Missing Piece, The: Dream Rider

More progressive rock from Holland, this time in the form of The Missing Piece who have been around since 2007. Their debut Dream Rider was recorded in 2015/16 and has been self-released by the band. Interestingly enough, the band is named after The Gentle Giant release of the same name.

Lead vocalist Nana Burger, who sings on this album, has since been replaced by Dennis Beenhakker. The rest of the band is Rob Brons (keyboards), Rene van Dalen (guitars), Adri Sleijster (bass guitars, backing vocals) and Nanne Tiggelman (drums, backing vocals).

The music on Dream Rider can safely be placed in the symphonic/neo prog category with some elements of progressive metal. The musicianship is fine and the album is pleasant but I wouldn't call this an earth shattering listening experience. The keyboards and guitar are well played with some nice melodies as well but the lead vocals were a bit of a chore for me. Burger's voice is just okay as her accent is a little too pronounced and sounds strained when she tries to belt it out.

The first track "Closed Doors" is an up-tempo number with some nice prog metal riffing and huge organ fills, especially during the outro. The lead vocals didn't thrill me in this track. On "Signs" the vocal delivery is more restrained, thus somewhat more successful. The arrangement isn't complex but there are some nice string embellishments on this one. "Destiny" starts out with an upfront keyboard before the soaring guitar solos gives this a strong neo feel. Again, the vocals are just okay, not really grabbing me in a convincing fashion. The instrumental "Erasmus" is a little heavier and more dramatic with the guitar adding more bite than the previous two tracks but still carrying a nice melody. This is the only instrumental on the disc which is too bad as it is probably the band's best effort here.

It will be interesting to hear how the band develops with a new vocalist. As it stands Dream Rider is a decent offering, just not incredible to these ears. If interested, check out the link below for more information.

*The album is dedicated to fallen member Bernard Brons who sadly passed away on April 9, 2016.*

Track Listing:
1. Closed Doors
2. Signs
3. Destiny
4. Erasmus
5. Reflection
6. Dream Rider
7. Shadow
8. Underneath the Mask
9. The Close pt. I – The Days Before
10. The Close pt. II – Black Death
11. Maze (bonus track)

Added: May 24th 2017
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1956
Language: english

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