From the UK comes progressive rock/metal act Touchstone, led by the enchanting vocals of Kim 'Elkie' Seviour, and also featuring Rob Cottingham (keyboards, vocals), Adam Hodgson (guitars), Moo (bass, vocals), and Henry Rogers (drums). Their fourth album overall, Oceans of Time was produced by John MItchell, and finds the band on Hear No Evil/Cherry Red Records. This is hook laden stuff, glossy and catchy, but with a prog-rock mentality, occasionally dipping into melodic metal, and always engaging. "Tabula Rasa" and the single "Flux" both have memorable melodies and shimmering instrumentation, while "Fragments", "Contact", and "Shadows End" pack a nice punch, with crunchy guitar riffs, symphonic keyboards, and Seviour's soaring vocals stealing the show. I like the fact that the band know how to mix in lush progressive rock amidst all these melodic anthems, like on "Solace" and "Spirit of the Age", and they even go fully into adventurous progressive metal on the near 10-minute title track.
Oceans of Time is quite enjoyable, and perhaps the album that will really expose Touchstone to a larger audience. Though quite original sounding, I'm sure fans of Enchant, Rush, The Gathering, and Dream Theater will find much to like here. A nice surprise and well worth checking out for those who like lots of melody & crunch in their progressive rock.
Track Listing
1. Flux
2. Contact
3. Tabula Rasa
4. Fragments
5. Spirit Of The Age
6. Suffer The Little Children
7. Shadow's End
8. Solace 2013
9. Through The Night
10. Thunder & Crickets
11. Oceans Of Time
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