Review Summary: A little added dose of fun never hurt anybody.
This disc has 4 songs on it yet ends up being about 35 minutes. Does it qualify as an EP, a mini-album or a full-length record that just ends up being a bit short? The answer lies in what the record tries to achieve. While Rush's Hemispheres had the same number of songs and was overall about the same length, they both aim at completely different things. Even if it was released in today's mindset, I don't think anybody would call it an EP. That's because it was a clear, fully realized concept. On the other side we have Prelude To an Impending Outcome, a mish-mash of ideas where the band throws everything at the wall to see what sticks. I would in fact call this an EP, because it leaves you wanting more. Is it a bad thing? Not necessarily.
Fractal Cypher's blend of Progressive Metal, Power Metal and Djent has taken a slightly different turn. The tone is overall a bit softer than on their debut The Human Paradox. The serviceable screamed vocals are gone entirely and songs like The Grandeur of It All and Red Lady have a more playful edge to them, even delving into some Pop elements on Red Lady. While the diversity is welcomed, Prelude... is quite inconsistent overall.
Despite some pretty moments and a killer instrumental ending, opener Coming Back to Life is a mostly dull affair. The transitions seem to never end in a power ballad that probably shouldn't have been 10 minutes in length. Closer Red Lady is also problematic. While the jazzy/poppy moments are fun and the heavier middle sections are super groovy, the whole doesn't come together as well as it could. The lyrics on these songs are also a bit blunt/corny and a slight downgrade from those on their debut.
The other two tracks however, are some of the band's best work. The Grandeur of it All is the most entertaining song these guys have ever released, blending an old-school, more rocking vibe with a memorable, djenty instrumental section. If this one doesn't get stuck in your head, maybe you're dead inside. First single From The Above and To the Stars is where they sound the most familiar and to great effect. It's the song on here where they find the line between dynamic and focused, methodical yet interesting. The whole Sci-Fi angle is super well executed too.
Simon Lavoie's vocals will still be an acquired taste to some due to their quite unique sound. While some vocal lines still feel a bit filler-ish, there seems to be a clear effort to vary the delivery which I appreciate. He sounds his best here and helps give the band its signature sound. The same could pretty much be said for everyone else in the band. Guitars and Keyboards are still mindbending at times and the rhythm section still takes a bit of a backseat. I found the instrumental sections a lot more entertaining this time around though, because there's generally more going on in them than on The Human Paradox, where they were mostly limited to extended solo sections.
In the end, the scatterbrained nature of this EP can end up feeling a tad disappointing. But, at the same time, seeing the band flex their muscles into different territories is promising for their future. As it is though, it's a super entertaining piece of progressive metal, and for now that's enough.
