Madmen and Sinners

Artist: Tim Donahue
Label: Frontiers Italy
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 766487206341
EAN: 8024391018521
ASIN: B0001IW2SO

Release Date: 2004-04-08

Madmen and Sinners

Related Categories:

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal

| Imports | Stores | Music

Tracks:

Millions Miles
Let Go
My Heart Bleeds
Feel My Pain
Morte et Dabo
Children of the Flame
End
Wildest Dreams
Master of the Mind
Madmen & Sinners

Similar Items:

Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra
Leonardo - The Absolute Man
Room V
Elements of Persuasion
An Absence of Empathy

Customer Reviews:

Good Solid Album !!.......2006-01-04

I purchased this album purely for my appreciation for James Labrie and Dream Theater. I would tend to agree that the vocals on the album do not fully demonstrate the vocal range of James Labrie, however his vocals do complement Tim Donahue's style and tempo on this album. The music is a little different in style and sound and it took a few play to really grow on me. All in all, I really like some of the heavier tracks on this album. If you are looking for an album that is purely a James Labrie showcase, Mullmuzzler or his solo album are the way to go. James on this album does a great job to complement the music style and feel of this album. It is a pretty cool album

I am disappointed..........2004-10-11

I was buying this CD based on reviews only (which is something I've learnt not to do ever again). I was exepticing to put the CD in my stereo and be blown away, but the disappointment was as big as the expectation. The Compositions sound well, if not less, and they are far from showing James LaBrie's vocal talent. Also I was expecting Tim Donahue (which is said to be a talented guitarist) to show his guitar skills but all I heard was simple tunes which every evarage guitarist can play easily.
I'm not saying the album is horrible, there are *nice* songs here and there, but hey, I was expecting more. Especially from an imported album which costs more than every other album and takes a lot more time to get to your house.
vuttom line: Don't base your oppinions on review and try to hear the album before buying it!

Tim Donahue - Madmen & Sinners featuring James Labrie.......2004-06-26

I have been listening to progressive metal for over 10 years and it's strange cause I've never heard anything from Tim Donahue before. It's even more strange that he has released six albums already none of which I heard of until Madmen & Sinners came out.

This is so far one of the best progressive metal albums of 2004. I believe one of the factors Donahue has managed to reach a broader audience this time must be the inclusion of Dream Theater vocalist James Labrie. Obviously Donahue wrote this album constantly with Labrie on mind. When he finally got the chance to contact and invite him to sing on this disc, his dreams came true. Honestly I can't fathom a better choice as the singer of this disc since James Labrie does an outstanding vocal performance which matches the atmosphere of the album perfectly.

Madmen & Sinners is a 68-minute long progressive metal album consisting of Tim Donahue on fretless guitar, bass and keyboards; James Labrie on vocals and Mike Mangini on drums. I have been a huge fan of Mangini ever since I first discovered him in Extreme and then Annihilator, Steve Vai and finally Labrie's solo project Mullmuzzler. He recorded his drum parts back in the USA and sent his copies over to Donahue who mixed it at his home studio. The drumming sounds absolutely fresh and creative on the entire disc.

The fact that Tim Donahue has always played fretless guitar gives him his own edge. The sound of the fretless guitar is very distinctive and gives him a lot more freedom in his writing and playing. It has to be pointed out that Donahue's playing is very articulated, smooth and emotionally engaging. Although Madmen & Sinners is primarily his own project, this album in no way sounds like a one-man band project. There is plenty of room left for James Labrie's expressive and dark vocals plus some Gregorian chants which all give this album its own character. James Labrie sings quite differently from his role in Dream Theater and what's so interesting is that whenever Labrie takes part in a side project (Frameshift, Ayreon, Mullmuzzler), he has so much to offer. His singing style shifts from dark soothing vocals on "The End" to a really aggressive style on "Master of the Mind" or "Million Miles". You've never heard him sing the way he sings in "My Heart Bleeds" or "Children of the Flame". It's a pity he is severely criticised by most of his own fanbase for not sounding 'harsh' enough, but at least he has got a 100% James Labrie voice that is instantly recognisable. Instead of sounding like another dated Halford, Dickinson or Kiske clone, he sounds like himself -- the one and only James Labrie.

The first 10 plus times I listened to this album, I was reminded of Dream Theater's SFAM, only less complex and less flashy. But then slowly my opinion started to change and the similarities between to two albums began to wither. This album is definitely its own thing. The added Gregorian chants and fat organ sound with Latin language and the few spoken parts give way to the dark and brooding melodies of the album. You can tell why it took Donahue nearly three years to finish this album since he handled the recording, mixing and production duties solely by himself. Everything is so balanced and each instrument plays in perfect harmony with Labrie's vocals beautifully layered on top of it.

By listening to this album I have realised that Tim Donahue has created a great album and has every right to be proud of it. Hopefully we'll be hearing more from him but I'm in no hurry. This is already one of those discs that I will be playing on and off, for there is so much to discover here. Very highly recommended to prog metal fans who like their music intense, powerful and emotionally charged.

A testament to creativity, artistry and musical evolution........2004-04-13

With six releases under his belt, Donahue decided it was time to take his music to the next level. After recording Into The Light (2000) and long before the ever meeting James LaBrie(Dream Theater),Donahue began writing M&S with LaBrie's voice in mind thinking in terms of a progressive metal album in the vein of a bombastic Dream Theater. A chance meeting with a mutual friend of LaBrie's in the summer of 2001, put Donahue in touch with the singer following a spontaneous listening session of the initial demo material. Phone calls were made, LaBrie was suitably intrigued by the offer and Donahue began writing in earnest with realization of the Madmen album in sight.

Guitarist and singer met for the first time in July 2002 to discuss Donahue's musical vision and ideas for Madmen & Sinners. Over the course of their brainstorming sessions Labrie suggested bringing drummer Mike Mangini (Extreme/Steve Vai) on board, having worked with the skinbasher on his Mullmuzzler side project. Recording took place in January 2003,with Mangini put to tape in Boston,LaBrie's vocals recorded in Barrie,Ontario. The year that followed saw Donahue holed up in his home studio playing and recording all the fretless guitar, bass and synth parts,engineering and mixing the album himself,all while having to deal with a temperamental computer intent on eating precious recorded data at random.

Music Album:

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Xingu ~ Present Dreams

Time Again: Brubeck Revisited, Vol. 2 ~ Joe Gilman

The Indispensable Fats Waller, Vol. 9-10 ~ Fats Waller

Final Notes ~ Wynton Kelly

In New York ~ Steve Grossman

Party Up ~ Toy Shop

Shiva Station ~ Jai Uttal & the Pagan Love Orchestra

Blues and Soul Review, Vol. 1 ~ Roy Roberts & Friends

Un Leggerissimo ~ Sushi

Buddies ~ W-Inds, Flame, Lead