Reviews

Review in Dutch
www.progwereld.org/cd-recensies/withoutend.htm

...The first time I listened it was a hard job, but in some kind of way it attracted to me to get a couple of more listenings. During these the album got better and better and now I often put this one in my player just to enjoy their music. And with it the album still grows. It's kind like an exploration. Mostly these are the ones who become classics in the future.
www.musketeerofdeath.nl/cdrwitho.htm

...Their music has some strong roots in US progressive metal, and really takes some time and quite a few spins before it starts to sink in ... but if you take the time, then this album shows a lot of promise. They do not seldom remind me of another great progressive metal band from down under: Vauxdvihl, with their very emotional vocals. Nicholas Georgakopoulus has a very unique and strong voice, which he uses very skillful. His drumming is also very good, and along with Sam Schepis on bass, he builds a strong rhythm-section, Michael Totta on guitars gives the band a nice metal edge with his playing ... WithoutEnd is a very unique and talented band, that surely deserves your attention, if you are into progressive metal ... I really like this album, and please check them out ...
powermetal.dk/reviews/withoutend_review.htm

...From the very first listen, I knew I was gonna love this disc. Although it does take four or five spins to really take its hold, the melodies and the sound of Michael Totta's guitar hit you right between the ears. In terms of the songs Analyse is the cream of the crop. It mixes up the tempos to great effect, has some intense heaviness in the guitar work of Totta and an absolutely massive hook for the chorus. Crunch is the heaviest song but again mixes in plenty of light and shade, whilst I Still Remember is an epic, brooding ballad that shifts between four different phases. Comfort Zone meanwhile boasts the album's catchiest chorus, whilst the closing track The Third Day is a piano-led number seeing the band at its most plainly progressive...
www.dprp.net/reviews/200465.html#withoutend

German review
www.metalius.de/reviews/review_2534.html

Italian review
www.silentscreamzine.com/ReviewShow.asp?ReviewsID=2834

Polish review
www.caladan.art.pl/recenzje_sc.php?id=770

Dutch review
www.metalfan.nl/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=1481

Italian review
www.metal-zone.it/recensioni/withoutending.htm

Nice interview with the band
www.powermetal.dk/interviews/withoutending.htm

The band comes from Australia and this is its debut album... and I have to say that it is quite interesting for a beginning. It seems that the band is still in the process of digesting its influences creatively. This means that although some quite evident influences from big names of progressive music appear here and there within the record, the band offers a good proposition, which has an original stigma that might evolve to something even better in the future. The band plays a kind of progressive rock/metal, with some very intense classical inspirations. The tempos here are rather slow, but that offers a lyrical approach to the music. The prog trio manages to deliver some very good compositions (like my favourite “Analyse”) of clean-cut progressive metal, that doesn’t fall in the trap of complicated, but boring songs. On the contrary the band manages to keep the duration of the songs rather sort (around 5 minutes), reminding me thus a lot of Psychotic Waltz and Leviathan. The approach here is closer to the one of the aforementioned bands, or Poverty’s No Crime, Soul Cages and Fates Warning and less to Dream Theater or Shadow Gallery. In general I think that the band has huge potentials, I suggest prog fans to check them out and I’m looking forward to listening to more from them
www.grande-rock.com/reviews.htm

...Nicholas is the drummer and vocalist, while Michael performs guitar and some bass, but on the vocal side, Nicholas has a strong voice which I feel is an important factor with this style of music. The guitar is a dominate piece to the jigsaw too, the power riffs play an important part in the song structure, which are well balanced and produced. The third song Analyse is a gentle track, and has Nicoletta's crying voice at the start, while the forth track I Still Remember, which I feel is their strongest number, explores the personal breakdowns in relationships and is quite emotional. Nicholas's voice carries the emotion through the song, which also has nice keyboard touches...
www.hairlessheartherald.co.uk/withoutending_-_withoutending.htm

...Most of the songs on this album are filled with semi-technical guitar riffage and moments of the 90's incarnations of Rush. WithoutEnding's writing is divided between the stuff we were accustomed to hearing from most Norwegian bands in the mid-90's, such as Trivial Act, Manitou, and Conception circa Flow, and perhaps, the more metallic versions of contemporary prog rock (bands like Tiles and Enchant come to mind). On "Again", there are a plethora of influences, emphasizing ever-changing riffs and melodies, extended drum solos, and heavy, rhythmically complex arrangements. However, the following piece "In Transit" is a more atmospheric cut, with plenty of keys and acoustic guitars dominating it. Halfway through, Michael Totta throws in some angular guitar chords in the mix to widen its scope. "Analyse" features some female vocals in the beginning, before a cold, menacing bass works its way in the mix and, with the inclusion of a dreamy synth melody, creates a beautiful mood. "I Still Remember" explores the breakdown in relationships, and is perhaps the most brooding song on the album. Georgakatoulos' vocals are amazing here...
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=1760

French review
www.musicinbelgium.net/pl/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=803

...I would not at all hesitate in recommending WithoutEnding, not only to Prog Metal fans, but also to melodic Prog lovers. These guys are very talented and have made quite a good album. Go to their website and check out sound samples if this review does not convince you.
www.proGGnosis.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=15599

...WithoutEnding's music is mainly dark, evocative progressive metal with odd time signatures, original melodies and strong vocal lines. Actually the most characteristic quality of WithoutEnding is their vocalist, Nicholas Georgakopoulos, whose unique voice complements their atmospheric compositions well. Especially, his use of vibrato is captivating - it's rather similar to that of John Arch's (ex-Fates Warning), although their voices aren't alike...
www.rockreviews.info/reviewpage.php?ID=304

Review in the Netherlands
www.fileunder.nl/archives/2005/06/withoutending_w.php

..With that said, WithoutEnding's debut album is much better than Dream Theater's premiere outing. In the grand scheme, this says very little and yet it says a lot. It is an achievement to even produce an album, and for this I give them high praise. It is an even greater feat when the first one has a couple redeeming qualities. Many bands that have soared to legendary status started with meager profits. WithoutEnding, however, has produced what I would consider a decent album...
www.progressiveworld.net/withoutending.html

Interview with Nick
www.progressiveworld.net/georgakopoulosninterv.html

Originally released in 2004 under the name WithoutEnd, changed its name to WithoutEnding and under the ProgRock Records ever growing roster of talent. Their brand of music borders on progressive metal and neo-prog. Before that scares you off, they tread more in the prog metal camp with similarities to Fates Warning and early Pain of Salvation. Thankfully they’re not one of those ultra annoying technical metal bands that sound so very cold in delivery. WithoutEnding has a very warm feeling, in fact I might dare to say a soulful feeling. Now they’re not 100% original in style but they know how to delivery powerful metallic sounds with emotion driven lyrics. I hope they continue onward and grasp more influences and possible come into their own as a force to be reckoned with.
www.geocities.com/prognaut/reviews/withoutending.html

There is something to be said for a prog rock/metal band that places their emphasis on the song, where the musical element is built around catchy hooks and memorable riffs, rather than going way deep into the improvisation factor. Without Ending is one of those bands that writes material that encompasses the songwriting ideology and builds their technical approach upon the musical stamina that is driven with complicated minded compositions...
www.ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=704

Italian Review
www.hmp.it/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=4707

Polish review
gondolin.aplus.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=603&Itemid=28

Dutch review
www.progwereld.org/cd-recensies/withoutending.htm