It's somewhat refreshing to know that Tobias Sammett and Timo Tolkki aren't the only great minds to come out with Rock/Metal operas. FOREIGN is an extremely ambitious Rock opera by French multi-instrumentalist and composer Ivan Jacquin, heavily steeped in Oriental and Middle-Eastern atmospheres, rife with Progressive tendencies. The subject matter is in the name: "The Symphony of the Wandering Jew" tells the story of a Jew cursed by Jesus Christ himself, for refusing him water during his very own walk to crucifixion.

This album is long; longer than DREAM THEATER-long. Interestingly, it is not a fretboard-abuse-fest as you might find with the majority of Prog bands (though, who doesn't love a little technical show-offery?). Rather, the instruments, keyboards, vocals and atmospherics tell a story; 13 tracks long, it is by no means over an hour of heavy riffing and shreddery. After the quasi-Industrial "Ahasverus", the name of the Jew in question, "Cursed" poignantly commences the album, putting the story of his affliction to the score. I's a beautifully lilting track; while it sounds large and epic, the acoustic passages and extraordinary vocals provide small plateaus, the soft grass gently rolled by warm winds. A little further into the story we have the juxtaposed "Eternal Enemies"; easily one of the more 'Metal' tracks on the album, save for the smooth, Gothic passages, the heavy riffing and in-your-face vocals are at the forefront of this piece.

"The Quest" a brilliant middle-of-the-road track in the album, if anything a realisation of Ahasverus' destiny. At least, that is what the story's progression has led me to believe. It's a fantastic track; like the majority of the previous pieces, it doesn't adhere to a specific song-structure; Ivan has managed to capture the essence of what makes a concept album, a concept album. It's easy to throw together 10 tracks in 4/4 and call it a concept album, but when each track has its own little evolutionary trajectory, yet are connected like chapters in a book, you're onto something truly special. Hell, the majority of "The Quest" is a massive keyboard solo, anyway; a real DEEP PURPLE-like kicker.

If you want the full album experience, at least take away from my humble testimony that this is an album that doesn't deserve to stay underground; considering its independent release it is truly world-class material, and definitely one of my more memorable Metal experiences. Ivan Jacquin has a rare kind of mind, that only music of this caliber could come from; with over 30 exceptional musicians taking part in this venture, you have to wonder why they aren't a household name.