Reviews

Interview with the band
www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=70691

...Leaving this fact behind here we got an emotional, melodic and deep Progressive Metal album, based on compositions presented under complex and technical structures. It seems that the band’s main goal is mostly to deliver emotional music using their performing abilities, so do not expect just ultra technical themes lacking of inspiration and emotion. It is a fact that the music trapped in this album drives the listener to a strange and beautiful trip, trips like this can be made only by the listening of good Progressive Metal albums and this is in fact a good one...
www.metalpaths.com/reviews/daedalus-–-never-ending-illusion,973

...For The Never Ending Illusion Daedalus wanted to expand their sound and got some professional classical musicians to play on the album. This is very evident on “Cold Embrace” where a french horn and a double bass are very central. It’s a nice and slow track where those two instruments really bring something extra to Daedalus’ music. The last part of the song sees a beautiful ending with a passionate lead guitar, courtesy of Andrea Torretta and a female vocalist doubling it. There are some clever key changes here and the result is great. It’s interesting to hear how keyboardist Giuseppe Spanò makes use of a lot of different sounds from his keyboard. On “Cold Embrace” he sticks to the string-like sound, while on “Perfect Smile” he switches between a typical prog-sounding lead sound for the lead parts, some organ sounds for other parts of the song, and a Super Mario Bros-like (Nintendo 8-bit game) sound for doubling the lead guitar. Spanò really gets to show different sides of his talented self on this record. Not only can he play the technical stuff, but he adds the crucial extra elements to Daedalus that really builds a solid foundation for the music...
www.metalexpressradio.com/menu.php?main=reviews&id=2933

This is the prototype of the great album. Not only it's extremely well written, well played and well produced, but it's also pretty unique. Ok, DAEDALUS didn't create a new metal style (not at all), but the music of the Italians is original enough to be really different from any other progressive heavy metal band. With this second opus, DAEDALUS made a progressive tour-de-force. Ten excellent tracks made of heavy metal riffs, rock tunes, beautiful vocal lines, great melodies, splendid arrangements, complex structures and a little theatrical side. If you add the clever lyrics, the great sound production made by Roland Grapow (ex-HELLOWEEN, MASTERPLAN) and some cool guest musicians or vocalists (like Rob Tiranti of LABŸRINTH) you have enough reason to buy this excellent album.
www.heavymetaluniverse.com/home.php?load=cmV2aWV3cy9uZXdzLnBocD9sYW5nPXVr

Truth be told, progressive metal wins my mind and soul above most genres as I’m the type of critic who normally prefers intimate discovery through each and every listen to music. Call me a pure geek if you will, but Italy’s Daedalus with their second album “The Never Ending Illusion” draw inspiration from Queen, Rush, Arena and Dream Theater to create a dynamic full sound to my nit picky audiophile eardrums. They’ve been honing their craft since 2002, producing their first album in 2003 and undergoing a vocalist/ guitarist lineup change the following year. Thanks to Roland Grapow in 2007, these tracks saw a professional mixing job and I can understand why he saw something unique in this quintet that aren’t re-treading riffs from their mentors or heroes...
www.imhotep.no/?did=9089002&aid=9069486

The Italian band DAEDALUS already released an album back in 2003 titled ‘Leading far from a mistake’, but somehow this album went unnoticed. The band was formed in Genoa, Italy by Fabio Gremo (bass) and Giuseppe Spanò (keyboards), who were accompanied in 2002 by singer Alessio Brunetti and drummer Davide La Rosa. Together with guitarist Andrea Torretta, who replaced co-founder guitarist Andrea Rinaldi in 2004, the band released their first album 6 years ago, now finally followed up by ‘The never ending illusion’. The new album has been released on one of the prime labels for Progressive rock/metal music, the US label PROGROCK RECORDS. Without a doubt, what we have here is a sensational Melodic Progressive Metal album that also features as guest musicians, vocalists Roberto Tiranti (LABYRINTH) and Alessandro Corvaglia (LA MASCHERA DI CERA) as well as Roland Grapow (former guitarist of HELLOWEEN and founder of MASTERPLAN), who mixed the album. Not too far away from DGM, PAGAN’S MIND, ASTRA and such high profile acts in the Progressive Metalgenre, this is an album a fan of this genre will instantly fall in love with, as melodies are all over the place, both in the instrumental section as well as the wonderful vocal arrangements. Highlights are “Perfect smile”, “Life” and “The dancers”, although each of the 10 included songs are a must-hear for fans of high class Melodic Progmetal.
strutter77.angelfire.com/HOTNEWREVIEWS141.htm

...Once the opening atmospheric introduction piece, Waiting for the Dawn, ends and the first song, Perfect Smile, kicks off, many will probably draw comparisons with Dream Theater in terms of the music they hear. The melodic, powerful vocals of Davide Merletto will probably strengthen this line of thinking - his voice and vocal style do resemble James LaBrie quite a bit. But, first and foremost, the guitar sound is what reminds one of this well-known US band, with a dark, aggressive tinge pretty similar to what you might find on their third album, "Awake". When immersing oneself a bit deeper in this production though, the differences start to make themselves heard. True enough, this production isn't one that is highly inventive or creative and the atmosphere, the mood as well as the compositional structure don't break any new ground, but they aren't carbon copies of existing acts either. The guitar is the dominant instrument throughout, serving aggressive, dark riffs with just a bit of grit to them in most instances. Repetitive riff barrages are used just as often as more fluent, wandering passages, and on quite a few occasions the riffs explore some slightly quirky patterns...
www.progressor.net/review/daedalus_2009.html

German review
www.heavy-metal.de/?id=13300

...Daedalus hails from Italy and one can surely hear their inspiration source especially that of Dream Theater, with little hints of Rush, Arena...also may I add, the sometimes frantic staccato and fills guitar of Andrea Torretta reminds this reviewer of Saga´s Crichton! First of all I must admit, when a band get the label "Progmetal" I tend to get nervous, defensive and in a no can do mood!! However I must admit, that this is the exception to the rule. It is quite an amazing album these guys have created, im pleasantly surprised with the superb delivery musician, composition and productionwise!! Well, one could argue that not much is new, under the sun. Still these fine musicians deliver strong performances from the word go:..
www.progplanet.com/index.php?categoryid=31&p2_articleid=733

..."Perfect Smile"--and really most of The Never Ending Illusion--doesn't ebb and flow with the same grace of your more seasoned prog giants, but crispness aside, it's obvious that Daedalus has a rock solid foundation that allows for its members to do some very cool things. Unfortunately, the vocals aren't always up to the task, especially not during the slower and more ominous-sounding moments. The singer does shine on occasion, particularly on "Mare Di Stele", a duet in Italian, but a lot of the time the singing misses the mark ever so slightly, perhaps due in part to the accent. It's worth noting that the lyrics are actually quite well written in spite of this. The Never Ending Illusion has its ups and downs, but for the most part Daedalus delivers music that is exciting. You can't ask for much more than that. The aforementioned "Perfect Smile", the beautiful instrumental "Horizons In A Box" and the 9-minute title track are probably the best compositions here, but the entire album is definitely worth a listen for fans of the genre.
www.metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.1909

...Mused majorly by Dream Theater, which is the most obvious and notable reference, Daedalus keeps it a tad simpler, in a more Abydos meets (later) Arena meets Angra meets Masterpan way (Masterplan’s Roland Grapow is the producer, by the way). The whole album explores the boundaries of the DT type of prog metal musical world, while adding a personal touch. The fast paced parts and thoughtful guitar and keyboard solo units; the mellower and melodic intermissions that grab the listener’s imagination; the dual melodic and harmonic/shredding solo guitar; the emotional and slightly high pitched vocals. Nothing is missing in this release to make a DT fan fully enjoy the discovery of this Italian band. To add to the already great package, Roberto Tiranti (of Labyrinth’s fame) and (my good friend) Alessandro Corvaglia (from La Maschera Di Cera) appear as guest vocalists, with sensitive and particularly excel performances. This really puts the cherry on top of the delicious cake that has been cooked here...
www.proggnosis.com/PGRelease.asp?RID=27499

...Daedalus is an Italian band with inspiration coming from acts including the likes of Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Queen and Rush. Daedalus's first release Leading Far From A Mistake was in 2003, and the time between releases has been spent getting the ten tracks on their follow up The Never Ending Illusion just right. The band had the added benefit of input from the very experienced Roland Grapow (Masterplan, Ex Helloween) who mixed the tracks...
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=7341

It took the band 5 years to come up with a follow up (it does not help when 2 out of the 5 members leaves!). Think Progmetal but with some serious lyrical subjects all dealing with determining what is reality versus dream or Illusion in this life we live. The CD was mixed by former Helloween guitarist, Roland Grapow. 11 songs in 57 minutes. This CD begins with a short keyboard intro piece before kicking into Perfect Smile. The music is very melodic with nice guitar solos on all the tracks of the Marillion style often and passionate singing and over all great playing. While this is not really my favourite type of music, these guys are very good. Perhaps a few too many of these padded new age synth stylings at times but the heavy riffs like in Hopeless are great. Check the band out…
www.lowcut.dk/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=599:daedalus-the-never-ending-illusion-prog-rock-records-prr650&catid=29:album-reviews&Itemid=54

It seems that Awake and Scenes From A Memory by Dream Theater were albums that have offered great influence to Daedalus, this can be noticed to the stuff included into their second Never Ending Illusion release, which is no doubt a high quality Progressive Metal albums that just happens to carry some of the Dream Theater spirit. Leaving this fact behind here we got an emotional, melodic and deep Progressive Metal album, based on compositions presented under complex and technical structures. It seems that the band’s main goal is mostly to deliver emotional music using their performing abilities, so do not expect just ultra technical themes lacking of inspiration and emotion. It is a fact that the music trapped in this album drives the listener to a strange and beautiful trip, trips like this can be made only by the listening of good Progressive Metal albums and this is in fact a good one. Rush, Dream Theater, a little Queen and the personal magic touch of the band is the main elements that forms the final result. If you are into all these and still want more melody and emotion into your Prog Metal then give this album a try.
www.forgotten-scroll.net/review.php?act=s_rev&id=448&rev=Countraven

...As the album progresses keys take a more subordinate role allowing Torretta’s power chords and fast metallic soloing to dominate, a pattern repeated through Hopeless, The Never Ending Illusion, The Dancers, A Journey To Myself and the token instrumental Horizons In A Box. The mood is momentarily broken each time by a brief mellow interlude usually at the midway point before the inevitable anthemic guitar driven finale. A respite comes in the form of Cold Embrace, a wistful piano and acoustic guitar ballad with a French horn solo (no less) and ethereal female chants courtesy of guests Stefano Lodo and Lucia La Rosa respectively. The albums concluding and standout song Mare Di Stelle is even more of a departure. Sung in Italian, it’s a stately lament with vintage Queen style harmonies from guests Roberto Tiranti and Alessandro Corvaglia against a rich acoustic guitar and synth strings backdrop...
www.dprp.net/reviews/200908.php#daedalus

...Daedalus has taken a huge quantum leap forward since that first album. They have defined their aims, honed their sound, and produced a complex identity of their own. Like every album I review, I have sat and listened to it several times before putting finger to keyboard. When tracks of the quality of “Horizons In A Box” come forth from the speakers you realize that here is a band that definitely has something of the highest quality to offer. Whilst sitting within the prog rock arena Daedalus haven’t fallen into the trap that a lot of bands inspired by Dream Theatre have. They have produced an album with their own character emblazoned upon it and their own style emanating from it. This is not just a DT clone band but one that produces their own well thought out, and constructed music with enough individual style to make you stand up and take notice...
blogcritics.org/archives/2009/02/25/072438.php

Italy's Daedalus have been around for several years now, enduring lineup changes and trying to make a name for themselves, made harder by a lack of promotion and distribution of their 2003 debut, Leading Far From A Mistake. Now touting a slightly different lineup and signed to both Galileo Records and ProgRock Records, the band is ready to take things to the next level with their sophomore effort. Mixed by Roland Grapow [Helloween, Masterplan] and featuring artwork by Mark Wilkinson (who has also done work for Marillion, Fish, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and many others over his career), it shouldn't be hard to get an idea of what to expect even before hearing The Never Ending Illusion for the first time. As is often the case with progressive metal, comparisons to Dream Theater emerge, and Daedalus are no exception. While their influence on Daedalus is certainly evident on The Never Ending Illusion, Daedalus are no mere Dream Theater knockoff. There are similarities, but once you get past the initial sound, you will begin to hear Daedalus' own take on progressive metal that incorporates other musical elements into the mix, including jazz and classical music...
usaprogmusic.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_simple_review&Itemid=28&review=268-Daedalus-The-Never-Ending-Illusion

...What we have here are ten compositions most of which are in the five-to-six minute range but also a couple longer pieces of seven and nine-minute lengths. By all accounts this is a band that had matured greatly from their 2003 release Leading far From a Mistake. The Never Ending Illusion starts out with the short keyboard-dominated, arpeggio based “Waiting for the Dawn” [1:14], but from that point on the guitars tend to be the dominant lead instrument. That said, there are moments, such as three-minutes into the song “Life” [5:46] where the heavy guitars step back providing space for washes of keyboards or other times for a short piano solo, but by and large this is an album of solid guitar work. The full-time keyboard player is kept busy for the most part providing thick atmospheres just to keep up the six-string crunch. The vocals of Merletto are in English and can be quite restrained as in the opening of “Hopeless” [5:11] but they can also take on a very James LaBrie tone, both in terms of style and range. Sometimes the resemblance is remarkable. In fact if I was forced to point to a sonic reference point it would easily be Dream Theater. The tunes hold much in common with those guys. Having said that Daedalus can also put together a great sounding ballad. Check out the opening classical strains of “Cold Embrace” [5:24] with the vocals in the lower register, keyboard strings adding a little orchestrated touch. It’s a great diversion from their heavier side...
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20d-e_014.htm