Ego Eimi, which is Greek for "I AM", is basically Alexander Skorobogatov. Transcendental Diseases is the first CD by Skorobogatov. He has since released I'm Leaving. Although all the titles of the songs are in English, the entire CD is sung in Russian.
The music on Transcendental Diseases run the gambit from classical to metal influenced. A dark and brooding sound is present throughout most of the CD. The CD kicks off with almost 17 minutes of a mini-epic called "Underground Earl" (in two parts). The music here is the most varied, with mixed tempos and instrumentation. Because the vocals are in Russian, the vocals are nothing more than an additional instrument. And this instrument is not well played on the first two songs. "Underground Earl" is really enjoyable until this over-dramatic, over-emotional tenor comes in and nixes the nice melodies that were present just a moment before.
Luckily I was asked to review the entire CD because the first two songs were so cheesy, I probably wouldn't have made it to the heart of the CD. The vocals on the rest of the songs are just as heart-felt, but they aren't so over-the-top that it interferes with the fine song writing.
And that is what we have here, from the poppy "There Is No Somebody To Drink Tea With" to the very pretty "The Silver Lord" and the metal "Transcendental Diseases", Skorobogatov knows how to compose songs. The music is very entertaining and is diverse enough to stay interesting throughout the CD.
Transcendental Diseases is recommended for anyone who likes their "prog" a little dark and a little brooding. If you like your vocals over-dramatic, then this is the CD for you.
Track Listing
1) Underground Earl Part I (10:41 )
2) Underground Earl Part II (5:59 )
3) There Is No Somebody To Drink Tea With (3:24)
4) Auf Deine Lider (3:28)
5) Golem (13:36)
6) Meek Lady (4:29)
7) The Silver Lord (2:42)
8) Transcendental Diseases (9:40)
9) Lament For the Death Of My Cat (3:28)