This is an album that enters a bit of a gray area for me. Hopefully, I can explain this effectively. Fibonacci Sequence are a prog metal instrumental band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and there is no questioning their talent, ambition and attention to detail. “Cinema Finis” is their latest conceptual epic which is very impressive musically.

So what’s the issue? This is one of those albums that I can clearly hear the talent coming thru but for whatever reason, I am never quite pulled into what is going on. I am always left feeling like a bit of a spectator observing all that’s happening. To be clear, the band does not overplay very much but there’s no questioning the virtuosity at hand. Unfortunately, there’s either a little too much to take in or things never quite feel natural to me.

The first track is unfortunately just a sound effect introduction and I so wish bands would stop doing that. Anyway, things get off to a good start with the track, “Obeah,” which is a fair representation of not only what Fibonacci Sequence can do but what they are all about musically. They remind me of a jazzier Liquid Tension Experiment. The short, sitar laden “Psalm Before the Storm” is next and it underscores one problem I have with “Cinema Finis”: short filler tracks. There aren’t many but I really wish there weren’t any.

That song is more of an introduction to “Christopher’s Plan” so maybe it could have been incorporated into it. “Christopher’s Plan” is a good track but just never gets past being a showcase of solos. “Repent” is another short track that is probably the best of the shorter ones but is over before you can get into the main riff. “Repentless” is a solid mid tempo track yet a bit uneventful.

While I understand the point of tracks like “Lobby Song” and “Take Your Seats” with regard to the cinematic concept, they are really just filler and once you’ve heard them once, odds are you never want to hear them again. The last two epics “Deus Ex Machina” and “Incantesimo Di Vistani” each are great displays of the band’s abilities, but by the time I get to the latter, I feel a tad worn out from all that’s come before.

If you enjoy technical, well executed instrumental prog metal with a Dream Theater influence, you should definitely check out Fibonacci Sequence. For me, “Cinema Finis” definitely had moments of greatness, they just weren’t quite consistent enough to pull me in.

Rating: 7.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Tickets Please
2. Obeah
3. Psalm Before the Storm
4. Christofer’s Plan
5. Repent
6. Repentless
7. Nightshade
8. Lobby Song
9. Take Your Seats
10. Deus Ex Machina
11. All Saints’ Day
12. Incantesimo di Vistani
13. Circumpunct

Bandcamp: fibonaccisequence.bandcamp.com
Website: www.fibseq.com