Reviews

If you like your progressive metal to be dramatic, grandiose and pompous in nature, Dimension Act is a band you probably should check out. Massive arrangements with keyboards and guitars contrasting and complementing each other in richly layered arrangements are the deal here, with some atmospheric inserts and quite a few pacier ones closer to power metal in expression, with a powerful lead vocalist to cater for the lyrical department in a suitable manner. A well made production that probably will find favor amongst quite a few Ayreon fans.
progressor.net/review/dimension_act_2012.html

And to be honest, the first songs did not help me much. Pretty much modern progressive metal by the numbers. Aggressive riffing, a lot of notes from all the musicians, breaks ´n stuff, you know, the works. And lengthy stuff as well, the first 3 songs clock in at over 23 minutes together. So it was kinda strange that ultimately the epic proved to be the track of most interest. Not only because they show a bit more of an identity, but also because this song, Perspectives Chapter 1: Drawing The Lives Of Mortal Existence (with a title like that it wóuld be strange to write a 4 minute song) is to me the most adventurous track. More dynamic, some quieter parts, some female vocals, a lot better to digest and fall in love with. There is no doubt in my mind that this band (I think they are from Norway) know their stuff and deliver in the chosen field. For me, I like them best when they go a little crazy and draw a bit outside the lines. More colourful that way! Nevertheless, another quality release from ProgRock Records and not only for genre accumulators.
yourmusicblog.nl/?p=2243

Looking at the booklet's cover and song titles of this album gave me a really bad itch. But while the music has quite some moments of cheap bombast and plastic sounds, it is nowhere near as bad as anticipated. Actually, for a progressive/power metal release, this is very enjoyable. Okay, subtlety isn't part of their vocabulary, but Dimension Act from Norway manage to bring some quite diverse and highly melodic material. Another plus is that the dramatic vocals of Tom-Vidar Salangli sometimes remind of Wolverine's. Dimension Act is another band to line up with other Dream Theater / Symphony X clones, although they do put in some things of their own (for instance the convincing female guest vocals of Live Foyn Friss). All in all, the carbon copy feeling is only there with some short passages, and for the rest one could very well enjoy this record for what it is: a product of very solid musicianship, for those who do not bother when the lyrics leave little to the imagination. Dynamic-wise, this record is mostly hard-hitting, so all you metalheads don't be afraid when promotion talk utters "jazzy guitar parts"; you won't notice while you're banging your head in complex rhythms.
www.lordsofmetal.nl/showreview.php?id=21755&lang=en

Not only music wise everything's well put together, but also lyrically. The album deals with existential and philosophical matters. It's not a concept album par excellence yet all the lyrics have a common theme: mankind's never ending search for a perfect existence, but not really knowing how to realize it. All musicians delivered outstanding performances, but I have to mention one in particular. Marius Nilsen obviously is the driving force behind Dimension Act. He was responsable for all of the compositions; he shared most of the lyrics with singer Tom Vidar Salangli and he did both the arrangements and the production. Manifestation Of Progress is highly recommended to all fans of the above-mentioned bands. On growing more experienced in the future I'm sure they will release a true masterpiece that can compete with albums as Images And Words and Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from A Memory. I guess what When Dream And Day Unite was for Dream Theater, might be Manifestation Of Progress for Dimension Act.
www.backgroundmagazine.nl/CDReviews/DimensionActManifestationOfProgress.html

Although seasoned proggers may find themselves anaesthetized to the novelty of a half- hour epic, there is a certain prerequisite of skill involved in pulling it off, and as cliche as the monster ‘Perspectives’ is, it impresses greatly for its wealth of different musical ideas and dramatic ebb-and-flow. Compared to the signature epics of progressive metal, it lacks the ‘full circle’ element that would have made it sound like a complete composition, rather than a quasi-rhapsody of prog-power metal episodes. It may pale in comparison to ‘A Change of Seasons’ or ‘No Exit’, but the level of skill and consistent power of the musical passages in the epic lifts DIMENSION ACT’s debut out of a purely run-of-the-mill status.
www.prog-sphere.com/2012/04/20/dimension-act-manifestation-of-progress

Most of the songs on display are well thought out and put together. Take "Industrial Evilution" for example, a heavy song with some complex riffery, tasty keyboards, catchy melodies, and some powerful vocals from Salangli. This one flows real well, and the band did a great job of making it enticing to those who love instrumental interplay (some killer soloing here), but the vocal sections are quite memorable and will appeal to the power metal crowd. "Unchartered Waters" is very majestic, complete with commanding keyboard tones, soaring vocals, and layers of guitars, but the real kicker here is the near 32-minute, six part epic " Perspectives Chapter 1- Drawing the Lines of Mortal Existence". Plenty of stunning musical virtuosity on display throughout this one, including some long passages that will thrill both prog & fusion lovers alike, and look for some lovely guest female vocals from Live Foyn Friis. Despite its length, this one work quite nicely, and there are some really heavy and challenging sections that show just how much talent this band has not only on their instruments but in their ability to craft a successful song of this nature. Though it's only their debut, Manifestation of Progress shows that Dimension Act have arrived, and the progressive metal scene had better take notice. Fans of Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Pagan's Mind, and Circus Maximus will no doubt be all over this one!
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=12637

There are only two albums that left me saying "wow" at the end of the first play through. Those two albums are Exivious' debut and this album. Whenever I find a new, young band and begin to listen to their debut album, I don't set my expectations high. This is because many times, a band's first effort can be sloppy, feature underdevolped songs, or may even feel rushed. Exivious was full of seasoned and renowned players who were members of the illustrious and famous acts known as Cynic and Textures so the rule didn't exactly apply to them. However, in the case of Dimension Act, I didnt expect the nearly flawless masterpiece that greeted my ears upon my first listen. Manifestation Of Progress is a hefty and complex offering of progressive metal that gets aggressive at times, but still manages to comes across as "easy listening" and inoffensive.
www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Dimension_Act/Manifestation_of_Progress/329649

Interview with the band
themetalpit.ca/interviewdimensionact.html

Overall this is not a bad effort at all by Dimension Act, they need a little touch around the edges but overall sound sustains enough potency to hold some water for a new band entering a genre which is hard to elucidate at times. I did feel the vocals needed to take more of a front row emphasis, as the instrumentation which is great at times, really overshadows lead singer Tom Vidar Salangli’s solid vocals. Again one of those albums that you have to let sink into you multiple times to fully grasp the overall complexity of the sound and purpose. I think DA can find a place in the genre and with more experience behind their debut, I look forward to a stronger effort the next time around. But for now not a bad showing. Check em out!!!
myglobalmind.com/2012/04/07/dimension-act-manifestation-of-progress-review

The meat, and best part, of Manifestation of Progress is Drawing the Lines of Moral Existence, which is played in six parts. It's texture is quite expansive and deep, but mostly proves the skill of the musicians. Notable throughout the six parts is the excellent drumming from Frank Nordeng Roe and guitarist Marius Nilsen's distinctive inventiveness. The band is also helped in the vocal arrangements by talented Norwegian singer Live Foyn Friis. While I could easily pass on the first three songs as generic prog-power metal, the strength and depth of the massive six part Drawing the Lines of Moral Existence requires giving Dimension Act's Manifestation of Progress a better score. Watch for these guys in the future. Dimension Act is a promising band. Recommended.
www.dangerdog.com/2012-music-reviews/dimension-act-manifestation-of-progress.php

I’ve often said the challenge with the Prog Metal genre as I see it, is how to sound different, given that loud, hard, crunchy guitars, rumbling bass and pounding drums played at super-fast speeds gets a bit samey after a while. Fortunately Dimension Act has not forgotten that the core of a song is its melody and there’s plenty of that inserted into the band’s compositions. I give them high-marks for this debut and look forward to watching their sound develop.
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20d-e_035.htm

The piste de resistance is the last track, the epic “Drawing The Lines of Mortal Existence”. Clocking in at over 31 minutes of music and separated into seven parts, this is an ambitious undertaking for progressive bands that have done this in the past (Rush’s 2112 and Fates Warning’s Ivory Gate of Dreams spring to mind) never mind on a debut album. But Dimension Act makes it work. Part 1 “Pre-spective” is an instrumental that would make Dream Theater envious and some truly awe-inspiring keyboard work. The vocals kick in on Part II “Transparent Reality” which spotlights some fine vocal work by Salangli and female session vocalist Live Foyn Friis. This section of the song has a real melodic AOR (Album Oriented Rock) vibe. Parts III “Illusions”, IV “Counterparts”,V “The Battle Within”, through the spectacular finale of Part VI “A Different Perspective” weave an intricate web of fine instrumentation and harmonious vocal passages so seamlessly that you lose yourself in it’s sonic beauty. There were moments when I totally forgot that I was listening to one song! In conclusion, “Manifestation of Progress” is an impressive beginning to say the least! Along with Germany’s Beyond The Bridge, Dimension Act is at the top of my list for most impressive prog metal debut of the year. Expect big things for this band!
themetalpit.ca/dimensionact.html