Hailing from Rennes, Brittany, France, the foursome is back with their third full-length album called ''Medium''. Not to be confused with a boatload of bands with the same name all over this world of ours! This Progressive Metal band has been at it since 2009 and this time this is a very compact concept album. This is an introspective album that is very philosophical and spiritual. This album only contains 3 songs but its . Each song is almost as long as the other, I thought this was a really nice touch.

It's hard to fathom that nowadays you have a plethora of new or fairly new Progressive Metal bands. The genre is a bit on the stale side to be perfectly honest. You have the Progressive Metal titans like OSI, FATES WARNING and DREAM THEATER but I felt that no band has come close to reach that peak. You have some bands out there that are grasping at straws in the genre but MANTRA is not one of them. They really stood out and they got me hooked by the concept album idea. It's something I have a thoroughly enjoyed since ''The Wall'' by PINK FLOYD and one of my very favorite albums of all time is ''Scenes from a Memory'' by the aforementioned DREAM THEATER. So you really grab my attention when you dish out a concept album of epic proportions!

This album is all about the balance of Body, Mind and Spirit, without balance in the two other elements, we cannot achieve the higher sense of spirituality. The Body needs the Mind, the Spirit is like the catalyst between both of these essential elements of the human being. The lyrics really stood out for me and I felt personally connected to what the message they wanted to convey to the audience listening. They don't compromise and the songs are not drawn out even though they are very long. They don't seem long at all and it's like smooth sailing! They ask so many existential questions about life, death, what happens to the spirit after we die. It's an album of the questioning mind and the trials of tribulations of the fear of the unknown. Mankind has been asking itself these questions since the dawn of time, we don't have any answers but we really keep on digging to find spiritual healing and spiritual happiness.

This album is lyrically and musically enthralling. They stand out in a sea of impersonators and make this style their own. I can hear the influences of fellow Frenchmen GOJIRA here and there. They are crafting their name throughout Europe and have been at Hellfest a few times. They are making their mark and this album is definitely groundbreaking.