Rendezvous Point - "Dream Chaser"

We got the vibes in this cover art...and that's it

Rendezvous Point kick off their third album, Dream Chaser, with absolutely perfect vibes. Opener “Don’t Look Up” sounds like a blend of Dream Theater and Haken while channeling Muse.

Which makes it hurt all the more when it doesn’t go anywhere.

Allow me to back up for a moment, though — Rendezvous Point is a Swedish Prog Metal band featuring drummer Baard Kolstad (Leprous) at its core. Add in the four other incredibly talented musicians who round out the roster,¹ and Rendezvous Point is a potential powerhouse of technical ability.

And it shows at multiple points throughout the album. There are moments of sonic brilliance on every song.

But part of what makes Prog so great is its dynamicism. Even relatively “short” or “normal” Prog songs go through several evolutions over the course of their runtime. That doesn’t really happen here. Even on the two 6+ minute tracks, there’s a sense of stagnation that I can’t really vibe with; once you get a minute or so into a song — that’s it, you’ve heard the song. Listening to the rest of it is just a formality.

And, despite European Metal’s strong Classical influences, there is absolutely nothing “formal” about Prog Metal.

Honestly, this album makes me mad. Because it does sound really fucking good. But there’s never any growth or payoff.

I’m holding onto “Oslo Syndrome”, but that’s it.

Rating: Yellow

1. These are:

• Petter Walter Hallaråker - Guitar

• Nicolay Tangen Svennæs - Keyboards

  • Also of Ihsahn, Bernhoft, & Emilie Nicolas

• Gunn-Hilde Erstad Haugen - Bass

• Geirmund Hansen - Vocals