Reviews

As with their debut album a year earlier, 2009’s ‘A Strange Utopia’ features Jessica Lehto on the cover and lots more of her stunning vocals inside. I have always enjoyed multi-instrumentalist Hugo Flores’ work, and in Jessica he has found the perfect counterpoint. He can indulge his love of complex layered music knowing that he has a singer who can rise to every occasion. This album is a continuation of the debut, but is also a great deal more in every manner ‘Poles’² if you will. In every area this album rises to greater heights, whether it be in the greater sense of drama, the greater feeling of symphonic goth, the over-arching passion and feeling, the heavier power chords or the lightness and deftness of touch. In fact the only thing that I wasn’t too fond of was some of the ‘drumming’ that is a little over the top and somewhat out of proportion at times (such as at moments in “The Weight Of The World”). There is even a guest in the form of David Ragsdale (Kansas, Salem Hill) providing some delicious violin. The production is very strong throughout, and Jessica is, well, just superb. She has to be one of the finest vocalists in this style of music (okay, in any type of music) and her musical collaboration with Hugo is superb. Fans of Within Temptation and gothic symphonic progressive rock need to find this without delay.
www.therecordlabel.net

Interview with Hugo
www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=72003

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=71254

Download the music video here.
hugoflores.com/downloads/factory_of_dreams_the_weight_of_the_world_mid_qual.zip

..."A Strange Utopia" contains quite a bit of music. In all 14-songs are featured (including 2 bonus tracks) and close to 70-minutes of music. The songs are quite diversified and should please musicians and non-musicians alike. The vocals of Jessica Lehto gives the songs a dramatic element that is a perfect compliment to Hugo Flores' music which is also dramatic in nature. "Voyage To Utopia" is a very good opener, that creates a definite aura as the journey begins, and man what a journey this band has in store. "Weight of the World" is next and early on this is my favorite track, it features a killer melody and a solid, passionate vocal performance that really pushes this song over the top. "Inner Station" is next and includes some truly beautiful violin. Other highlights are: "Sonic Sensations", "Dark Utopia", and the 9-minute epic "E-Motions". The thing that is quite impressive about this CD is the diversity of the songs, it's true while Factory of Dreams are grounded firmly in prog, there are also some goth and electronic elements as well. Whether you like "A Strange Utopia" or don't (and I realize this will be a acquired taste for some) it is rarely boring or dismissive...
www.femmemetal.net/fodreamsstrangeutopiarev.htm

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
www.rockrealms.com/interrogation/factoryofdreams.php

Interview
paperdragonink.com/factory_of_dreams.htm

Portugese outfit Factory Of Dreams previous opus 'Poles' was reviewed here back in Sept 2008 and I was highly impressed with that release. Now what about 'A Strange Utopia'? This is another good record from the busy Hugo Flores and Jessica Lehto, and although I do admit that this will not be to everyone's taste, it should appeal to the fan who enjoys his Prog Rock/Metal. Again, the songs on offer are very well structured and quite technical. I call this type of music thinking person's music - do not expect verse chorus, verse chorus as it ain't gonna happen. 'Voyage To Utopia' gets things away, immediately giving us a feel for the music on offer. 'Inner Station' has an atmospheric intro and this track ranks as one of my faves on the cd - awesome violin too. But I have a feeling that on subsequent listens, other tracks will unveil their hidden qualities to me. 'Sonic Sensations' is another good tune that highlights the quality of Jessica's voice, while the awesome 9 minute + 'E-Motions' is another highlight on this album. Okay, this release is a grower, do not expect it to hit you immediately. But like most albums that grow, they are the ones that tend to hang around the longest. This sure is sure worth checking out, but if you like Evanescence and are not very open minded regards your music, then perhaps steer clear. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
www.ravenheartmusic.com/bio.html

...On the one hand, A Strange Utopia has some magnificent and compelling arrangements that tantalize the ears such as Inner Station or Sonic Sensations. Conversely, it also appears that Flores attempts to pack as much music into each song as possible. Songs like The Weight of the World or Voyage to Utopia are overly dense and, at times, sound as if there are two competing arrangements running on the same track. This makes the piece more confusing than entertaining. Most fans of any progressive format are used to listening carefully to the beauty and intricacy of a song, but the composition itself should not make this difficult. Still, overall, A Strange Utopia is more the tantalizing epic than the dense sonic blur. Songs like E-Motions or Garden of All Seasons are huge songs exploring brilliant song craftsmanship. For her part, Jessica Lehto delivers her vocals with the usual passion which will continue to cause comparisons to most any other gothic or symphonic female lead (you know to whom I refer)...
www.dangerdog.com/reviews_2009/factory-of-dreams-a-strange-utopia-review.php

...It is the backing, however, that has seen the greatest level of attention; both acoustic – 6 string and 12-string – as well as electric guitars, fretless bass, (guest) violins, sitar, keyboard synths, acoustic drums over programmed drum loops, and apparently even a berimbau (a sort of acoustic African violin). Impressively, he has managed to work all this into a coherent composition; the fretless bass pounding away like a mechanical buzzing over the drum loops, the synths maintaining the backing chords, sharing duties with the electric guitars as they perform in a virtuoso, at times almost floyd-esque manner. Then a sudden pitch shift emerges, seeing a far earthier gothic violin harmony come forth, accented by gentle acoustic guitars, slowly transitioning into the more aggressive electric chords sequence and acoustic drums. Clearly a very competent virtuoso guitarist not obsessed with speed, all this will happen over and over again, resulting in a rollercoaster of emotions and atmospheres that leaves you constantly questioning the direction the track will take next...
liferthereviewroom.blogspot.com/2009/11/factory-of-dreams-strange-utopia.html

The last Factory Of Dreams album, "Poles" in 2008, was a real treat. Thenkfully, Hugo Flores and Jessica Lehto haven't kept us waiting as long as most progsters for a follow-up. Even better, theyy haven't fiddled around too much with their raison d'etre, and this is another cracking slab of symphonic goth metal. The opening 'Voyage To Utopia' sets out their stall, with intricate syncopation and a strong melody line, hooking you in from the start. 'The Weight Of The World' is even better, and it's an album whose strengths become even more apparent with subsequent plays. The best is (nearly) saved for last in the shape of the ten minute epic, 'E-motions', which manages to mesh the worlds of metal, goth and prog quite superbly. People still mourning the passing of classic Nightwish should be forming a queue around about here, as they will find that there is still hope for their bereft ears, when they pay a visit to the Factory Of Dreams.
www.the-rocker.co.uk

...Seeing as how the whole symphonic gothic & progressive metal scene is hot right now, there's no reason why Factory of Dreams won't appeal to all the Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation, and After Forever fans out there. If I were Hugo Flores & Jessica Lehto, I'd get a real band together and take this thing out on the road, and really start to make an impact on the scene. Strong stuff, and a welcome gem here in the final days of 2009!
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=8623

Factory of Dreams is a new Hugo Flores project with Finnish singer, Jessica Lehto. Fans of progressive, and very dramatic metal with soprano female vocals, like Within Temptation, The Gathering, and Nightwish, will probably like to check this out. The music is pretty damn intense with a lot of layers of sound and special effects that make the compositions really stand out as different. "The Weight of the World" is a good example of this. Hugo is a very good multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, violin, drums, bass and keyboards. There are a lot of great songs but many also come across as a lot of separate parts and ideas pasted together and it is sometimes not all that organic and too synthetic and computer oriented somehow. A lot of cool stuff to dig into though.
www.lowcut.dk/joomla/index.php?view=article&catid=29%3Aalbum-reviews&id=1014%3Afactory-of-dreams-a-strange-utopia&option=com_content&Itemid=54

Interview with Hugo
www.hallofmetal.com/ver_entrevista.php?id=169&leng=en

Factory of Dreams, with multi-instrumentalist Hugo Flores playing guitar, bass, keyboards and just about everything else, offers their sophomore effort, A Strange Utopia. Taking a heavier, fuller and more a musical approach than their debut, Poles, A Strange Utopia truly showcases the immense talent that Hugo Flores is. For instance, a listen to “The Weight of the World,” is over the top with guitar solos, bass and piano riffs throughout. The piano of “Sonic Sensations,” the multi-layered vocals heard on the haunting “Garden of All Seasons,” the strange sound effects of “Dark Utopia,” the beautiful “Slow Motion World,” the delicious, evil bass guitar licks and the mid track guitar solo of “Chaotic Order,” the distorted hard rocking guitars of Destructible Destruction,” and the majestic and epic “Broken,” show the world that Hugo Flores is a master of bringing to the surface orchestral laden progressive metal.
hardrockhaven.net/online/2010/factory-of-dreams-a-strange-utopia

...Ok, so everyone talks about the gothic genre, but the progressive metal, progressive rock and even Celtic tapestries can be found here. Sometimes the music makes me think of mid-term Within Temptation and even Tristania circa Beyond the Veil & World of Glass (the calmer parts of this band), but the lively approach here is higher and the moods shift in an unparallel way when compared to those bands. The Ayreon and Star One comparisons are also perfectly acceptable, but Hugo invests on a fastest guitar riffing and on fastest (and constant) sonic mutations. Instead of finding a base melody and stick by it while adding instruments and solos, Hugo bets on the art of shifting from melody to melody in a (sometimes) extreme way while keeping a perspective and a script without ever sounding like a collage of different tracks glued together. In the end this is perhaps the greatest achievement: each track swirls and changes but in a compact and harmonized way (even when chaos seems installed)...
www.proggnosis.com/PGRelease.asp?RID=29680

Interview with Hugo
www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=1465

...Flores has worked with Lehto once before under the name Factory Of Dreams, on their 2008 release Poles. 2009’s meeting resulted in A Strange Utopia, on which Lehto describes Flores’ vision of a seemingly perfect society that actually holds inherent flaws. These flaws will actually contribute to humanity’s undoing rather than leading towards salvation. It’s a dream shared by others, but seldom given life as complex as that heard on A Strange Utopia. Lehto’s voice is rather operatic, and although Factory Of Dreams is often described as having “goth” influence, I suspect this has more to do with Lehto’s choice of wardrobe than with the gloom pervasive on recordings by The Cure, Bauhaus, or Siouxsie and the Banshees. Utopia is solid prog rock, with metal leanings courtesy of Flores’ guitar sound, and highlighting Lehto’s pure, chilling delivery. The music has layers upon layers of sound, the best of which are coming from Flores’ guitar amplifiers. His drum programming and orchestral keyboards are not the best examples of Flores’ virtuosity, but he contributes these performances in order to have more control over the translation of his dreams...
classicrockmusicblog.com/cds-lps/factory-dreams-strange-utopia

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
thegatesofmetal.blogspot.com/2010/02/factory-of-dreams.html

...A Strange Utopia is rich with sweeping drama that ranges from the spine chillingly atmospheric through to the warmth of lusciously written melody. Huge orchestral effects ensure that this album will grab your attention from the moment “Voyage To Utopia” launches the whole operatic trip. Jessica can deliver soaring operatics one moment and then as with “Sonic Sensations” soothe us down just as effectively. Tracks such as the constantly shifting “The Road Around Saturn” and the seductive eastern undercurrent of “Dark Utopia” successfully spark the imagination. The twelve track album ends with the near ten minute “E-Motions” which brings together Hugo’s vast range of elements in dramatic style whilst expertly showcasing Jessica’s vocals...
blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-eurorock-road-trip-atmosfear/page-2

This second effort from Hugo Flores' Factory of Dreams is a step up from the début album, at least if you like his rather elaborate take on the operatic female vocalist sings metal type of bands. Stark contrasts is a main feature of this album. Soaring and often operatic vocals take the lead when the guitars or synths are soloing, soaring over a musical backdrop where dark guitar riffs and lighter, symphonic textures creates a backdrop that itself is contrasting to the lead vocals or soloing instrument patterns soaring on top. And while superficial listening will focus on those contrasts, the compositions are actually rather elaborate. Most of them features many shifts in pace, mood and stylistic expression, and there's quite a few detailed additions to these sonic tapestries as well. There are few really challenging features though, melody and harmony are the driving forces on these efforts, and by preference as parts of a big-sounding, melodramatic multi-layered progressive metal landscape. In short: This is prog metal with operatic lead vocals and symphonic backdrop, and warrants to be checked out by those who generally enjoy bands of that ilk.
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=272529

...Musically A Strange Utopia follows up on their previous somber, gothic, heavy symphonic musical approach but here the music betrays a faster, more complex or busy compositional style. Think of Dream Theater mixed with Shadow Gallery all heavily orchestrated. There are a total of 14-tracks including 2 bonus tracks. Most of these pieces are in the four or five minute range although the final track is just over nine-minutes and is perhaps best described as the epic closer, though that’s hardly fair since the whole disc is epic in sound and style. The music is lushly orchestrated, dramatic and would best be described as heavy symphonic. Letho’s vocals once again hold centre stage and certainly command attention; they are sweet, operatic and movingly melodic adding a distinct gothic flair. Her vocals appear on every track and at times come across in an almost operatic fashion. The music on A Strange Utopia comes across initially as very busy with melodies buried deep within the notes. It’s busy and complex music with lots of notes and lots of instruments all vying for centre stage. It’s only after repeated listening that the mist clears and each songs strong points come to the surface. I will say this is one of those CD’s best listened to at home rather in the car. It goes without saying that fans of Hugo Flores work will really enjoy the music of A Strange Utopia. But fans of the music of Ayreon, Nightwish and others creating music in that style will find much to enjoy here. Factory of Dreams is quality gothic flavoured symphonic progressive rock.
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20f-j_033.htm

...The songs on “Strange Utopia” are finely crafted, complex yet without being overly show-off and laden with impressive arrangements and beautiful melodies, this is definitely the finest expression of Hugo’s talent as songwriter and performer to date. However, despite the strength of the arrangements and harmonies, I guess not everyone will endure throughout its hour-plus duration as it seems way too exhausting for casual listeners that place other styles of music as their favourite. Nonetheless fans the acts mentioned above won’t certainly get tired of “Strange Utopia”.
scratchthesurface-webzine.blogspot.com/2010/06/factory-of-dreams-strange-utopia.html

...The music of Strange Utopia, and there’s a lot of it here, a total of 14 songs, is as interesting as the concepts that are presented. As mentioned above, there are a lot of guest musicians, and they were given full freedom to experiment and get into the worlds they were presenting. The music itself is described as symphonic metal. It is more complex than the previous release. The guitars are a bit heavier as are the drums. Hugo talks about the interaction between instruments on several numbers. Inner Station is one of these. Here there is a tradeoff between the choral work performed by the various female leads and the atmospheric sounds provided by the synths. As the song progresses, there is a more metal sounding component, and here there is a dialogue between the guitars and the base. It is this experimenting that takes the music to a new and different level...
www.soniccathedral.com/webzine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=472&Itemid=35

Interview
www.metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.2932

Portuguese composer and multi-instrumentalist Hugo Flores has experienced productive development as an artist in the last decade or so, starting with his Atlantis solo venture in 2001, then forming the band Sonic Pulsar, followed by Project Creation, and finally FACTORY OF DREAMS. "A Strange Utopia" is the second album to be issued under the latter moniker, which is first and foremost Flores’s collaboration with vocalist Jessica Lehto...If you have dreamt of coming across a band blending the styles explored by acts such as Nightwish and Ayreon, Factory of Dreams offers a fine example of just that on "A Strange Utopia". Grandiose progressive metal with strong symphonic tendencies is served here, with powerful operatic female vocals as a dominating feature throughout.
www.progressor.net/review/fod_2009.html