BLIND EGO is the solo project of Kalle Wallner from the band RPWL. I don't know either, but there is the background information if you want it. I only say this because I went into this release blind so to speak. Upon seeing some dude's face on an album cover I thought "Where is the nightmarish landscape and skinless undead?" this was clearly not the typical Earth-shattering evil Metal I was used to, but would it be a pleasant surprise? Or an unworthy showing fit only to be used as kindling. This was a mystery worth unraveling (Or like, assigned to me, whatever). I eagerly awaited the first note from this album to hit so that I could cast my judgment.

BLIND EGO plays Progressive Rock. It's a thick, richly produced sound. Each of the songs is an intricate and lengthy epic (few songs are under the six minute mark) with introspective lyrics. The guitar work is masterful with several songs featuring great leads, riffs, and all the other fancy string-based stuff the kids love these days. The bass is a warm rumble throughout and the drumming is tight and sets the pace beautifully for songs that take their time to peak. While this is Progressive Rock, there are still a lot of conventions in this release such as standard choruses even if the song structure isn't exactly textbook style.

The vocals on this release are perfectly intelligible rock and roll singing. Nothing heavy or angry, this may be a deterrent for those seeking some aggression in their music. In fact the overall feel of the album is more on the upbeat side. Lyrically you can make out everything the singer is saying and a lot of it is about confronting struggles or dealing with stuff. No murderous monsters, post-nuclear wastelands or senseless acts of violence here. This could all be easily sung along to.

Progressive music wouldn't be what it is without the expert level instrumentation. There are several great examples of this throughout the album. "Never Escape the Storm" begins with simple acoustic guitar work and builds to a grandiose voyage with a great solo. "Tears and Laughter" features a solid lead as well. The track "Hear My Voice Out There" features a riff that could easily have been in a Thrash song. "Quiet Anger" is an incredibly enjoyable instrumental song with some plucky bass work and mournful bluesy leads that made me wish there were more just plain instrumental parts to the album. I enjoyed the sans-vocals sections a lot actually. Regardless of the noteworthy stuff however, this is still Rock. Fiends looking for their Metal fix will need to search elsewhere.

I think fans of RUSH will dig this. Maybe some ICED EARTH fans will find something to enjoy here. If you're looking for rage, intensity, speed, heaviness or anything of that nature you are out of luck. This is Rock, it's not exactly run-of-the-mill but it isn't going to tear down any perceptions of music you may have had. So what is my final decree? It's a pass. It's not a mayhem-laden Metal masterpiece of brutality and devastation, but it is an enjoyable Rock release that merits at least a listen if you dig Progressive Rock at all.