Origin:	Norway
Genres:	Progressive Metal

Spiral Architect

After several years of anticipation (indeed, the BNR Metal Pages were promoting this band's demo back in 1996), Norway's Spiral Architect finally, in 2000, produced the technical metal metal masterpiece that everyone expected and hoped for. There are few who really play technical metal, and fewer still who can mix dizzying musicianship while keeping the songs as songs, rather than disjointed jam sessions. Shades of Watchtower, old Yes, maybe Cynic, and others can be heard here -- on top of that is a superb vocalist who sounds uncannily like Buddy Lackey of the late great Psychotic Waltz, and a stellar production that lets all of the instruments breathe, and the result is simply one of the best albums of the last several years. A Sceptic's Universe sets the standard for technical metal.

Though not disbanded, the band is inactive for the time being, as the members are or have been involved with several other bands, including Arcturus, Lunaris, and Satyricon.