br><br> <b> In An Empty Room </b> brings in the softer side of Bach s singing. This track talks about rape, but this time from the victim s mother's point of view. The chorus of this song is brilliant and the main melody of the song is amazing as well.  In An Empty Room is one of the best tracks on this album. Banjo makes its presence again throughout the song. Bach s singing is amazing as well, but again, he dominates with the feeling he puts into the song. The tempo is picked up a bit at the end of the song, leading to an amazing outro featuring Bach screaming, and at the same time in his softer mode. <br><br> <b> Outcast </b> brings the topic of violence at schools again, but this time talking about shootings occurring at schools. The lyrics on this particular track are written by the shooter in letter form addressing parents, classmates, and teachers. For me  Outcast musically speaking it did not do anything. The lyrics are very strong and at times make you wonder what is going on in a student s mind, but as mentioned before, for me it is the weakest track on the album. It sounds like a Spock s Beard song, but a bit heavier, dominated by an organ sound. <br><br> The next song brings us to one of the best intro s I have ever heard. Horns, and pipes, a very soft female voice, strings, and at the end of this intro Bach s screams come in accompanied by an amazing heavy guitar riff. The rhythm department again shines through this track, and Bach s voice is nothing less than phenomenal. Orchestral arrangements dominate this song, along with Pauly s heavy guitar riffing. Lyrics are sang with an amazing melody throughout this song. A-cappella makes presence again in this song. This section is very strong and it made me feel part of a soldier brigade ready for action. The song s ending left me wishing for more. <b> Blade </b> is probably the best track on the album.<br><br> <b> How Long Can I Resist </b> talks about rape again; this time the story takes place in the rapist s mind. The chorus is very catchy, yet it leaves you with a feeling of fear and uncertainty. The guitar solo makes you feel this way as well. Bach s voice is outstanding, especially on the double bass drum-piano-double bass drum part. The ending of this song just gives you the goosebumps, especially when you hear Bach s final scream. <br><br> <b> When I Look Into My Eyes </b> takes aim at torture again. This song leaves you with a sense of fear, and has a feeling of spooky-ness throughout the song. Its catchy melody and lyrics will just stick in your mind. This song itself is another highlight of this album. It takes you right inside that particular state of mind. <br><br> Finally, the track <b> What kind of Animal </b>, which is the second part of the first track  Human Grain . This particular song IS the highlight for Bach on this album. This track could be a Peter Gabriel song. This is probably the most touching song of the album, and the ending will not disappoint you. It is beautiful. <br><br> Overall, <i>An Absence of Empathy</i> takes you directly into the main character s mind. Bach s voice along with Pauly s playing (guitar, banjo, keyboards, bass), and brother drummer Eddie Marvin make this a very sad, depressing, and twisted adventure. Bach s voice will not disappoint you. It will only surprise you, and you will hear him in ways you have never heard him sing. Highlights of this album include  Human Grain Pts 1 and 2 ;  I Killed You ,  In an Empty Room and  Blade .  Unweaving the Rainbow brought you evolution;  An Absence of Empathy will bring you fear. This release will not disappoint you. It combines the fresh new sound that Henning Pauly has brought into progressive rock along with one of the best voices in rock today: Sebastian Bach. You will not be disappointed by this release!! <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="nina">Review by <b>Nina Benson</b></a><br> <br> Having just received 'An Absence of Empathy', I sat with headphones on and lyrics in hand. The music was creative, earthy and suggestive for each story. The lyrics were subtle/bold, consoling/disconcertive, but overall commanding. They portrayed each character so effectively, you couldn't help being moved in some way, no matter whose story was told. The raw and energetic power of Bach's voice, reversing to an uneasy calm was like a rollercoaster ride down a soft sloping hillside leading to a pond....filled with piranha's. <br><br> Truthfully, this is not a CD I will listen to often, as I find it disturbing but somewhat necessary, to address society en masse (I think that's the right word!!). I will however, recommend it to almost everyone I know. Thank you to all whose efforts went into this major work.<br><br> Nina Benson<br> New Yorker via Virginia <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="amazon1">Review 1 on <b>Amazon.com</b></a><br> <br> Sebastian is awesome. Sebastian is the reason to buy this. He has so much emotion in his voice. He has different kinds of articulations, phrasings and vibrato. Where as LaBrie uses the same tone for everything whether its anna lee or in the name of God. I think Henning Pauly is pretty generic. His guitar tone is weak. I think his guitar playing is average, but this cd is as close as you'll be able to hear of Sebastian singing for Dream Theater. Pauly sounds lame. He is better on keys and computer programming. He has no vibe or original statement in his articulation like Hendrix or Van Halen. I wish Labrie would be a man and scream some high notes once in a while. LaBrie doesn't try anymore,but I still love Dream Theater for all they have done up to train of thought....<br><br> <i><b>[As you can clearly see I have nothing to hide, so I even post bullshit like this. James doesn't try anymore... as if. But everyone is entitled to their opinion.]</b></i> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="amazon2">Review 2 on <b>Amazon.com</b></a><br> <br> OK, Frameshift's CD, An Absence of Empathy. <br><br> AJ's lame track-by-track review. No, I'm not a musician, but I know one. Well, two actually, and all you people here who claim to be. <br><br> #1: Human Grain, Part 1 - An Absence of Empaty- This one starts out with an interesting, stop-and-go staccato rhythm that ends up in a semi-racing pace. Boz starts right out with the ripping vocals, so that's all kinds of good. It's got sort of a Dream Theater, Images and Words-era, sound to it. When it's tearing along, I dig it a lot, but when it slows down a little, it seems to loose.... Cohesion, maybe? The word came to me. I don't know if it's actually appropriate. I do like it though. Sebastian, has done some good work, it sounds like. SCORE = 8.5 <br><br> #2: Just One More - Starting out with a heavily-synthesized, keyboard bass line, this will either strike you as really cool, or really lame, depending on your taste, I think. To me, I liked it, because the bass is rich and thick, with just a hint of edginess. About ten seconds of a simple line, and then the rest of the band comes in, overlapping and overlaying the basic keyboard melody already in place. Very cool at this point. When Bach comes in for the vocal ttrack, he sounds just like he did in the self-titled Skid Row CD. No kidding. Clear, powerful, strong vocals. This is great stuff. The chorus to this song is almost anthemic, its so easy to pick up and sing along to. Not the typical prog-rock sort of thing, you understand. One thing about this song. Henning Pauly, who wrote everything, starts to display his use of silence as an instrument. Rest measures, for everyone, to set apart the different..... I suppose phrases of the music is the right idea? Someone else will need to clarify the right nomenclature. It works really well in this track. The only thing that you guys might not enjoy is that near the end of the track, it sort of devolves, sorta, into a typical guitarbation thing, with everyone doing solos one after the other. They are all cool, and well played, but if that sort of thing isn't your thing, you might be bored. I happen to like it, so I was cool with it. SCORE = 8.5 <br><br> #3: Miseducation - A guitar line that sounds very much like a choral piece starts us off, and then we descend into the realm of drum and bass. Very neat phase change, and then Boz is back in your face, sorta, with something that should have been off of Slave to the Grind, No kidding. Shouting "Raise Your Fist!", he sounds like he's in top form. A couple of acappella verse-lines, and then we're off to the musical races again, with the bassist trying to outrun the drummer. It is close, btw... Really, the worse thing about this song is its name. I'm not kidding. I mean, it works for the lyrical content, but it's just..... not right with the music. But, its such a minor thing, you guys might not notice it if you weren't trying to find things to complain about. It's a bit keyboard heavy for you purists out there, but not terribly so. Think of this track as a cross between something off of Slave to the Grind and the first half of Train of Thought. Hard to conceive of, yes, but there it is. SCORE = 8.0 <br><br> #4: I Kill You -- Remember the way that 18 and Life sounded? Well, mature Boz's voice a bit, and lay it on top of a not-so-simple finger-pick guitar bit, and we're off and running on this track. It's even got a faintly bluesy feel to it. Or, dare I say it? Almost Country! *gasp* Yes, really. But, it's only there for flavor, and I don't think Bach could sing with a twang if he tried. This is a slightly more mellow track than the rest so far, but very interesting, almost melancholy, if you wanted a word. The strange thing about this track is that it eventually goes Queen. As in Bohemian Rhapsody, like that. But, with all voices by Bach (I think, I might be wrong on that). No, wait, there's one deep voice that isn't him, for sure. So, probably at least one more that isn't him. Eventually, this song starts to drag a little, but it does go through several changes before it finally made me want the next one. But, that might just indicate my impatience. SCORE = 6.5 <br><br> #5: This Is Gonna Hurt -- If you've heard Gregorian Chant, you'll sort of feel a familiarity with the beginning to this next one. It's not really, but that's the sort of sound they got. Then, a heavily-synthesized guitar-bass-drum thing comes in, all on the same melodic line. This is VERY cool sounding. This is the song that's written to convey what it's like from the Tortured to torturer's point of view. Or vice-versa, I'm not quite certain yet. Stil, this is the best-sounding track on here so far, right up there with Just one more. And Bach hasn't even started singing anything yet. Ooooooo this is WAY Cool! This chorus is making my palms sweaty! I hope I don't have some sort of toxic condition! This is some cool stuff! I'm pretty sure this is from the guy delivering the pain's point of view..... you'll have to listen to it to see for yourself. Man, this is one cool song! Not very fast, in tempo, but the lyrics sort of gallop along faster than the song, if you can imagine that. Make no mistake, the lead instrument in this song is Sebastian himself. I'm impressed with this one. SCORE = 9.5 <br><br> #6: Push the Button - Starting off with a percussion thing, I think it might be the electronic version of bongos, which soon adds in a keyboard thing, and a a guitar line, we get back onto the more usual progrock style. If anyone is familiar with Pain of Salvation, this track sounds like something off of Remedy Lane. Some more upper-register work by Bach sets this song apart in that way. Midway through the song, the main line drops out to be replaced with an almost funk bass line, totally replacing the existing melody with a new one. It comes back in a bit, and Baz is back to doing his thing again along with the progrock feel. Actually, during the progrock parts, this song hits me as sort of vanilla. The middle is really neat and interesting, but even though the front and back ends are faster, they aren't as interesting. If that makes sense. SCORE 6.0 <br><br> #7: In An Empty Room - Two words. Piano intro. Don't roll your eyes, it isn't that bad. Hell, even Zakk does piano intros, you know. It can be cool. This one is a little on the slow side, however. And when I mean slow, I mean like watching icicles grow. Bach comes in seeming like he's trying to do Harry Conick, Jr., and it's not working. Eventually, the song adds in some more tempo, a little, and ome more bass and drum bits, but nothing remotely aggressive. No power ballad this. Not even a battery-powered-ballad, actually. Right near the end, it shows flashes of something cool, musically, but it's overall not all that interesting. I think that this is supposed to be one of the "Receiving" songs of the theme CD. As such, I know it's got to carry a certain "feeling" but it just isn't all that exciting a listen. It made me sleepy, is what it did. SCORE 4.0 <br><br> #8: Outcast - Ever hear of Yes? The band. This song sounds like something that would have been on one of those albums, if they had Henning's equipment setup. That's not a bad thing, it's just the sound. It does that sound for about a minute or so, with Bach doing his thing, but not dominating the song like in others before it. Then, all of the sudden, we drop the Yes bit, and drop back into Dream Theater mode, just like that. But, it's a nice switch, and it comes at an appropriate time. SCORE 6.5 <br><br> #9: Blade - Bagpipes? WTF?Kodo Drummers? Huh? What's going on here? Whoa, I think those are either real French horns, or really nice electronic simulations of same. Neat sounding, they are. The drum thing gets things going pretty nicely, and eventually Bach comes in with a sort of Braveheart thing going. No kidding. Kind of cool, actually. Then he gets into this thing doing the vocals with that shriek thing he does. Neat. Like something off of Subhuman Race, if you have that. Remember Face Against My Soul? Like that. Intense. Not that fast, though. This track sounds really orchestral, if you get my meaning. It's well done, and not over-stated, just some well-written music. It all goes together seamlessly. Sort of heavy on the bass though. It tends to make it sound muddy. I don't know if that was intentional or not. Might be. But, we eventually get into some typical "see how fast I can play" guitar work. Sometimes interesting, sometimes not. This time, not. Earlier, it was. SCORE = 7.0 <br><br> #10: How Long Can I Resist - I want to call this one "The Cliché Song." When you listen to the words, you'll know what I mean. The music is really cool, however. Bach sings the lyrics well, and I don't really know why HP was using so many catch-phrases to convey his meaning. Maybe it's because I write, and am sensitive to the clichés. It might not be noticeable to a "normal" person, only some weirdo who likes to put thoughts into writing. SCORE = 7.0 <br><br> #11: When I look Into My Eyes - Keyboard Intros! So Rush-like! Except that this one has a heady bass beat with it, so it has more meat to it than the old school ones. Very Dream Theater. Good vocal work, and the clichés are gone. I'm thinking that Henning was going for something in that earlier song, because it was the only one with that effect on me. This one has enough synthesizer stuff in it to make Trent Reznor smile. In fact, you could think of this as a Nine Inch Nails song, crossed with some Rush, and sped up to Dream Theater speed. SCORE 7.0 <br><br> #12: What Kind of Animal - Bach starts out with a sappy sort of nearly acappella thing, with light keyboards behind him, but eventually he gets more hair on his sack again. Figuratively. The song gets the bonus of an acustic guitar about midway through, and then some more angelic-chorusing gets dropped in for some reason. *shrug* It didn't do anything for me, but I'm shallow and basically unaffectable by music of that type. SCORE = 4.0 <br><br> So, in toto, I'd give this one at least an overall of 7.5, I think, and probably as high as an 8.0, depending on my mood. If I were in the mood for basic AC-DC, I wouldn't grab this. But, if I wanted something relatively complex, this would be right there. <br><br> In short. It's good. If you like Prog rock at all, I think you'll like it. If you are a Skid Row fan with Bach doing the singing, you'll find something to like, too. If you happen to like both, like me, you'll probably think it's a 7.5-8.5, too. <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="baby1">Review 1 on <b>Babyblaue Seiten</b></a><br> <br> Frameshift, sowas wie das 'Hausprojekt' des noch jungen Labels Progrock Records, ist wieder da. Und mit Frameshift natürlich auch der aktuelle Workaholic des Prog, Henning Pauly. In ungefähr zwei Jahren hat Pauly nun zwei Frameshift-Alben, ein neues Chain-Album und ein Soloalbum produziert. Dazu hat er noch das erste Chain-Werk recycelt und wiederveröffentlicht und schreibt eifrig an der Rockoper "Babysteps", die auch noch in 2005 erscheinen soll. Respekt vor diesem Output und nicht nur deswegen liest man desöfteren Vergleiche zwischen Henning Pauly und Arjen Lucassen...<br><br> Nachdem uns "Unweaving The Rainbow" Ideen eines Wissenschaftlers zur Evolution nähergebracht hat, steigen wir mit "An Absence Of Empathy" tief in die Abgründe menschlicher Gewalt. Progrock Records-Chef Shawn Gordon hat gemeinsam mit Henning Pauly eine Art Storyboard ausgearbeitet, an dem sich das Album entlang hangelt. Der Protagonist der Geschichte erkundet verschiedene Formen der menschlichen Gewalt, deren Darstellung in den Medien und deren Auswirkung. Das Ganze ist sehr düster und beklemmend.<br><br> Die Musik unterstützt das Konzept sehr passend. Entsprechend ist dies kein sehr fröhliches Album, auch wenn viele Songs über wahre Killer-Refrains verfügen, die doch wieder einiges von der Düsterness vergessen lassen. "...spread your mind wide open, let your conscience be free..." aus dem Opener hat mich gleich den ganzen Tag 'verfolgt'. War "Unweaving The Rainbow" noch ein wahrer Gemischtwarenladen der Stile, fußt "An Absence Of Empathy" eindeutig auf dem Fundament des Progmetal. Die Songs sind durchweg rockig bis richtig hart. Henning Pauly peitscht uns heftige Gitarrenriffs, nicht selten derb verzerrt, und ausladende Soli um die Ohren, so dass man ganz schön schlackert. Dazu kommen immer wieder diverse elektronische Klänge, die das Ganze irgendwie in Richtung Nu-Metal bewegen. Überhaupt treten die Tasten oftmals nur als Hintergrundeffekte auf. Henning Pauly hat diesmal alle Instrumente bis auf die Drums selbst übernommen und zeichnet darüberhinaus auch für Komposition, Arrangement und Produktion verantwortlich. Nur bei den Gesangs-Arrangements haben Matt Cash und Adam Evers unterstützt. Hennings Bruder Eddy Marvin sorgt für gewohnt solide Drumarbeit, die vor allem ohne ProgMetal-Klischees ala exzessiven Double-Bass-Gepolter auskommt.<br><br> Für diese harte Kost war der Sänger des ersten Frameshift-Albums, James LaBrie, sicherlich nicht die richtige Wahl. Folgerichtig gibt es hier einen neuen Lead-Sänger: Sebastian Bach, vielen vielleicht noch von seiner Heavy-Combo "Skid Row" bekannt. Immerhin ist James LaBrie dem Projekt Frameshift immer noch freundschaftlich verbunden und so hat er den Kontakt zu Bach hergestellt. Zu meiner "Schande" muss ich gestehen, so bewusst kenne ich nichts von "Skid Row" und deswegen kann ich auch keine Vergleiche vom Gesang her stellen. Überhaupt nenne ich kaum "richtige" Metal-Alben mein eigen, bin also in diesem Punkt überhaupt nicht vorbelastet (aber eben auch nicht "geschult") und höre wenn "Metal", dann "Prog-Metal"... trotzdem klingt Sebastian Bach für mich über weite Strecken wie der Prototyp des 80er-Jahre-Metal-Shouters. Dieses Feeling prägt für mich auf jeden Fall die ersten drei Titel des Albums, in denen sich Bach als echter Kreischer und Shouter vor dem Herrn geriert. Im weiteren Verlauf sorgt dann immer wieder verzerrter Gesang für einen etwas "moderneren" Eindruck.<br><br> Zunehmenderweise gibt es dann immer mehr andere Facetten seines Gesanges zu hören. Vielleicht kommen da die anderen Erfahrungen von Bach zum Tragen, der ja anscheinend neben seiner Solo-Karriere auch schon mal als Musical-Sänger aufgetreten ist. Auf jeden Fall gibt es einige tolle Gesangsarrangements auf die Ohren, wenn Bach z.B. mit sich selbst im Dialog singt, mit oder gegen den Chor antritt oder wenn Bachs Schreien durch die tiefen Linien von Jody Ashworth konterkariert wird. So gesehen erweist sich Sebastian Bach also als durchaus gelungene Wahl, auch wenn ich mich mit seiner Stimme anfangs etwas schwer getan habe.<br><br> In den (gelungenen) Chorpassagen geben sich die "Kumpels" von Henning Pauly wie Michael Sadler, Chain-Sänger Matt Cash oder auch Label-Chef Shawn Gordon die Ehre. Highlight ist der "Barbarian Choir" in "Blade".<br><br> Nach dem nicht gerade besonders originellen Anfang (Wer spielt denn da am Radio herum?) rauschen die ersten drei Titel des Albums zwar hochenergetisch, für meinen Geschmack aber doch etwas zu gleichförmig-metallisch aus den Boxen. Auch wenn "Miseducation" schon einen leichten sinfonischen Touch entwickelt. Das Ganze fängt sich jedoch spätestens ab "I Killed You". Hier kommt besonders das schon erwähnte "Gesangsduell" von Sebastian Bach und Jody Ashworth zum Tragen. Danach werden aber auch die musikalischen Arrangements zunehmend verspielter, auch mal deutlich sinfonischer (und erinnern dann schon mal an Chain). Es werden mehr "proggige" Akzente, wie Dynamikwechsel, Breaks etc., gesetzt und es schleicht sich ein wohltuender Piano-Lauf ein. Dazwischen unterlegt gar mal ein Hip-Hop-Rhythmus einen Rock-Kracher ("This Is Gonna Hurt"). Manchmal wirkt ein Song schon mal im positiven Sinne leicht musicalhaft, will sagen: ausdrucksstark und 'erzählend'. Und auch wenn es dann schon mal den einen oder anderen balladesken Song gibt (gerade "In An Empty Room" oder das abschliessende "What Kind Of Animal"), es bleibt grundsätzlich schon hart und heftig, wenn auch eben etwas differenzierter als zum Auftakt.<br><br> Letztlich serviert uns Henning Pauly ein Stück modernen, düsteren ProgMetal, welches mich, nach einigen Anlaufschwierigkeiten, durchaus erfreuen kann. Und der Lucassen-Vergleich scheint wirklich nicht soweit hergeholt zu sein, man könnte auch von Ayreon ohne den übertriebenen Bombast sprechen...<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="rockit">Review in <b>Rock it</b></a><br> <br> Multi-Instrumentalist und FRAMESHIFT-Kopf Henning Pauly legt nach dem vielbeachteten, letztjährigen Debüt ("Unweaving The Rainbow") nun mit "An Absence Of Empathy" einen nicht minder starken Nachfolger nach. Statt James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER) ist nun niemand Geringerer als Sebastian Bach (ex-SKID ROW) am Mikro aktiv. Neben Pauly und Bach ist nur noch Eddie Marvin (dr.) mit von der Partie. Der zweite Streich von FRAMESHIFT ist ein lockeres Konzept-Album, das sich um menschliche Gewalt dreht. Der Protagonist der Story möchte verstehen warum Gewalt in uns ist, und warum sie immer wieder hervorbricht. Anhand verschiedenster Träume, die ihn Gewalt aus verschiedenen Perspektiven erleben lassen, macht er beängstigende Erfahrungen. Musikalisch, und das ist hier natürlich das Wichtigste, streift man  in bester Progrock-Manier  zahllose Genres. Das Werk ist mal verspielt ("Push The Button"), mal Hardrock im SKID ROW-Stil pur ("Just One More"), mal ruhig ("In An Empty Room") oder mal hochdramatisch ("When I Look Into My Eyes"). Die Scheibe ist ausgesprochen abwechslungsreich, stark produziert und hat eine hochwertige Aufmachung. Zudem erscheint dem Musical-Erprobten Bach das Material wie auf den Leib geschneidert. Damit ist die Messlatte für dieses Jahr in Sachen progressiver Rock/Metal bereits verdammt hoch... Klasse! <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="tarsier">Review on <b>Tarsierjungle</b></a><br> <br> So I bought that FrameShift cd with Sebastian on vocals. I was pretty leery of it, as I am of all things labelled  prog rock , but I have to say, this puppy ROCKS! I can t stop listening to it!! <br><br> If you like metal  buy it!<br> If you like Sebastian  buy it!<br> If you like prog  buy it!<br><br> It s got something to please everybody. FrameShift is an invention of a very talented progmetal musician named Henning Pauley. He comes up with the  concept (it s prog it s gotta have a concept), writes all the songs and lyrics, plays all the instruments, AND produces. The only thing he doesn t do is sing. For that, he calls upon various big names to come in and vocalize for him. On Absence of Empathy, the 2nd Frameshift CD, ma boy Sebastian does the duties, and gawdDAMN does he do it well! This is the best stuff I ve heard Sebitchin do in a long time. His voice sounds absolutely incredible! Henning P. seems to really know how to get the most out of his singers! This cd is an example of when the material and the singer just CLICK. I just sit in awe at what a great job Baz does on this puppy. If those bastards in Velvet Revolver who coulda hired Sebastian but didn t hear this CD, they re gonna sit and cry like the little bitches they are! But I digress& <br><br> Anyway,  the concept of Absence of Empathy is violence. All the songs explore various types of violence, from serial killers, to school shooters, to sadists, to medieval warriors. Most are written from the point-of-view of the perps, with the result being some pretty cool lyrics. I especially liked  Outcast , the song about school shooters. I can t say there s a single song that I -don t- like, though some I like more than others. My favorite tracks are: Outcast, This is Gonna Hurt, and Blade. Yes, the cd is prog, but not prog enough to be annoying. I d say it compares favoribly with the best of Queensryche, except it rocks harder! Some of the tunes are straight-up metal, some have that whole prog operatic quality (think Queen), and some are almost industrial in sound. But it all adds up to RAWKING! <br><br> And now, lucky for you, it is available from Amazon.com for $13.99. I m usually all for pirating music, but I m not making free copies of this one because I want Sebitchin to get some dough, so don t ask me. <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="blooddawn">Review on <b>Blooddawn.de</b></a><br> <br> Workaholic Henning Pauly (unter anderem CHAIN) hat sich wieder einmal einen prominenten Musiker ins Studio geholt, den man nach dem FRAMESHIFT-Erstling "Unweaving The Rainbow" wohl nicht gerade erwartet hätte. Sang auf dem Vorgänger noch James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER), so fischte sich Pauly, der sämtliche Instrumente bis auf das Schlagzeug selbst eingespielt hat, die ehemalige SKID ROW-Frontsau Sebastian Bach. Ja, richtig gelesen, jener Übersänger, welcher solch geile Hard Rock-Alben wie "Skid Row" und "Slave To The Grind" mit seiner Stimme veredelt hat, singt auf 'ner Prog-Scheibe! <br><br> Das vielschichtige Material bewegt sich sowohl durch knackeharte Metalgefilde als auch melodiöse Hard Rock-Regionen, die nicht selten - und sicherlich auch nicht gerade unabsichtlich - sehr auf Bach zugeschnitten sind. Es wird einfach mal straight nach vorne gerockt, dann das Metal-Pfund ausgepackt, und selbstverständlich wird wohldosiert nach allen Regeln der Kunst gefrickelt. Doch ganz gleich, wie komplex die Stücke teilweise ausgefallen sind, wird nie das Motiv "Song" aus den Augen gelassen. Ruhige Stücke - teilweise sogar richtige Balladen - halten sich mit ordentlichen Keulen die Waage, und während man bei manchen Stücken schon nach dem Taschenrechner sucht, reckt man bei anderen Songs nur noch die Pommesgabel gen Himmel und schüttelt, falls vorhanden, die Matte. Vor Experimenten schreckt Pauly zu keiner Zeit zurück, so findet man auch elektronische oder symphonische Versatzstücke auf "An Absence Of Empathy" wieder. Würde ich nun auf die vielen, teilweise versteckten Details dieses 74minütigen Epos' eingehen, wäre der textliche Rahmen dieses Reviews mit Leichtigkeit völlig gesprengt. <br><br> Wie sich Bach auf dem Silberling schlägt? Bestens, denn er knüpft fast wieder an seine frühen Tage an. Lediglich in den hochfrequenten Regionen agiert der Ausnahmesänger ein wenig zurückhaltender. Im Direktvergleich zu seinem FRAMESHIFT-Vorgänger LaBrie steckt 'Bas' seinen Vocal-Konkurrenten locker in die Tasche, auch wenn DREAM THEATER-FANS für diese Behauptung einen Kopfgeldjäger auf mich ansetzen werden. Egal, denn Bach zieht hier alle Register seines Könnens: zerbrechlich und gefühlvoll, dann wieder anarchisch und mit viel Dreck in der Kehle, manchmal fast schon hysterisch schreiend oder einfach nur old school rockend. <br><br> Wer eine Mischung aus SKID ROW, CHAIN, CHRIS CORNELL, SOUNDGARDEN, 70s Prog, DREAM THEATER, viel progressiv-symphonische QUEEN, metallischen PORCUPINE TREE, rockigen KING CRIMSON sowie viel Hard Rock und modernem Metal vorstellen kann und zudem noch viel Wert auf Eigenständigkeit legt, sollte zumindest einen Probedurchlauf beim Tonträgerapotheker seines Vertrauens in Erwägung ziehen. Ganz großes Tennis! Prog mit Eiern!<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="rockreviews">Review on <b>Rockreviews.info</b></a><br> <br> The concept behind second Frameshift album "An Absence of Empathy" is based around violence... the violence of human nature is manifested in different ways, and on this album those different forms of violence are handled in pairs of songs. The reason why each form of violence is explored within two songs is because there are always two different aspects to violence - for example, there's the victim's standpoint as well as the felon's point of view. The concept is successful, but I won't shed too much light on it in order not to spoil your first listen.<br><br> Musically the album is pretty much what one can expect from Henning Pauly - varying song structures, atmospheric overall soundscape, industrial effects blended with progressive metal that coaxes with modern metal and on top of all there are diverse vocals. Pauly himself describes the music as "a heavy approach to film scoring". To give an example of the music on this album, few of the guitar licks remind me of Dream Theater, but occasionally traces of nu-metal become obvious. In addition, keyboards play a big role building the atmosphere of the songs, and the vocals are a main focus on "An Absence of Empathy".<br><br> In case you've listened to the previous Frameshift album "Unweawing the Rainbow" with James LaBrie on vocals, you probably know how much LaBrie experimented with his voice on that album. Well, instead of LaBrie, "An Absence of Empathy" features the renowned heavy metal and Broadway singer Sebastian Bach (Skidrow) on vocals. You might have some doubts about how the album will sound with Bach instead of LaBrie (I, for one, had some doubts). Nonetheless, after hearing the album (and listening to it on a regular basis for quite a while) I can assure you Bach is definitely the perfect choice for this album. His voice complements the songs well, and he has even discovered new sides of his voice while recording this album. The vocal performances are just great, and they even raise the quality of material to the next level. This is definitely a must-have album for the fans of Sebastian Bach.<br><br> Henning Pauly himself handled the production of this album, but for mixing he got a helping hand from Carey Nordstrand. The sounds are clean, yet atmospheric and assertive. The only complaints I have concern the background distortion that occurs few times (fortunately very seldom). Overall, "An Absence of Empathy" is very well produced album.<br><br> As with the previous Frameshift album, the material on "An Absence of Empathy" is very diverse. Therefore the long-time appeal of this album is really good. Also the overall quality of material is very good, but few songs are more fortuitous than others (for example, "Blade" is one of my favourites). The amount of great tracks on this album along with the diversity alone, makes this album a recommended buy. If I was to name all the songs that have memorable sections, I'd have to name each song. In case you're not put off by experimental sections, be sure to check out "An Absence of Empathy" - you won't regret it.<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <p class="norm"> <a name="sot1">Review 1 on <b>Sea of Tranquility</b></a><br> <br> Multi-instrumentalist Henning Pauly's second Frameshift album An Absence of Empathy is a very strong successor to his debut disc which featured James Labrie on vocals. This time around, the vocal duties are handled by another amazing Canadian vocalist: the mighty Sebastian Bach! Needless to say, hearing Bach on a progressive metal album isn't a very common thing, so I was very excited to hear when Pauly and Bach had joined forces to create the second Frameshift album. Henning Pauly, besides playing all instruments except the drums, has done pretty much all the songwriting with the exception of two tracks to which Bach made some lyrical changes. Pauly has also mixed, engineered and produced the album himself with some assistance from his friends Matt Cash and Adam Evers. <br><br> The subject matter explored on An Absence of Empathy is extremely intriguing! As its cover art suggests, the album is dark and very heavy lyrically. Basically it's a deep study on different forms of violence, be it the story of a serial killer in "Just One More"; a mother crying for her raped daughter in "In An Empty Room"; a soldier shooting people without knowing if they're soldiers or innocents on "Push the Button"; or simply a school shooting by rebelling students on "Outcast". I am thoroughly impressed by the depth of the lyrics on this album - the metaphors, wordplays and twisted imagery created are stunning. Each song depicts a different situation - not just sick-minded people taking the lives of innocents, but also normal people committing murder as on "I Killed You", which is about a man killing his wife for her act of betrayal in a moment of rage. However, the most moving songs lyrically are the 'torture' songs, "This is Gonna Hurt" and "How Long Can I Resist". Whilst the former tells a sick torturing story in a dark room from the torturer's point of view, the latter is told from the protagonist's eyes. Sebastian Bach portrays a wide spectrum of moods singing each song and takes you into the psyche of all these different people. <br><br> Musically the album is equally challenging. Although I've never heard Henning Pauly's solo album, out of all the Chain and Frameshift stuff, An Absence of Empathy is his most progressive creation to date. Also, it is slightly heavier than Unweaving the Rainbow. Though 74 minutes, the album is an incredibly quick listen. All songs flow into each other seamlessly, giving you no other option but hit play again after the last track. Pauly's songwriting skills are top notch. He gives each song character, style and passion. "Just One More", reminding me of Porcupine Tree's In Absentia due to its lyrical content, kicks in with a slightly electronic vibe that quickly transforms into a guitar-driven song with a fantastic chorus sung by Bach. "Miseducation" merges classic Hard'N Heavy grooves of bands like Skid Row with symphonic prog rock and has a modern "Youth Gone Wild"-like overall vibe. <br><br> The album's centrepieces are the two 9-minute monster tracks "I Killed You" with its ever-present changes of tempo and melody, going from ballad-like passages to experimental stuff to unbelievably complex harmonies that put Bach's brutal screams under the spotlight. Analog keys and fantastic synth solos permeat the song that are eventually complemented by a terrific guitar run that gives me goosebumps every time. "Blade", the other long number, is the hidden gem of the album. I thought it an average track after the first couple of listens, but now, I consider it one of the best on the album. It's a huge, epic track with masterfully crafted symphonic touches that evoke the movie Braveheart for some reason, and contains a killer Barbarian choir consisting of Bach himself, Henning Pauly, Matt Cash, Adam Evers and Jody Asworth from Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Not only does the choir lay down fantastic harmonies, but the chorus of this track is quite possibly the most beautiful and haunting vocal melody Bach has ever sung. Hearing that "In the end they may take all I love away, but not today!" line will send shivers down many a listener's spine. What a fantastic melody, what a fantastic song, what a fantastic vocal performance! <br><br> "In An Empty Room" and the closing track "What Kind of Animal" are the slower tracks on the disc, but they're far from cliche ballads. Actually I've never heard Bach sing the way he sings on "What Kind of Animal"; his vocals are so fragile on this track and he sings the lyrics with tons of emotion and conviction that will easily translate to the audience. From packaging to lyrics to overall concept, this is one of the best releases of the year so far. I can't recommend it enough. Now my only wish is that Henning Pauly teams up with Devin Townsend, another godly vocalist, for a future Frameshift release. Wouldn't that rule the world? <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <!------------------------------> <!------------------------------> <p class="norm"> <a name="sot2">Review 2 on <b>Sea of Tranquility</b></a><br> <br> Those of us who last heard Sebastian Bach on Forever Wild, 2004 s horrific train wreck of a DVD, will be surprised at just how powerful the former Skid Row vocalist can belt out the lyrics to the challenging material on this devastatingly powerful concept album by multi-instrumentalist Henning Pauly s project Frameshift. Bach actually sounds as vital and conquering as Russell Allen, Jorn Lande and James LaBrie, who sang on the previous Frameshift record, Unweaving the Rainbow (a series of songs based on the writings of neo-Darwinist Richard Dawkins). In the liner notes for An Absence of Empathy, Bach even thanks Pauly, who  showed me parts of my voice I never knew existed. <br><br> Based on a concept by ProgRock Records honcho Shawn Gordon, An Absence of Empathy acknowledges that violence is inherent in all human beings and explores the factors that determine why and how individuals let violence manifest itself within them. It s dark and compelling stuff. But while such lyrics as  Me and you alone now/Are you frightened are you scared/Let my little toy show you how/To scream so loud no one can hear take a bite out of your imagination, the music is unexpectedly exuberant. Granted, this is an aggressive album that s not for the weak of heart or mind, but the arena rock thrill of  Just One More, which takes listeners into the mind of a serial killer, and the progressive-metal grandiosity of its counterpart, the nine-minute  I Killed You, which tells the tale of a stable person pushed over the edge, come off as, um, fun songs masked by disturbing undercurrents.  This Is Gonna Hurt, in which the song s main character tortures a victim, hypnotizes with a bludgeoning rhythm section, and  When I Look Into My Eyes allows the torturer to examine his conscience to engrossing industrial-metal beats. Other themes include war (the sleaze-metal anthem  Push the Button and the tribal  Blade ), school violence (the alt-metal racket of  Miseducation and the mid-tempo rock of  Outcast ), rape ( In An Empty Room, a heart-rending saga of shame and one of the album s two ballads, and the manic  How Long Can I Resist, about a man trying to resist the urge to violate a woman). An Absence of Empathy closes with an element of hope with  What Kind of An Animal, in which the song s protagonist realizes that the children of today are either the peacemakers or the killers of tomorrow:  The answer s somewhere on this globe/It s not in politics/Religion cannot fix/Should we turn towards our young. <br><br> If this album fails to awaken emotions both primal and personal within you, your soul might as well be as black as those of the characters who lurk deep within these brutal and frighteningly real songs.<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <!------------------------------> <!------------------------------> <p class="norm"> <a name="sot3">Review 3 on <b>Sea of Tranquility</b></a><br> <br> It's hard to tell who's more impressive on this record: Henning Pauly, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, or Sebastian Bach - the ballsy metal vocalist who you might now think has been under-utilized and under-appreciated for most of his career.<br><br> After James Labrie's singing on the first Frameshift CD, Pauly wanted someone with a rough, almost 'dirty' delivery, the exact antithesis to Labrie's schooled, clean style. The two names that immediately cropped up were Devin Townsend and Bach. Townsend was busy, and Henning found Bach to be an agreeable, professional performer with an excellent work ethic. So with Bach singing and Eddie Marvin drumming and Pauly doing literally everything else including engineering and mixing you'd expect this to sound like one of those typical one-man-band efforts. But it doesn't. This music is easily in the same league as progressive metal's premier bands - in fact parts of "When I Look Into My Eyes" could have come from a Dream Theater CD. And make no mistake - this aint prog - this is progressive Metal - with a capital 'M'.<br><br> Like Frameshift's first CD Unweaving the Rainbow, the new An Absence Of Empathy is a thought-provoking, strongly themed piece. It examines violence from the mind of both the perpetrator and the victim. Two songs describe each form of violence - one from each point of view. Pauly doesn't espouse violence - think of it as an analytical examination and exposure of one of humankind's inherent weaknesses. We won't spend too much time going into the details behind the theme. Suffice it to say that this record is the well-executed product of a good deal of deep meditation on an unsavory topic usually avoided in music.<br><br> "Miseducation" sounds like classic 1980s hair metal - made all the more credible by Bach's made-to-fit singing style. "In An Empty Room" and "What Kind Of Animal" are emotional, self-searching power ballads. the 12 tracks on An Absence Of Empathy are 74 minutes of well varied, constantly changing songs with rich compositional elements that ensure no two songs are the same.<br><br> Highly recommended.<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <!------------------------------> <!------------------------------> <p class="norm"> <a name="pworld">Review on <b>Progressiveworld.net</b></a><br> <br> Now multi-instrumentalist and Frameshift mastermind Henning Pauly publishes a no less a strong successor to the highly and critically acclaimed debut of last year (Unweaving The Rainbow) with An Absence Of Empathy. Instead of James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row) is on the microphone. Beside Pauly and Bach there is only Eddie Marvin on the drums.<br><br> The second chapter of Frameshift is another album based on a specific topic, which turns around human violence. The protagonist of the story would like to understand why violence is present in us, and why she outbreaks again and again. On this basis, he becomes involved in many diverse dreams that let him experience violence from different perspectives, and all that makes one go through frightening experiences.<br><br> As for the music, the work is sometimes hard rock in the Skid Row vein ("Just One More"), sometimes more calm (like the wonderful ballad "In An Empty Room") or sometimes highly dramatic ("When I Look Into My Eyes"). The disk is quite varied, strongly produced and has high-quality cohesion. It can be defined as a mix of hard rock and progressive with a lot of programming and sound experiments.<br><br> Even if the album is very different from anything Pauly has done previously, it's very easy discovering his touch and style in the guitar playing, strings and keys arrangements.<br><br> An Absence Of Empathy demonstrates all of Pauly's qualities one more time, and I can claim that it is another top class release.<br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <!------------------------------> <!------------------------------> <p class="norm"> <a name="sonny">Review on <b>Sonny's Metal Heaven</b></a><br> <br> Vor knapp 1 ½ Jahren ist es dem Multi-Instrumentalisten Henning Pauly (Gitarren, Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizer) mit seinem phantastischen FRAMESHIFT-Debüt gelungen, meine auf Hard Rock und Heavy Metal geeichte CD-Mühle auf fesselnden Progressive Rock/ Metal einzutrimmen. Während uns das Debüt "Unweaving The Rainbow" anhand von reichlich ideenvollen Geschichten das Thema Evolution etwas näher gebracht hat, führt uns "An Absence Of Empathy" unmissverständlich die tiefsten Abgründe menschlicher Gewalt vor Augen. Ließ sich der Vorgänger aufgrund der stilistischen Vielfalt nicht so leicht eingrenzen, so fällt der Zweitling  nicht zuletzt wegen der Thematik  einen ordentlichen Zacken heftiger bzw. aggressiver aus und lässt sich daher fast ohne Ausnahme ("Just One More") als astreiner und moderner Prog Metal kategorisieren, der stellenweise seiner Zeit ein gutes Stück weit voraus ist. Ich kann mir durchaus auch vorstellen, dass dieses düstere Konzept wahrscheinlich auch der Grund dafür gewesen sein wird, warum diesmal nicht Filigransänger James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER) mit von der Partie war, sondern mit ex-SKID ROW-Fronter Sebastian Bach ein waschechter Rock  N Roller, der dem Material seinen unverkennbaren Stempel aufdrückt. Trotz der stellenweise brutalen Ausrichtung, hat es Henning Pauly  unter der Mithilfe von Sebastian Bach, Matt Cash und Adam Evers  geschafft, dem Gesamtwerk mit einprägsamen Refrains eine unbeschreibliche Eingängigkeit zu verleihen. So hört sich die dargebotene Musik stellenweise so an, als hätten STAR ONE/ AYREON-Kopf Arjen Lucassen und Shock Rock-Master ALICE COOPER (zu seiner "Brutal Planet"/ "Dragontown"-Phase) gemeinsam ein verspielt-knallhartes Werk verfasst. Meine persönlichen Favoriten sind die Mitsing-Hymne "Miseducation", die sich  untermalt von dezent-filigranen Keyboardteppichen  mit genialen Chören, harten Riffs und wuchtigen Drums in die Birne einhämmert, sowie das fett röhrende "I Killed You", das sowohl mit traditionellen als auch mit modernen Klängen zu brillieren weiß, und das schottisch angelegte Epos "Blade", das einen wunderschönen Kontrast zwischen fesselnden Orchester-Parts und knallharten Grooves bietet (SAVATAGE lassen grüßen). Wie schon auch auf dem Debüt übernimmt Henning Pauly (abgesehen vom Schlagzeug) nicht nur die instrumentale Hauptverantwortung, sondern ist auch für die rundum stimmigen Arrangements sowie die druckvolle und klare Produktion zuständig. Langsam wird mir Henning Pauly wirklich unheimlich, denn alles was der Prog-Workaholic so auf CD bannt, verdient den Gütesigel Meisterwerk! Also, ich bin gespannt auf die nächsten  Schandtaten des Meisters... Vielleicht kommt es ja bald zur Vollendung seiner Rock-Oper "Babysteps"... <br><br> </p> <div align="center"><img src="line1.gif" width="610" height="1" border="0"></div> <!------------------------------> <!------------------------------> <p class="norm"> <a name="lotfp">Review on <b>L.O.T.F.P.</b></a><br> <br> Had it not been for the recruitment of James LaBrie as singer on the debut, far less of you would be familiar with the name FRAMESHIFT by now, right? For the second effort of his project, Henning Pauly could attract another well-known voice, and strangely enough, it is is as disputed a figure as DREAM THEATER s vocalist, namely ex-SKID ROWer Sebastian Bach. Of course, there is no doubt about the capabilities of both, and these collaborations speak for Pauly s qualities, too. What s more is that FRAMESHIFT is certain to get more attention with such prominent contributors - and it deserves it, as you will see..<br><br> What carries the album is a concept written by the label s owner Shawn Gordon and Pauly himself, and they are obviously eager to spread its message, as I have received the whole package with lyrics and explanations  not the usual case as you know, so praise to them - I m going to heed the possibility and have a few words about the story; which the disturbing artwork transports very well. <br><br> The first and last song provide the frame of a tale about a man who is intrigued with humanity s proneness to violence. He starts having dreams about its various manifestations as he delves deeper into the subject through his studies. Horrified in the end, his own small child inspires him to hope that changing the young might lead to a better future.<br><br> The butal visions are the bulk of An Absence Of Empathy; each song has a thematic counterpart where the dreamer takes on a variety of personalities. Rape, torture, murder, war and school shootings are viewed from different angles, mostly that of the actors and the ones acted upon.<br><br> If you think by now that this is pretentious and can only translate into much too brainy music, you are wrong. Firstly, there is no blame-laying and finger-pointing to ram opinions down your throat; the lyrics are of the straightforward kind (even the f-word pops up  gosh!) and devoid of metaphorical airs and graces that normally conceal or embellish things. Secondly, the album will function as a whole even if you want to blank out the storyline; the absence of leitmotifs grants that each song stands on its own. <br><br>  Human Grain starts off with quirky melodic runs that cheat you into thinking  tech metal , but these shall remain the only nods to excessive instrumental gymnastics throughout the record. FRAMESHIFT s sophistication rather stems from clever arrangements, lush instrumentation and top-notch production. Well taught in his skills, Henning Pauly impersonates this trinity almost all alone without making it come across as academic. The opener foreshadows the overall direction: modern, guitar-driven rock that takes a glimpse aside here and there: its subtleties like rhythmical acrobatics (again, not of the triple-somersault-kind) and unexpected dynamic or structural turns keep it interesting. The song is the star, so clear the ring for Bach s vocals. <br><br> With the importance of the lyrics, he surely takes on a central role, but it is not that his name and charisma hover above otherwise inferior compositions: he is not the prime reason why you should have a listen to An Absence Of Empathy (the promotional campaign doesn t harp on about his appearance or that of SAGA s Michael Sadler as background singer either  no  featuring&  -sticker on the CD), it is tracks like Just One More with some of the best melodies and a superb chorus. Bach is not the only possible singer for these titles, but for sure a very good choice.<br><br>  Miseducation introduces Pauly s modern approach to metal guitar not only sound-wise - his style reminds of FATES WARNING s Jim Matheos, who is similarly deft in playing heavy riffs, but knows exactly when to throw in tasteful leads and solos. Further merits lie in the call-and-response delivery of the text. Bach as the bitching school teacher and the shouting choir evoke images of a rock opera or musical performance, as well as the interspersed orchestral flourishes. At this point, it is clear that with the relative accessibility and general rock tendency, this is by no means a distressing record, but made to be enjoyed. <br><br> This creates a few problems, though, as  I Killed You proves. By itself nicely relaxed, it seems not to suit a murderer s monologue who regrets his affective deed. Crooning these lines appears strange to me, so the way the title is repeated in the chorus makes me cringe every time  and damn, the song is long enough to make it stick to your mind& The added aggression and layering of voices in the middle has something schizophrenic that matches the mental confusion expressed, but then again, the sweet guitar lead and analogous synth make this a slight bummer for me. If there s some irony intended, I don t get it, sorry& <br><br>  This Is Gonna Hurt makes it easier for Bach to slip into his role. Despite the loops and mechanical rhythm, an undeniable groove depicts the demented torturer circling his helpless victim quite well. The narrative character of a rock musical setting is manifest once more.<br><br> From personal to more global topics leads  Push the button  it addresses modern war, yet doesn t sound like detonating shells at all. These 80s arena rockisms (cool  gang -shouts again) aren t exactly the most appropriate to illustrate the automated process of killing, but it s a good tune anyway, also with the subtle modulation towards the end. The interplay between keyboard and guitars makes ANDROMEDA s Extension of the Wish come to my mind.<br><br> The liner notes are a definite advantage when listening to  In An Empty Room . I was first turned off, assuming that a baby-it s-alright piano ballad is a big no-no to do when portraying a rapist. If that were the case, the additional female vocals would be the victim s quasi-assent to her abuse; in truth though, the song is about a mother s feelings as she watches her humiliated daughter. Other than that, it is a pretty inconspicuous piece.<br><br>  Outcast applies the tried and tested riff-and-synth formula, whereas Bach effectively personifies a student going berserk with his one-note lines; perhaps it s not so intense as to think of another Columbine set to music, and the drummer counting in takes away some of the assumed seriousness; later on, the increase of heaviness and roaring voice get the song around to transporting its content more fittingly. Speaking in general terms, the reason for some of my confusion might be the traditional synthesizers, because their sound is linked for me with  the good ol times and no