Braindance

Brainpraise

"praise the gods...! the beast has awakened, bearing another stupendously sacramental self-released sonic submission...the crazy-talented creative team of sebastian elliott and vora vor returns...! master of disguise tells the metaphorical tale of a spiritually bereft nomad traversing the desert wilderness in search of self, portrayed through elliott's deep-throated otherworldly vocals...vor's nimble-fingered shred is stunning, the intricately layered arrangements breathtaking, catchy as hell throughout. how this band remains unsigned mystifies me."
-john collinge, progression, u.s.a.

"expertly crafted, instantly memorable. there really is so much appeal to an album like master of disguise, and you have to hope that all the work that went into this recording ultimately brings some decent exposure to the band and their eclectic music. there's much to enjoy and savor here with master of disguise for years to come, and the style of Braindance can easily appeal to a wide variety of listeners, from those who enjoy metal, goth, prog, ambient, and darkwave. once again, this band has produced a masterpiece."
- sea of tranquility, u.s.a.

"a masterful, expansive production, a great delight of an album, an amalgamation of sonic influences that comes together as a smooth, well-balanced and multilayered sound. sebastian elliott's vocals are consistently strong and passionately delivered, and the album boasts some truly impressive guitar work. braindance is a group with a strong presence - a very good sense of who they are, and what they want to send out into the world."
- gail, gothic beauty, u.s.a.

"A fantastic new concept album from the legendary braindance - one of the most unique groups on the planet working in their own style they call 'progressive darkwave,' combining elements of goth, industrial, electronic, synthpop and darkwave with progressive metal, progressive trance, vocal house, and modern classical music. master of disguise is totally mind-blowing with some of the best packaging we've ever seen...!"
- jeff stevens, progmetalzone.com, u.s.a.

"in short - an album finished to perfection."
- xavier kruth, dark entries, belgium

"a one of a kind act that mixes electronic/goth landscapes with progressive metal elements, which equals out to an experience that i cannot even completely describe. keep in mind that i had no idea who these guys even were until the promo was sent out and now i find myself more than willing to purchase the rest of their albums in an effort to hear all of the material that they’ve had to offer in the past. yes, they truly are that good and if you’re looking for a mix of deep croons, electronics and guitars, then you’ve hit the jackpot with master of disguise. it’s the first new release from the new york act in nearly twelve years, but they sound surprisingly fresh and crisp on the release with an unparalleled (and i do mean unparalleled) vocal performance by frontman sebastian elliott. if the musical element of the act wasn’t already good enough, elliot’s vocal performance is truly the icing on the cake. when he tackles the mic, you’ll be sure to know it and there’s no one out there quite like him on the market. vora vor is mostly to thank for the majority of musical awesomeness that you hear on the album, as she plays the guitar in addition to the keyboard work and even lets loose on some grand solo efforts. a truly memorable experience - when i listen to "master of disguise,' i can feel master of disguise,' and i can’t really say that about a great number of records out there. a great deal of bands could take a lesson - definitely pick up a copy."
- eric may, the grim tower, u.k.

"braindance is paving new ground for future musicians to take notice, while entertaining your darkest fantasies and fears - a must have."
- deathwish, vampire freaks magazine, u.s.a.

"braindance is the fusion of past and future...absolutely unique and beautiful.."
- juliya, uranium, u.s.a.

"there is new hope as to the commercial viability of a dark style... braindance is taking the genre in new directions."
- bryan reesman, billlboard magazine, u.s.a.

"after 25 years of listening, one of the biggest sounds i've ever heard that could represent a new era in sound and style."
- martyn jones, acid attack webzine, u.s.a.

"braindance is a musical genius hybrid – stunning vocals and orchestration to be envied – totally amazing!!! braindance can easily be the leading mainstream band of the new milennium."
- michael xian, frozen hell magazine, greece

"i am very optimistic concerning a possible breakthrough in the underground's esteem. injecting a consistent dose of grey cells in a scene going 'round in circles, braindance deserves to be the keystone of a new generation..."
- bertrand garnier, nightshade magazine, france

"there is no comparing this band to anyone - braindance is sure to be the one who will set a trend in the goth underground music scene."
- paul autry, spotlight/the scene monthly, philadelphia, u.s.a.

"some of the best gothic/industrial styled music i've ever heard. absolutely mind blowing music, the high level of musicianship demonstrated by the band is unbelievable. a lot of signed bands arent this good - absolutely brilliant!!"
- matthew, full strength online, u.s.a.

"well worth the wait - a remarkable achievement - combines perfectly such varied genres as metal, techno, progressive rock, ambient, gothic, and electronic to form a style that is light years ahead of most groups recording today, creating classic songs for the ages. in fact, everything about this band just screams talent. redemption is a future classic from this band that needs to get discovered, and one of my picks for best of the year."
- peter pardo, sea of tranquility, u.s.a.

"it is within the grasp of this band to bomb down any popular hit-parade and even get a grammy - all told, an absolute masterpiece that we need very much. one of the few progressive albums that have the potential to appeal to a mass audience, to enter today's music mainstream. "redemption" may be the first real stage for progressive to reach an audience that is much larger than it is today."
-vitaly, progressor, germany

"just fantastic, managing to perfectly mix and arrange the best elements of different genres as gothic, prog, epic choirs and electronic sounds. the band is very good and has got all the characteristic to became the starting point of a new genre. it's a shame that they're music is so difficult to be found."
-tatiana vinciguerra, babylonwebzine, italy

"an incredible prog darkwave project created by two genius musical minds: intense dark feelings with power and pop touchs, the new album redemption is a masterpiece of the style, a mix of dark intense mutations of atmospheric auras, beautiful ambiences and impressive feelings - a real musical manifesto!!!"
-edgar franco, krepuskulum webzine, brazil

"technical ability, original songwriting, astounding solos, great production, and a mournful and deep soulful singing voice verify that redemption is a quantum leap - innovative, powerful, and a very impressive album."
-don boyanny, united webzine, slovenia

"the best and most original cd i've ever even touched, so much as listened to... to be brutally honest, i doubt there'll ever be many bands that can equal this band in pure originality and maturity on an independent release! if you don't already have this, then there is something that you are seriously missing – this band is the next big thing, and will stay the big thing for a good long time."
- arnold hablewitz, the wormwood chronicles, u.s.a.

"huge and powerful – the songs among the best i have heard in a long long time....an incredible ear and understanding for immense melodies – dark, melancholy, emotive, scary, floating, atmospheric, intricate, melodic, intelligent and at the same time extremely beautiful. unique and majestic, a truly special experience unlike everything you have ever heard that left me begging for more... truth be told, if you don't get this album, you are missing out on a truly special experience – huge, powerful, essential!... every fan of intelligent music should have this – i'm completely blown away by this band!!!"
- bjornar bevolden, progpower.com/through different eyes, norway

"the absolute best goth/industrial/metal album i've heard since the mid-1990's. braindance stands out in my mind as the best that industrial/goth/metal can achieve amongst a throng of mediocre bands."
- todd edmundson, criticalmetal.com, u.s.a.

"simply one of the more talented and further evolved 'unsigned' acts i've heard in some time. that the band has accomplished all of this and has yet to be picked up by a larger label after doing so is truly astonishing. there are far too many less developed artists achieving much larger exposure for this band to remain underground for too long."
- metaljudgment.com, u.s.a.

"braindance somehow invented the progressive darkwave genre and it seems they're still the kings. braindance will make their breakthrough, that's for sure - outstanding!!!" ***band of the month october 2001***
- markus weis, durp (die ultimative reviews progressive), germany

"vocalist sebastian elliott and guitarist vora vor are dynamic writing team (currently without any peers) and have provided braindance with a unique approach that is stimulating, challenging and above all entertaining. this is one cd that i have not stopped listening to since i was fortunate enough to receive a copy and i urge you seek it out and experience it for yourself."
- simon lukic, simon sez magazine, south australia

"the sound production is slick and stellar, elliott's confident and formidable vocals are a force to be reckoned with, and vor's blazing guitar holds its own with many metal giants - everything here is just so damn good i'm having a hard time believing my ears! i'm guessing that when they get around to taking this live, it will be a show you won't soon forget. the video for this song is astonishing for an unsigned band - part heavy metal fantasy, part stargate, part mystic mayhem, and pretty darn expensive looking. if MTV was still doing music videos instead of the crap they morphed into, i swear this would be at the top of the heap."
- chain dlk, germany

"on their first album in over a decade, new york's braindance lets their ambitions run wild and the results are nothing short of awe-inspiring...the sonic journey that the core duo of sebastian elliott and vora vor creates makes master of disguise such a satisfying experience...even when pulling together a wide range of musical influences, from goth, prog, industrial, metal and modern classical, they still come up with something cohesive...less is more might work for some bands, but for braindance, bigger and better is the way to go."
- brian lumauig, outburn, u.s.a.

"elliott and vor have created nothing short of a masterpiece."
- peter thelen, expose, u.s.a.

"braindance is like no other band i've ever heard - another flawless masterpiece."
- j.p., metal-rules, canada

"just when i thought that industrial music/techno music was hitting rock-bottom – braindance is doing what many other bands do well, they are just doing it better. the music from the new album is sure to be everywhere soon – just incredible."
- michael kidd, dark velvet magazine, u.s.a.

"major label material from the underground. no one writes music quite like this – once again spectacular and beyond phenomenal."
- wayne klinger, quintessence, u.s.a.

"one of the few examples of crossing goth, prog metal, doom, industrial and trance that actually works; braindance consists of sebastian elliott, whose passionate delivery is without comparison and guitarist vora vor, who is equally proficient at her craft - hard to find much to complain about."
- allan grusie, brave words & bloody knuckes, canada

"leading in a completely new scene, these seriously intelligent musicians have created a fucking brilliant mix, belonging in a league far beyond the underground"
- pazuzu, metal disorder magazine, greece

"easily one of the best in the gothic-metal genre and the potential to appeal to a wide range of audiences, composing strong, well-written and melodic songs with powerful vocals. everything present here is of high quality, from the talented musicanship, well constructed songs, production, and stellar packaging of the recording - in talent and ability, quite above many of the gothic metal acts present today."
-jeramy ponder, jackal blaster webzine, u.s.a.

"i've made you aware of their appealing accessibility before, and that's what you have to expect from redemption - accessible songs = prolonged hearing sessions. the future will be both haunting and captivating."
- shahrizwan shamsudin, random magazine, malaysia

"being underground you have to be quality to survive and what's more, it means that your music has to be superior braindance made it properly, convincing everyone who would try to accuse them of lack of authenticity."
- filip jesion, agonia webzine, poland

"complex brilliance that we will absolutely hear more from in the future."
- marius olaussen, valgalder magazine, norway

"braindance plummets listeners into a twisting, grinding, expanding cyber-crunch that strains and pulls the inner walls of pre-conceived hyper-reality."
- arena music u.s.a.

"redemption is an innovative gothic prog-metal offer that dazzles the mind with amazing melodies and menacing, crunching riffs that will haunt you for weeks."
- marcelo silveyra, progfreaks.com, mexico

"the most original and innovative style i've ever heard, a perfect example of a musical genius hybrid - mainstream & underground horde could be heard on this one!!!"
- adrenalin, centra online, indonesia

"astonishing and capturing, progressive genius!"
- volker stadler, metal.de, eviscerate magazine australia

"the diversity of the music is nearly as numerous as the tracks on this album, all with a progressive taste to them from progressive metal to progressive trance and everything in between. with sebastian elliott taking the lead on the vocals, the artwork and much of the creativity behind the physical album he is joined by vora vor doing much of the compositions and instruments to create a powerful, well-rounded work. i've definitely had a lot of fun listening to and enjoying the full nature of this album combining the physical with the aural experience. this is a great work and a great overall experience, and there are definitely some stellar tracks on this album, some great favorites that are dance-friendly and powerful and for me overall i really enjoy elliott's deep vocals across the driving beats and grinding guitars. it's a great style that many fans of the goth-related music can enjoy, so be sure to pick it up."
- gothicparadise.com, u.s.a.

"braindance does an exceptional job of handling its art with the utmost sincerity, skill, and attention to detail. The virtuosic playing, as well as the level of dedication and inventiveness in the production, makes 'master of disguise' a remarkable beast. a concept album that’s as cinematic as it is musical, with tight arrangements and exceptional musicianship throughout, master of disguise' is pretentious, lavish, extraneous, complex, ambitious...and awesome."
- jordan blum, rebelnoise.com, u.s.a.

"If ever there was an example needed of how record companies in bands can make a package so attractive that it's definitely worth buying them this ambitious concept album from braindance would be the perfect candidate. braindance certainly have some guts putting an album out that is so different and so self-assured, and it's a gamble which pays off."
- andrew hawns, powerplay magazine, u.k.

"braindance's futuristic method of sound is completely innovative... transports the listener through a captivating, somewhat eerie and exciting sound zone that's very hard to forget...originality at its finest!!!"
- jill bussion, east coast rocker, u.s.a.

"collectively riveting – mind-bending excursions with both a mind and heart. an unearthly degree of innovative talent...a marvel of technical ability and songwriting intellect!!!"
- long island live, musician's exchange, u.s.a.

"unparalleled originality and creativity...puts every prog, goth, and industrial band to shame... they write songs and understand ambience better than anyone – the best band in existence!!!"
- william bazjek's web review, u.s.a.

"superbly unique...a new rung on the evolutionary ladder of modern progressive music... seductively intelligent songcraft light years ahead...braindance should be setting new standards."
- john collinge, progression magazine, u.s.a.

"i give braindance an a for originality...one listen and you're floored – arrangement, composition, and musicianship are all aces!"
- j. paul, musician's exchange, u.s.a.

"the masters of gothic progressive rock - one of the sleekest of the dark goth bands, the new music on redemption only adds to the luster of the well oiled musical machine that is braindance ...one of the most professional, well produced independent bands in existence... strong vocals & exceptional musicianship climaxing in a multi-layered incremental musical extravaganza!"
- sal, raw 42 industrial darkwave, canada

"with no artistic restraints and an original sound, braindance has a great opportunity to create it's own spotlight and achieve under it."
- ben didier. grinding into emptiness, canada

"every song perfect in construction and execution...theatrics, material, musicianship make braindance a must see!"
- marissa von bargen, curious works magazine, u.s.a.

"braindance really shine through, creating a sound that's basically unique – this band seriously kicks ass!"
- sugoi music

"forget the pro attitude and layout – listen to these songs – awesome!!!"
- armold rosamilla, black moon magazine, u.s.a.

"distinctively deep vocals and catchy, futurist guitar riffology highlight dramatic, keyboard-laced atmospheres that would have made a perfect alternate soundtrack for the crow."
- bryan reesman, launch.com, u.s.a

"haunting, beautiful, emotive, compelling....doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the effect this music has on the human heart and mind... these immensely talented individuals incorporate numerous elements into an intense, emotional masterpiece."
- jon kollonot, kollnot newsletter, u.s.a

"a new perspective on the meaning of originality and innovation – furrowed a third eye socket in my forehead!!! what they have created is nothing short of their own musical world – they have created a brand new genre of music, and maybe one day people will point to braindance as the flash point."
- roy abrams, the music paper, u.s.a