Whilst this album is far from new (being released back in May 2004), I’m ashamed to admit that I have only just stumbled across it, but it has truely blown my mind  With the busy times of FYP and the third year stress, I’ve found it fairly hard to find new, great albums to listen to.

The genre may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and is certainly a change from the style I’ve been into lately, but this album seriously does something special in the way it is produced, styled and conveyed. ‘The Human Equation’ is (if you hadn’t guessed already) the concept, and each song is labelled as a different day in a series of events, for example – Day Two: Isolation.

With each song depicting a different emotion, the album keeps providing new sounds and gives the listener a story to follow: it certainly kept me hooked until the final track was over. Granted, some of the singing is a little annoying after a while, but many have amazing voices and link together successfully.

In terms of musicality, the prog rock genre never fails to provide a mix of instruments, and with the combined efforts of several studio musicians for each instrument, different styles can be heard in every song.

A truly rewarding listening experience, even if you just fancy something new. For fans of the genre you will not be disappointed, as many fan favorites (such as James Labrie) are featured and give the album a ‘star-studded’ feel. Try it, it’s like marmite: you’ll either love it, or hate it!