Knight Area – Realm of Shadows
The Laser’s Edge
http://www.lasersedgegroup.com/

Rating:  B+

Realm of Shadows is the third album from Dutch progressive band Knight Area. Since 2004 they’ve been slowly perfecting their unique brand of melodic, symphonic rock, and Realm of Shadows, a concept album about a metaphysical journey, is undoubtedly their most complete and fully realized album to date.

What you get here are nine of the finest examples the neo-prog genre has to offer. Each composition is highlighted by a dazzling array of shimmering synth and fluid guitar solos, which are complemented perfectly by the warm, rich voice of vocalist Mark Smit. Although each of these five musicians are extremely adept on their respective instruments don’t expect loads of individual masturbatory solos because Knight Area are about the songs first and foremost. Whether it’s the two brief, instrumental compositions “Momentum” and “Awakening” or lengthy epics “Antagony” and “Occlusion” their songs are incredibly expansive and all encompassing.

Ken Golden and the folks over at The Laser’s Edge have an uncanny knack of scanning the globe and snagging up the best new talent available in the progressive, hard rock world and Knight Area are no exception. Together with fellow Dutch bands like The Aurora Project and Kingfisher Sky, Knight Area has managed to firmly establish themselves throughout Europe, but with Realm of Shadows they have taken it to the next level. This album should be the one that finds them breaking out on a global scale.   

   -Ryan Sparks