Borrrring.
Tomas Bodin is best known for being the keyboardist for Swedish progressive rock favourites The Flower Kings. He is also an extremely competent composer and skilful instrumentalist as he ably displays with the release of his fourth solo album entitled 'IAM'.
'IAM' is split into three parts; funnily enough they are I, A and M. Each track lasts for about 20 minutes, making it quite a long album. The first part of the album 'I' starts with someone singing, then it bursts into an orgasm of keyboards, sounding like an epic that perhaps Dream Theater would write. The track then slows down into some sort of ballad, with emotional singing accompanied by piano, and some guitar here and there - so far this is pretty damn good. After this there are some female vocals and the keyboard orgasm starts again, damn, keeping with an album like this and writing a review is damn hard. After some more ballads and some more keyboard wankery we are treated to some sort of 'soul' section if you will, with some jazzy bass and cool-as-fuck guitar solos and then some more keyboard wankery and time changes, the track basically goes keyboard wankery/ballad/solo/random jazzy shit and repeats itself until the end.
Now we move on 'A' which starts which a small piano piece then moves into a sludgy riff that sounds like something you would expect from Viking Skull. The song then bursts into what seems like a random gospel section for a moment or two. Then after this is repeated a few times we are treated to some jazzy bass and vocals, man the lyrics on this album are shit, it is supposedly "a story about philosophical and religious themes and finally about reincarnation", pfft! Sing about some orc-slaying or wizards you twat! After the incredibly long random jazzy shit has finished for about the fifth time we get another ballad, just kill me now, go on, kill me! We are now treated to some flute, oh joy, the album is saved! Then we get a bluesy solo accompanied by keyboard, drums and bass which is actually quite cool. I won't bore you with the rest of the details on this track.
Thank god, we are now on the final track 'M' which starts of with another long winded ballad…for fuck sake. "Have you enjoyed the ride so far my friend?" asks the singer, no I fucking haven't is the answer! Quite frankly you've bored the shit out of me, your attempt to sound like Dream Theater has failed and you should be banned from making albums, Mr. Bodin! The last track is basically some random funky, progressive stuff, a few solos here and there, some more long winded ballads, a big sing along finale and the album has finished, thank the lord.
This album has potential musically but instead Bodin drags every single thing out and repeats it time after time again, each part sounds like the last one, but with one or two minor things added. This is one of the most long winded albums I have ever heard. If you want REAL progressive rock, go out and buy some Dream Theater and Rush.