Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) {InsideOut}
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 458 MB | Full Scans PNG - 60 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.98) - 146 MB
Genre: rock | RAR 5% Rec. | Label: InsideOut / Century Media | CAT # 0506202 | 2012
Just when you think an artist like NEAL MORSE has released a career defining album he turns around and releases one that is even better. With "Momentum", Morse has done that, again. The title is fitting because Neal felt very strongly that he had more momentum now than ever before during his recording career and now was not the time to rest on his laurels but to seize the moment and continue writing and recording incredible progressive music. Morse is in the prime of his career now recording solo albums and performing and recording with super group Transatlantic. His longtime friend and drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy has been along for the ride. It goes without saying that the drumming on this recording is outstanding.
Also the ever present Randy George is on bass, the other half of the powerhouse rhythm section that sets Morse and his songs on fire.
The guitar playing comes via the legendary six strings of Mr. Big's Paul Gilbert and Neal's newest find, Brazilian Adson Sodre. The chemistry for this recording is undeniable and the end result is proof that it all worked.
The music is incredibly good on Momentum. What you get is spiritually infused electrifying prog rock and metal, basically everything you would expect and more.
It comes at you like a smart bomb and just explodes from your speakers, making every word count with full impact.
The nearly 34 minute suite "World Without End" is a bona fide prog rock magnum opus and some of Morse's best work to date not to mention every other musician making contributions on another level, which separates them from so many others with profound emphasis.
Morse finds inspiration and endless creative energy through his faith and we as the listeners are the fortunate recipients of that blessing.
I have to give the nod to the title track and "Smoke and Mirrors" as well, they are standouts that spotlight the precision instrumentation and power of Morse and his band.
To be perfectly honest, there is not a moment of holding back on this recording and that includes not only the musicianship but the finely crafted lyrics behind all that energy and sheer musical force. There are some real heavy instrumental passages on this recording and I found it very pleasing as they offered both the complex, hard edged and mellower aspects of the genre.
From the brute force of metal at its peak to the more refined and syncopated complexities of keyboard laced prog, sprinklings of classical and jazz, this album covers the gamut of progressive music.
Morse is no stranger to the elements of prog and what makes it tick.
With "Momentum" Neal Morse shows the world that not only is it befitting the title of the recording, he exemplifies the very meaning.
When many artists his age are pulling in the reins, getting off the road and slowing down in every aspect of their careers, he seems to be hitting his stride with no end in sight.
This is pure Classic Prog Rock by one of the brightest stars of our generation.
ARTISTS
Neal Morse - Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals
Mike Portnoy - Drums
Randy George - Bass
Additional Musicians:
Paul Gilbert - Guitar solo on "Momentum"
Adson SodrŠ¹ - Guitar Solos on "World Without End"
Bill Hubauer - Clarinet, flute, guitar and additional keys on "The Mystery"
Eric Gillette - Additional vocals on "Thoughts Part 5"
Wil Morse - Additional vocals on "Thoughts Part 5"
Chris Carmichael - Strings
Rick Altizer - Additional vocals on "Weathering Sky" and "Smoke and Mirrors"
TRACKLIST
1. Momentum (6:26)
2. Thoughts Part 5 (7:51)
3. Smoke and Mirrors (4:38)
4. Weathering Sky (4:16)
5. Freak (4:30)
6. World Without End (33:39)
- i. Introduction
- ii. Never Pass Away
- iii.Losing Your Soul
- iv. The Mystery
- v. Some Kind of Yesterday
- vi. Never Pass Away (Reprise)
INFO
Exact Audio Copy V1.0 beta 3 from 29. August 2011
EAC extraction logfile from 12. September 2012, 13:20
Neal Morse / Momentum
Used drive : TSSTcorpCDDVDW SH-222AL Adapter: 0 ID: 1
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 6
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 768 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -8 -V -T "ARTIST=%artist%" -T "TITLE=%title%" -T "ALBUM=%albumtitle%" -T "DATE=%year%" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%tracknr%" -T "TOTALTRACKS=%numtracks%" -T "GENRE=%genre%" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "ALBUM ARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "COMMENT=EAC Secure Mode, Test & Copy, AccurateRip, FLAC -8" %source%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 6:26.21 | 0 | 28970
2 | 6:26.21 | 7:51.27 | 28971 | 64322
3 | 14:17.48 | 4:37.54 | 64323 | 85151
4 | 18:55.27 | 4:15.61 | 85152 | 104337
5 | 23:11.13 | 4:30.35 | 104338 | 124622
6 | 27:41.48 | 33:38.61 | 124623 | 276033
Track 1
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\01 - Momentum.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 99.9 %
Extraction speed 2.1 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 2
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\02 - Thoughts Part 5.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.09
Peak level 99.7 %
Extraction speed 2.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 3
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\03 - Smoke and Mirrors.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.01
Peak level 98.7 %
Extraction speed 2.6 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 4
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\04 - Weathering Sky.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.27
Peak level 99.1 %
Extraction speed 2.7 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 5
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\05 - Freak.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.38
Peak level 96.8 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track 6
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\06 - World Without End.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:03.09
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 3.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database
No errors occurred
End of status report
==== Log checksum 8D1C838EBF35F96A84F80155E6CFD92DBFC7D8A35D6834A4B3E437398073AA3E ====
EAC extraction logfile from 12. September 2012, 13:20
Neal Morse / Momentum
Used drive : TSSTcorpCDDVDW SH-222AL Adapter: 0 ID: 1
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 6
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 768 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -8 -V -T "ARTIST=%artist%" -T "TITLE=%title%" -T "ALBUM=%albumtitle%" -T "DATE=%year%" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%tracknr%" -T "TOTALTRACKS=%numtracks%" -T "GENRE=%genre%" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "ALBUM ARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "COMMENT=EAC Secure Mode, Test & Copy, AccurateRip, FLAC -8" %source%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 6:26.21 | 0 | 28970
2 | 6:26.21 | 7:51.27 | 28971 | 64322
3 | 14:17.48 | 4:37.54 | 64323 | 85151
4 | 18:55.27 | 4:15.61 | 85152 | 104337
5 | 23:11.13 | 4:30.35 | 104338 | 124622
6 | 27:41.48 | 33:38.61 | 124623 | 276033
Track 1
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\01 - Momentum.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 99.9 %
Extraction speed 2.1 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 13950518
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\02 - Thoughts Part 5.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.09
Peak level 99.7 %
Extraction speed 2.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC AB9BE993
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track 3
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\03 - Smoke and Mirrors.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.01
Peak level 98.7 %
Extraction speed 2.6 X
Track quality 100.0 %
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track 4
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\04 - Weathering Sky.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.27
Peak level 99.1 %
Extraction speed 2.7 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 7330C550
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\05 - Freak.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.38
Peak level 96.8 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 87F395F2
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename C:\LosslessII\Neal Morse - Momentum (2012) [FLAC]\06 - World Without End.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:03.09
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 3.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 7187D28F
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Track not present in AccurateRip database
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None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database
No errors occurred
End of status report
==== Log checksum 8D1C838EBF35F96A84F80155E6CFD92DBFC7D8A35D6834A4B3E437398073AA3E ====