Formed in 1994 in Chicago, American metal boys Ion Vein were trying hard for a long time to find their place in the light (or should I say, in the dark). Fyi, they still keep on playing their favorite combination: progressive, heavy and power metal and they are going to release their new album sometimes this year.
They released their first album Beyond Tomorrow in 1999 and the second one Reigning Memories in 2003, immediately recognized as strong, even though they did not manage to be on serious record labels’ radars. In the following years, Ion Vein suffered member shifts and then Now & Then Records showed up to promise everything and do nothing. After this problem, founder Chris Lotesto was left alone so he needed to form the band again. For eight years, Ion Vein didn’t exist. In 2011 and 2012, they have released two Eps and in 2014, we got their third full studio album.
Male vocal Scott Featherstone, piano and percussion player Chris Lotesto, drummer Chuck White. Meet the Ion Vein. In this constellation, they have tried to ground themselves for the next point in future. But, not everything was as they planned. I hear that they have put up a lot of effort but nothing but weak American power emerged. It looks like they need another member who would fill up the whole in the sound with deeper, dimensional note. Even though they are trying to be multifunctional by playing various instruments, the album has a hallow, incomplete sound. Guitar solos are not congruent with anything and vocals are mediocre.
Scott Featherstone sounds overforced and some songs even sounds like natural catastrophes. If we add up stupid lyrics or cheesy melodies like Seamless (A Transition Of The Mind), Face The Truth and Alone, I guess we will not be excited while anticipating their forthcoming album.
Every song is fast and energetic and they somehow suffer from structural monotony. I didn’t get the feeling of remarkable heavy and power metal. I hail to Ion Vein for overcoming their professional struggles, but they need to work harder if they want to find their place in the spotlight (spotdark). Meh.
