OSYRON is a Progressive Metal band formed in Canada in 2012. From Bandcamp, "A momentous time, a momentous occasion, a momentous existence; "Momentous" deals with personal struggles, emotions, what we all went through as a society and as mankind during the COVID-19 outbreak, and how we found ways to overcome our own dealings and obstacles throughout that process." The album contains ten songs.

"Anunnaki" is the first. The opening tones are heavy, bossy and brutal. The vocals shift from clean, harmonic ones to harsh offerings and back again. The lead guitar work is fantastic and the entire song sounds regal, especially in the leys, like an offering to a King. "Dominion Day" features another heavy, punishing sound in the bottom end, with dreamy clean vocals in the verses. There is a nice balance between that weighted, aggressive sound and melody. "The Deafening" opens with solemn strings, almost like a Game of Thrones episode. The clean vocals are charming and emotive, and the heavy bottom end is just ruthless. The passage following the guitar solo is exceptionally sharp.

"Landslide" is a shorter song with a hastier pace. Harsh vocals ring out in a rhythmic cadence. They rely a bit too much on the open E chord in this song however, although the clean vocal harmonies are a nice change of pace. "Sorrow and Extinction" is a tender offering with emotive vocals and chugging bass notes. The song has all the qualities you would expect given the title, but so far this album isn't resonating well enough for me. "Beyond the Sun" is a slower grind of both clean and harsh vocals, where the singer really reaches down and belts out some serious angst. The lead guitarist lays down a solo where smoke races behind it for what seems like days. "Awake" is perhaps the moment when the gravity of the pandemic hit most people. It's a tender and sensitive song that begs the question, what the hell did I wake up to? The vocals are particularly strong here.

"Momentous" is a 12-minute opus. The opening tones are tenuous, as it hunkers down for a long ride. When the main sound arrives, it arrives like a trumpeter on horseback. The smooth and somewhat mellow sound rides until after the half-way mark, when anger rears its head. The overall sound is indeed momentous. "Prairie Sailor" is a shorter song that sounds like an American Indian folk song of sorts...it could be a celebration but is more of a lament. This song resonated with me. "Beacons" closes the album; a stark song with heavy accents and also one that gives you resolve to get through the dark hours of the pandemic.

Although the band displays great musicianship on the album, most of the songs just didn't grab me like I expected. I can't explain it well, but it just sounds sterile to me. Let's start with the positives...the vocalist has some serious pipes, some of the best I have heard, and the musicians are quite accomplished. The harsher elements are heavy enough for most Metalheads to appreciate, the harmonies are well done, and the concept is told well. This should be all you need, right? It should be, but it isn't. This was a good album, but could have been better if there were just some more memorable moments.