Death Leaves an Echo
The Dystopian Project
•
May 17, 2015

Based in Dublin, THE DYSTOPIAN PROJECT have been together as a band for barely two years, only having formed in the Summer of 2013. However, "Death Leaves an Echo" oozes with plenty of experience, excellent musicianship, and a clear intent.
"Broken Reality" opens the EP in excellent fashion, more than demonstrating the musical prowess of all members and the finesse in the song writing, where a great balance between the different vocalists (both male and female) is achieved. On this first track, the work of drummer Darrin Bell is particularly enjoyable, as he makes use of some technical rhythms that are not expected, yet do not feel at all out of place.
This seamlessness in the song writing is something that continues throughout "Death Leaves an Echo" - the Technical and Progressive elements are implemented in such a way that they never once compromise the overall flow and vibe of the music. Fantastically composed instrumental sections, a quality production and sublime variation in mood all add further polish to an already hugely enjoyable EP.
The band verge on Symphonic Metal territory with second track, "Delirium", yet do it with a lot more passion and energy than many other upcoming (and arguably larger and established) bands in the genre do. Where many bands trying their hand at this style sound horribly generic, THE DYSTOPIAN PROJECT are positively fresh!
The 9 minute epic, "Dystopian", sits well in the middle in the album, and through the significant presence of the keyboard section, creates a fantastic futuristic atmosphere without ever feeling gimmicky or clichéd. The heavenly vocals from Antonia Close precede a lengthy instrumental passage, which is constantly exciting, featuring rhythmic changes, solos and interplay between guitars and keyboards, and a furious drive towards the closing chorus.
From the epic and encompassing sound just experienced, the band move towards a soothing and intimate atmosphere with the acoustic styling of "Last Innocent Man". Here, the vocal parts are brought together beautifully to create a truly enchanting song.
Concluding track, "Winter's Hall", is another lengthy and enjoyable epic. However, it continues the more relaxed vibe that began with the previous song, the result of which is that the EP loses much of the momentum it had built up to this point, and fizzles out slightly. While a fantastic song in its own right, it would be much more effective on a longer album surrounded by more energetic tracks - hopefully, THE DYSTOPIAN PROJECT will get a chance to do just that in the near future!
With "Death Leaves an Echo", the line between Progressive Rock and Symphonic Metal is toed with precision, care, and an enticing passion. THE DYSTOPIAN PROJECT have on their hands an exhilarating EP - the only possible criticism is that it isn't a full length album!
9 / 10
Almost Perfect

"Death Leaves an Echo" Track-listing:
1. Broken Reality
2. Delirium
3. Dystopian
4. Last Innocent Man
5. Winter's Hall
The Dystopian Project Lineup:
Darrin Bell - Drums
Antonia Close - Vocals
Bruno Di Micco - Keyboards
Phil Dolan - Guitars
Hytham Martin - Guitars and Vocals
Ivan O'Sullivan - Bass and Vocals
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