• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

May 2025

• The Flower Kings: Love
• Maestrick : Espresso Della Vita: Lunare

March 2025

• W.E.T.: Apex
• Alliance: Before Our Eyes
• Ginevra: Beyond Tomorrow
• Phil X & The Drills:
  Pow! Right In The Kisser
• IQ: Dominion
• Heart Line: Falling Heaven
• Gotthard: Stereo Crush
• Defender: Dying To Live
• Streetlight: Night Vision

February 2025

• Robin McAuley: Soulbound
• Perfect Plan: Heart Of A Lion
• Craig Brooks: Desolation Freeway
• Mantric Momentum: Alienized
• Pattern-Seeking Animals: Friend Of All Creatures
• Crazy Lixx: Thrill Of The Bite
• Ginger Evil: The Way It Burns
• Dream Theater: Parasomnia
• Tyran: Tyran's Oath
• Saber: Lost In Flames

January 2025

• Wildness: Avenger
• The Ferrymen: Iron Will
• Labyrinth: In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye
• Bonfire: Higher Ground
• The Big Deal: Electrified
• Landfall: Wide Open Sky

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

[ More Music Reviews ]

Asia: Omega

AOR/Melodic Rock

Rating: 3.75/5.0

Frontiers Records
www.myspace.com/originalasia
www.originalasia.com
Review: Craig Hartranft,  05.02.2010

The original Asia members follow up on the reunion work, Phoenix, with the nearly similar Omega. Standing as a bookend to to Alpha, this is not Asia's swan song. Much of of what I said in my review of Phoenix applies here, specifically the second paragraph. Omega is the milder melodic rock of retirement age men, rather than the grandiose and bombastic arena rock of a younger supergroup. Neither neutered, nor in need of Viagra, Omega still approaches geriatric melodic. While every song here is very good, well-composed and performed, the music is generally soft. Nevertheless, there seems to be a slight return to more progressive nuances as Holy War, End of the World, and There Was a Time prove. This is a welcome advance over the previous outing. Conversely, where Asia has tripped is in the album cover art; it's simply ghastly. Overall, though more soothing than explosive like early Asia works, Omega is genuinely entertaining album oriented, melodic rock by masterful musicians. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Though more soothing than explosive like early Asia works, Omega is genuinely entertaining album oriented, melodic rock by masterful musicians.

Alphabetical Index

Here's a fun fact about Swiss legends, Gotthard: their last 16 releases, excepting their debut album, went to number one in their home country, making them one of Switzerland's most successful acts and ... [ Read More ]