Shadow Cabinet (CD - 2006)

Audio Mixers: Martin Arendal; Tommy Hansen.

Recording information: Charlotte Studios, Vaxjo, Sweden (09/18/2004); Jailhouse Studio, Horsens, Denmark (09/18/2004); ProgPower Festival, Atlanta, GA (09/18/2004); Studio 907, Skovlunde, Denmark (09/18/2004); The Cave, Copenhagen, Denmark (09/18/2004).

Photographer: Todd Brown.

Wuthering Heights just may have created a new subgenre of heavy metal -- frantic prog metal -- with their fourth studio release overall, 2007's The Shadow Cabinet. Sure, bands such as Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, and Dream Theater may have helped trailblaze prog metal. But Wuthering Heights take it to a whole new dramatic level on The Shadow Cabinet -- especially such triumphant tracks as "Demon Desire," "Faith -- Apathy Divine, Pt. 1," and "I Shall Not Yield." Not all of the album is an over the top prog metal frenzy, however -- "The Raven" lets the tempo drop down a notch or two, while "Sleep" is a showcase for the talents of lead vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson. Perhaps the ultimate litmus test for a prog metal album is how easily you can picture an armored knight storming a castle, during the good old tymes, to save a damsel in distress. With The Shadow Cabinet, you can picture this "scene" in three-dimensional Technicolor. [Note: a bonus live CD is also included with The Shadow Cabinet, titled Roaming Far from Home: Live at ProgPower 2004.] ~ Greg Prato minimize