TIBERIUS is a Progressive Metal band based out of Scotland, poised to release their debut album here titled "A Peaceful Annihilation," which contains ten tracks. When asked about the album, the band responded, "this album has been inspired by real-world events to create songs which deal with broad themes and social issues. While we've taken inspiration from our musical peers and heroes, we feel we have now established our own true identity. It's been an exciting journey that we can't wait to share with everyone!"
"The New Subjugation" leads off the album. Bass guitar leads the charge here, followed by drum and key thuds. When the guitars come in with the harmonic vocals, you really get a sense of the band's stylings. It's billed as Prog, but there are some Pop sensibilities as well. "Mechanical Messiah" opens with melody in the forefront of the song. The guitars whirl in an unexpected pattern and you can really feel the band's mastery of the meter. The Progressive elements are there, but the cadence in the vocals suggest more Alt-Metal to me. Still, Barclay has some impressive chops.

"Skylark" is over six-minutes in length. Opening with some ambient but charming passages, and just his beautiful vocals, the band really has a grasp on how and when to use melody. When the guitars come in, it's a Progressive feast. They remind me a bit if COHEED AND CAMBRIA, but heavier. Overall, a grandiose and very alluring song. "Fidelity Lost" opens with melody shining out of the gates. The Progressive elements are strong here...as strong as the melodies. Landing mostly on major chords provides that pleasing sound. The guitars dance in and around the vocals in this hypnotizing rhythm.

"Anchor" opens with a positive sound and the melodies are just overflowing. Barclay really stretches out in this song, while the bass, guitars and drums play in a tight pattern together, negotiating several time changes along the way. The harmonized vocals are ever-present, and really add some thickness to the song. "Leviathan" is close to six-minutes in length. It opens with a heavier edge, and some hard struck guitar notes. It just hit me that the vocals are almost always harmonized, which adds to this more aggressive sound, but it's the cadence that throws me off at times. Man do they turn it up in the chorus.

"Dissipate" opens with swirling guitars rising high into the horizons, while the rhythm guitars move forward with bass and drums swiftly. The amount of meter changes in this song is hard to keep up with...imagine the band writing them! "Republican" is an odd name for a song. It opens with this little riff that could, airy vocals and some tense moments. This song is darker than some of the earlier tracks. It also takes a while to fully develop. But when it does, it comes together in the chorus with a rich sound.

"Swansong" hits you with big melodies out of the gate. I love the guitar riff here...it's warm and beguiling at the same time. Barclay turns up the temperature in the room with his big vocals. This song is purely pleasing. "Kaituma" closes the album at over seven minutes in length. It opens with the steady chugging of bass guitar and a note of despondence. The instruments are so tightly woven that you could not get a penny in between them. It ends on a grandiose note, as any good Prog album should.

Wow, what a ride that was. These guys have some serious chops, and a wonderful singer in Grant Barclay. They have all the elements you want in a Progressive Metal band, and are sure to take the genre by storm with this release. Their musicianship is impeccable, as is their sense of timing and crescendos. The melodies flow like a stiff breeze on a warm spring day, and envelope you completely. This is surely a contender for album of the year for me, which begs the question, when is someone going to sign them? Well done, mates!