Musical Style: Power/Progressive Metal	Produced By: Defyance & Matt Bell
Record Label: Nightmare	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 2002	Artist Website:
Tracks: 9	Rating: 80%
Running Time: 52:47

Cliff notes summary of Transitional Forms is this: it is a fundamental power and progressive metal album with the talented Lance King (Balance Of Power, Shining Star & Pyramaze) on lead vocals.  Otherwise, the 2002 Nightmare Records third full length album from Knoxville, Iowa based Defyance might not necessarily be groundbreaking or leading among its class but more than holds its own in doing everything exceedingly well.  Songwriting is well-orchestrated, musicianship and vocals strengths and production is up to standard.

Getting started in 1989 under the Defiance moniker, the group debuted with its self-titled demo EP the same year ahead of changing its name to Defyance and recording three years later its second demo EP, Voices Within.  Defyance followed up by independently releasing its first two full-length albums Amaranthine and Time Lost in 1996 and 1999, respectively.  Guitar team of Brent Scott and Marcus Peterson and drummer Doug Beary remain the constants in the Defyance lineup with a revolver door of vocalists and bassists until settling on King and bassist Joe Parris for Transitional Forms.

By no means is Defyance a Christian band and Transitional Forms a Christian album.  That said, it would not be out of line to suggest Transitional Forms falls within a positive metal if not Christian friendly category.  Lyrical songwriting credits on eight songs attribute to King and two others to previous vocalist Brian Harrington, with several (as we shall see in the track-by-track breakdown) expressing a Christian worldview. 

Opener “Connection” embodies quintessential melodic power metal.  Double bass impels its distance as keyboards lightly tincture, King soars with his immaculate classic tenor vocal qualities and vocal melodies convey of the provoking.  A distinct European essence rises to the forefront consequently.  Lyric snippet:

Now - inside the lies
I struggle to find
A balancing line
And I - I pray to God
Atone for my sins
To help me find my own way

Now - immune to the dark
I march through time
My head held high
Armed - with only the truth
My kingdom grows far and wide
My soul has found its mark

“Passing Of The Night” imbues a ballad-like AOR tincturing to the power metal format.  Keyboards accordingly play an ascending role, buttressing Beary’s elegant double kick drum for the satiny verse sections, with rhythm guitar backing off slightly although still making a clear-cut statement for the arresting refrain.  I sense a hint of Shadow Gallery on this one.  Lyric snippet:

This 3 by 6 foot cell
I'm down on my knees
I lift my voice in prayer up to my god

Hearken unto me
Cast me not away
Send your angels, lord
To set me free

Seven minute “A Force To Face My Fears” is first of albums two progressive epics.  Generous portions of the song are instrumental, including the opening minute home to Bell’s classical bass line and mid-point break in which the capable Peterson and Scott guitar team interweave acoustic punctuations with bold lead guitar.  In between, song drifts between keyed up intense riffing moments and others of a softly done nature, noting the piano and acoustic guitar covering the final two minutes.  The palpable melody to exude helps “A Force To Face My Fears” rank with albums finest.

“Silent Tears” follows in a similar power metal semi-ballad pattern as “Passing Of The Night” but lengthier at six and half minutes.  It sees verse sections calmly decelerate as guitar plays a backend role, only for guitar to roar back and make an ireful statement for the sophisticated refrain.  The Defyance instrumental proclivity again rears its head, as acoustic guitar and piano give way to another stretch of tightly interweaved duel soloing.  Yes, there is a bit of sameness between the two but solid all the same.  Lyric snippet:

Seek the truth in me
Feel the urgency
Touch the needs inside
And see the vision forming
In my mind

Can you hear, hear me call
Through it all, standing tall
Giving life and love to save us all

The instrumental intent carries over to the opening minute of “A Notion”: in step guitar harmonies to start give way to ardent riffing and galloping revelry.  Yet, beginning of the opening verse again follows a pattern similar to several predecessors in that a lighter touch bestows only to give way to a heavier direction leading to the refrain.  Note that there is not any fault when approaching each song individually, but collectively it does manifest a repetitive element.  As a result, this is lone track in which I pass- keeping in mind it is fine on an individual basis.

“Fire Of Ancients” is another favorite from revealing a heavier power metal predicating.  It starts to a relaxed joining of keyboards and acoustic guitar only to surge at once to the energetic framework to master its remaining span, swarthy with its vehement mid-paced impetus but equally beguiling pointing to the overflowing seductive melody.  Turn of the century power metal cohorts Jacobs Dream comes to mind.  Lyric snippet:

Alone in the wilderness
An ancient voice is heard
Speaking of light and truth
To the kings of old

He speaks to us this day
Showing us the way
Giving hope to wretched souls
Where there was none before

“Just Beyond My Sight” carries over the heavier affinity.  It jumps out of the gate with rhythm guitar in a lofty position, clouting to earnest double kick drum and fracturing rhythms but also distinguished in light of the empyrean melody and King’s ever-present silky smooth croon.  This one rounds out the track listing as a very solid deep cut.  Lyric snippet:

Dreams of your destiny
Have never been so real
And memories of yesterday
Seem to be so surreal
Lost in the eyes of weary resentment
Bleeding you dry with the cries of repentance

I'm on the verge of chaos, never breaking
Just sweeping emotions there for, for the taking
Inside of me a vast yearning

Albums shortest at just four minutes, ”Never Fade Away” represents its most delicate and dainty as elegant keyboards and tenderly done guitar propel its whispered length.  I identify with it as a ‘prelude’ piece leading the way to closer “Tide To A Wheel”, which contrasts as albums lengthiest at nine.

“Tide To A Wheel” hearkens back to “A Force To Face My Fears” with time and tempo changes of a labyrinthine capacity.  Consider the opening instrumental three minutes morphing from ambient keyboards to searing harmonies but also reticent passages not unlike “Never Fade Away” and others darker that starkly churn in which rhythm guitar makes a punctuating statement.  When further factoring the laid back and relaxed but intriguing refrain, Theocracy is a point of reference.

Transitional Forms equates to a very good turn of the century power and progressive metal album that brings all the required ingredients- consistent songwriting, solid production, able musicianship and King’s stellar vocals.  Songwriting is lengthy but not to fault, noting the presence of the pair of epics each of which is a standout.  Subtle but faith based lyrics interspersed solidify the package.  Lone complaint is occasional same like song structuring, keeping in mind individual songs hold up when accessed on a standalone basis.  If a fan of power and progressive metal in their varying forms, you can do no wrong with third Defyance album Transitional Forms.

Review by: Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: "Connection" (5:19), "Passing Of The Night" (4:55), "A Force To Face My Fears" (6:47), "Silent Tears" (6:34), "A Notion" (5:16), "Fire Of Ancients" (5:27), "Just Beyond My Sight" (5:20), "Never Fade Away" (4:06), "Tide To A Wheel" (9:00)

Musicians
Lance King - Lead Vocals
Marcus Peterson - Guitars
Brent A. Scott - Guitars
Aaron Bell - Bass
Doug Beary - Drums

Guest Musicians
Matt Bell - Keyboards