The Hourglass Effect has this Prog atmosphere and is a '100% Metal' album, the way US Metal bands crafted technical masterpieces in the 80s/90s. Of course, the fact that SHADOWKEEP has been away from the market for the last six years, plus their base is (mostly) the United Kingdom, are not criteria of the highest optimism. Anyway, truth is The Hourglass Effect - for whoever was waiting to this new album - is a good release, a really good an honest release.
Heavy and Power and Progressive and (even) Speed/Thrash Metal has SHADOWKEEP been offering in their previous releases, 1999's Shadowkeep EP, 2000's Corruption Within full-length CD and 2002's A Chaos Theory follow-up album. CRIMSON GLORY, early FATES WARNING, early QUEENSRYCHE, LETHAL, (some of) FIFTH ANGEL, VICIOUS RUMORS, AGENT STEEL, (an 'air' of) IRON  MAIDEN/JUDAS PRIEST: that's the big picture in the quintet's well of inspiration. Rather weird for such a band to hail from England, but what matters is good music and SHADOWKEEP has been good servants even if their fans had to wait for six whole years for a new release (this time via Melissa Records).
The band has a great potential on writing kinda complex (in patterns) yet easy-going songs the American way. Variety in tempos, scratching guitars with tons of riffs and well-worked solos (the Allen/Robson duo is impressive again), distinct vocals raging from narrative mid-freq chants to high-pitched shrieks (new vocalist Richie Wicks has a done a very good 'metallic' work!), a multipart rhythm section full of energy, some vast production/mix (handled again by THRESHOLD's guitarist Karl Groom) focusing on the songs' audio message. SHADOWKEEP has worked a lot on their choruses in this album, providing a more hardhittin' temper. In addition, the bass lines tie even more with the guitars' themes were needed and there's a more conscious equilibrium on whether technical skills or the song's feel should take over at certain times. Not to forget, various 'acoustic guitars' parts shall enrich the songs' quility.
The Hourglass Effect was scheduled to hit the stores during 2006. Said it has a concept lyrics theme (no lyrics, no summary), this 3rd studio CD can act as a good sequence to a good discography of a band playing Metal music with endless technicality, enough power/aggression, lots of anticipation to create something worth the wait and - most of all? - evident dignity. Label it under 'Power Metal' or 'Prog Metal' (this is Prog, in my humble opinion) or 'Technical Metal'. In any label, The Hourglass Effect shall deliver something more than 52 minutes of well-shaped Metal music for the demanding metalhead.