Reviews

This said there is not a really any weakspot on the album and the mixture of space/goth sounds work well with the shredding progmetal guitars and wide open soundscapes created by keyboards. Jessica just sings as an angel! The concept of Melotronical reminds me of the Ayreon projects... with a combination of heavy space rock, with metallic guitars and a leaning towards the Gothic rock genre. Comparing Melotronical to previous Factory Of Dreams albums, I would say this is another step up the ladder. The sound becoming more defind and miss Lehto’s voice more beautiful with each new album. A consistent album, definitely a worth while listeng and certainly of interest to Epica, After Forever, Nightwish fans - although not entirely one for me...
www.dprp.net/reviews/201157.php#fod

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
www.femmemetal.net/FODreamsHugJes2011.htm

Whether its the synth-percussion, the fluent guitar riffs, or the overwhelming dynamic energy of Lehto's vocals it does not matter. The chemistry between the two is fantastic and the worlds that they combine flow flawlessly together. Some of the great tracks on the record are "Melotronical", "Echoes from Earth", "Obsessical", and "Back to Sleep" which really reminds me a lot of the Enya feel that i mentioned earlier. Overall, the album is just fantastic and beautifully written and keeps the listener engaged throughout the record. Although i have not heard their previous efforts i will be making that a must and look very forward to future works from this band. If you like bands in this vein that can combine elements of synth, goth, and progression with excellent vocal work from both parties than this definitely for you. If you want to see how a band does it perfectly and the right way than this is a must for your catalog. The orchestration and dramatic combinations of sounds and atmosphere are dramatically driven home with a hell of an album here which is already my favorite of 2011.
djanubisreviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/full-review-of-new-factory-of-dreams.html

Influences from Nightwish, Epica, Ayreon, and Devin Townsend abound on Melotronical. Lehto once again impresses with her gorgeous, operatic vocal delivery, which is simply lovely to behold amidst the massive riffage, battering drum programming, and spacey keys on the catchy "A Taste of Paradise". Flores is a master guitarist and keyboard player, and lays down some impressive arrangements on "Enter Nucleon" and "Melotronical", while his lead vocals, which might remind some of the already mentioned Devin Townsend, are definitely spot on. "Protonic Stream" is an 8-minute gem just dripping with gothic, symphonic metal overtones, as Lehto's soaring vocals just tug at your heart while layers of keyboards and chugging guitars provide the dramatic framework. The vocal interplay between her and Flores really works wonders on this cut, easily one of the CDs highlights. The more pop flavored "Into Oblivion" and "Back to Sleep" offer up some more accessible fare, and feature some catchy melodies that might appeal to the non prog & metal crowd, while the thunderous "Obsessical" is metal all the way, complete with plenty of aggressive vocals from Flores that perfectly combat Lehto's angelic passages. Other strong tracks to look out for here include the crushing "Whispering Eyes", the dramatic progressive metal that is "Subatomic Tears" (Strapping Young Lad fans will love this one!), and the symphonic & gothic tinged heavy rockers "Dimension Crusher" and "Reprogramming". Honestly, there's not a weak track here, and though at roughly an hour Melotronical might be a tad longwinded for some, those into symphonic, gothic progressive metal with a fascinating lyrical concept would be well advised to check into this one. Toss in some GORGEOUS artwork in the booklet and you have one of early 2011's must hear releases. Hugo Flores and Jessica Lehto are a magical combination, and as I've mentioned in previous reviews of their material, it's just a shame that this band can't be fleshed out and taken on the road where this impressive music can be heard by the masses.
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=10471

Talented multi-instrumentalist Hugo Flores (g,b,k,v) and his vocalist Jessica Lehto return with another concept album enveloped in epic and magisterial symphonic progressive metal. Melotronical revolves around the evolution of an electronic molecule into a living breathing entity. Call this cyber-prog it you wish. Following past material, this work involves huge arrangements. Flores, as expected, packs every song with layers and layers of musical verbage. By Example the opener Enter Nucleon is bombastic and expansive: Flores wastes no time unleashing his full arsenal of musical tricks. Only to confuse you, Flores allows for some minimalist additions to the compositions. Whether keyboards, guitar, or vocals, FOD can lull you into a slumber before returning to the explosive and expansive measures that defines the music. A Taste of Paradise and Dimension Crusher are witnesses.
www.dangerdog.com/2011-music-reviews/factory-of-dreams-melotronical-review.php

Factory of Dreams is not a normal band. The album is hard to describe. It follows the life of a molecule according to one website. Whatever the inspiration, Factory of Dreams has given us an unusual assortment of vocals and hard rock. At times these get in the way of each other, but this seems to be an artistic choice and not clumsiness. Not everyone will like this album, but I recommend giving it a chance especially the song “Reprogramming”.
ruthsbooks.com/blog1/2011/03/09/music-review-factory-of-dreams-melotronical

Interview
www.ravenheartmusic.com/press-group-104.html

On their 3rd album Portugal’s Progressive/Gothic metal duo known as Factory of Dreams decided to take a different tact than on their previous two. Not so much musically (although the band continues to progress with each album), but lyrically their new album "Melotronical" is a concept album, revolving around the evolution of an electronic molecule into a living, breathing entity. Wow! That is certainly a unique idea for a concept album and one that I am willing to bet hasn’t been tried before. On "Melotronical", the complexity of the music matches the intricacy of the lyrics perfectly. The songs feature some cool orchestration and moody passages compliments the story as it develops.
www.femmemetal.net/FODMelotronicalRev.htm

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
www.faultmagazine.com/2011/03/factory-of-dreams

Their music is heavily layered, bombastic and as expansive as The Milky Way. Guitars, keyboards and operatic vocals give way to over-the-top production that might well be the saving grace of live opera, since no one much under 30 attends traditional opera with as much passion for it as metal fans have for their chosen art form. And make no mistake, there is great artistry in what Factory of Dreams does. Jessica Lehto is a passionate and accomplished singer who brings to this brilliantly crafted material a tantalizing and unforgettable voice. She’s been compared to that other metal symphonic mistress Tarja Tarnunen (formerly of Nightwish and now an acclaimed solo artist) and here Jessica comes out the victor.
vivoscene.com/featured-articles/factory-of-dreams-melotronical-music-review

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
djanubisreviews.blogspot.com/2011/03/noob-exchange-hugo-flores-and-jessica.html

Interview with Hugo and Jessica with Lords of Metal
www.lordsofmetal.nl/showinterview.php?id=3762&lang=nl

This is the third album from this 'band' which is in fact Hugo Flores (Mind's Eye et al) on everything bar the lead vocals, which are ably handled by Jessica Lehto. Melotronical is a concept album dealing with the evolution of an electronic molecule into a living, breathing entity, and the story of its life as it experiences all the normal emotions that humans go through. Fans of bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation, Ayreon and Devin Townsend (Flores vocals have a hint of the Dev growl in them) will love this album. Once the listener gets past the sumptious inlay sleeve artwork (some truly stunning fantasy artwork that has you studying the details to find more each time in the pictures), the music doesn't have a weak moment. There are keyboards and guitars flying all over the place but never taking away anything from Jessica Lehto's vocals. She can hit the operatic heights through to some simply wonderous mellow moments such as 'Back To Sleep'. Hugo Flores not to be outodone fair rips through the vocal on 'Obsessical', giving the mighty Devin Townsend a run for his money. 'Protonic Stream' really stands out with some amazing keyboards from piano through to some 70's space synths. Both Lehto and Flores share vocals on this one and Flores gives his drumkit a fair pelthing midway through the song. The music as well covers light and shade, with some distinctly Vangelis musical passages on the title track and the intro to 'Subatomic Tears'. 'Echoes From Earth' and 'Something Calling Me' are both slower numbers and amongst the instantly accessible songs on here. Stunning, that's what this album is from the album artwork through to the music. If symphonic metal is on your musical radar grab this now, you won't be disappointed.
www.hotdigits.co.uk/cgi-bin/diary2/journal?user=jason

The two major vectors of FoD’s albums are the complexity of the architectural arrangements and Jessica’s vocals. These are the factors that really define the project and that attract the adventurous listeners. Jessica has that epic operatic voice that is as potent as it appears fragile and delicate. Her voice embraces and wonders the listener in a way that, sometimes, the music sounds just as a side-show. But on the other way, the music takes little time to engulf you back to its vortex, with its mesmerizing creation of truly powerful walls of sound that always remind me of some Devin Townsend experiences (in scope, not necessarily in style). Another connection to the projects of Devin Townsend, namely Strapping Young Lad, is the curious and totally unexpected finding about the drum machine work in this album. I find that, not only the programming of the drum machine is a must in this album, contrary to the majority of albums that use this strategy, but it has been done in a way that seems to emulate the drum playing of Gene Hoglan for SYL. It is an overriding, fast and furious pacing programming that provides a dimension of its own to the overall musicality. The album presents some quieter moments, in what appears to be a nice present from Hugo to provide the listener with some resting moments for the senses attack that the main core of the music provides in its assaulting powerful moments. It is in the balance between these tension and intensity moments that lays the great achievement of this album: the game playing between the crystal female vocals, the guitar riffs and solos, the forceful drumming and the delicacy of the symphonic touches, all entwined in multiple layers, making the music reach levels of almost chaotic complexity. Yet, all is carefully structured and architected in a clear display of writing ability and musical challenge.
www.proggnosis.com/PGRelease.asp?RID=33642

it’s even thicker and more heavily overdubbed than Poles. The speed-metal aspects have been amped up, and the “double-bass” drum style sounds like a gattling gun that never lets up its barrage. Lehto‘s operatic vocals are joined on this album by Flores‘ growling style, both as lead and as part of the supporting “choir”. The concept for Melotronical is no more grounded in reality than Poles. Again, quoting from the advertising blurb: “A conceptual CD, revolving around the evolution of an electronic Molecule into a living breathing Entity. This entity, experiences several stages of life … the finale starts with ‘Dimension Crusher’, when all hope is lost and a new Universe is idealized through ‘Reprogramming’.” Again, whatever. The music is brilliant, and the lyrics sound epic and important as long as you don’t examine them too closely. It is a Factory of Dreams, after all, and you can’t expect dreams to necessarily make a lot of sense, though they may still be full of emotions and symbolism. Melotronical fills the bill. Oh, and one more thing … don’t expect any Mellotrons in Melotronical. This title is a combination of “melody” and “electronic”, not “mellow” and “electronic”. There’s nothing “mellow” about this album.
gibraltarepr.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/factory-of-dreams-two-albums

Interview with Hugo
www.hotdigits.co.uk/cgi-bin/diary11/journal?user=jason

Interview with Hugo and Jessica
www.rockoverdose.gr/news_details.php?id=3031

There is something about Hugo Flores music hat just appeals to me. Sure I like the music he is creating with Factory Of Dreams, but what appeals most to me is the way he incorporates his sense for detail into creating a bigger picture. With the debut, Poles, the band created something very interesting by combining the modern aspects of the gothic music with those very typical for the very starts of the genre. On the latest album by Factory Of Dreams the approach is quite different even thou the above mentioned aspects are represented as well. Melotronical is a complex conceptual album revolving around the idea of the evolution of an electronic molecule into a breathing entity. Flores certainly doesn't lack the imagination. Great thing about his imagination is that he sucks you into the stories both lyrically and musically. The album has much heavier approach to it. This is manifested by some heavy riffs and nonetheless some very Tomas Haake-like rhythms as well as some black metal inspired bass drum patterns. Another characteristic, which makes this effort heavier and which differs this album from the debut, is the complex song writing and equally knotty arrangements. It takes you at least five spins to really get into it because after first couple of spins you are just overwhelmed by the overall impression. After many spins of this record (many of which have taken place in the darkened room with headphones on) the idea behind the album gets clearer, but one can't help, but feel that sometimes there is just overuse of the double drum patterns and some songs just have too many changes, which sometimes don't feel natural or necessary. Fortunately this doesn't occur too often. Another weak aspect to this album are Flores' vocals witch are actually quite good when he is singing the higher notes, but his Devin Townsend impressions and growls are just not that good. On the other hand, band's singer Jessica Letho does her just very well sailing through thirty years’ worth of inspiration. Her performance is just spot-on. There are so many good songs on this album that they are too many too mention, but epic “Protonic Stream”, gorgeous “Back To Sleep”, bombastic “Dimension Crusher” and catchy title track are some of the best examples of this band's talent. The artwork as well is just fabulous, both visually and in the way it supports the storyline.
metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.3464

he concept is about the entity's experiences through several stages of life, going through all the emotions, love, hate, fear, happiness. The track list is arranged according to this evolution. Looking at the track list beforehand will give you an indication of the evolution. Talented multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Hugo Flores and vocalist Jessica Lehto make up Factory Of Dreams and it is Jessica's voice that truly gives this album that special something. Given that Hugo is pretty known for this kind of music is a given, but to me it all sounds somewhat samey in places. Hugo has literally included everything possible in the musical melting pot that this album represents. He truly needs to be recognised as the cyber prog genius he is! Seriously the man is either mental , deluded or both! Track highlights include the epicness of 'Protonic Stream', the brutal but catchy 'Obsessical' and the beautiful 'Back To Sleep'.
www.uberrock.co.uk/cd-reviews/24-april-cd/2326-factory-of-dreams-melotronical-prog-rock-records.html

All in all Melotronical is a much more aggressive beast than either Poles or A Strange Utopia was, since those albums could be best considered as atmospheric metal. The new approach really works for them though, because the end result is a very exciting and dare I say insane album that blows the group’s previous two offerings out of the water, and those albums were good in their own right. However while those albums were good, Melotronical takes it up past the great levels and into the true masterwork level. Factory of Dreams have certainly found their niche here and I only expect even more great things from them in the future. Melotronical is an album with a really great flow to it. The sound is so powerful in its intensity that it leaves me speechless at how much the group has changed since A Strange Utopia. Prior to Melotronical I probably would have considered Factory of Dreams to be Flores weakest project but Melotronical firmly establishes that such a thought would be an insulting injustice. While it’s probably true that this sort of album requires the most dedicated of listener, it’s also a much more rewarding album because of it than your standard progressive metal affair.
www.metalmusicarchives.com/melotronical--review.aspx?id=239974

While "Melotronical" is a concept album and does have its progressive leanings, this is first and foremost a creation that will appeal to people with a taste for symphonic metal as I regard it. Dramatic music with an emphasis on stark contrasts and massive soundscapes is the order of the day, fleeting ethereal ambient and massive guitar-dominated themes coming and going, the latter more often than not sporting a richly layered symphonic backdrop, with high-quality female operatic lead vocals soaring on top. Those who find such a description tantalizing should seek out this disc, and I'll be surprised if Factory of Dreams doesn't manage to increase their fan base substantially with this release.
www.progressor.net/review/fod_2011.html

The compositions on Melotronical develop on the style of the previous two-discs; it’s best described as somber, gothic, heavy symphonic progressive-metal. This time around the music seems almost faster than before, even more complex and sometimes just insanely busy. Think of Dream Theater mixed with Shadow Gallery all heavily orchestrated and played faster. There are a total of 13-tracks most of which clock in around 3 or 4-minutes. The music of Factory of Dreams is best described a “wide-screen.” Using the two reference points I mentioned, the music is loud and ferocious one moment, blisteringly fast and complex the next and then every-so-often we’re treated to a segment that is soft and delicate. All of this is delivered with a haunting gothic feel. Because Flores is using a drum machine, he’s developed a rapid kick-drum that sounds like he’s using a triple bass kit. Letho’s vocals, sounding more assured and even more operatic on this third musical venture go from sounding sweet and lovely to harsh and commanding. Each of these tracks is lushly arranged with layers and layers of keyboards providing the string and atmospheric back-drops. Still when these songs get going it gets very busy and you’ll have to keep your wits about you to listen for the melodies buried deep within the notes.
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20f-j_055.htm

Melotronical is the third production from Portuguese musician Hugo Flores with his Factory of Dreams project. For the most part, that project is Hugo and the lovely Swedish vocalist Jessica Lehto. The first two works were outstanding; this one is no less captivating, and, in fact, demonstrates an evolution to a higher level of capability. With a work like this, you sometimes just don’t know where to start. The music is, as always, outstanding, the vocals, well, they don’t get much better than Lehto, whether she’s singing on this project or any of the others she’s been associated with. And, on this one, Flores joins her and demonstrates some fine vocals of his own. Then there’s the instrumental, and Flores is one of the finer instrumental musicians currently working in this musical realm or any other. Then, there’s the theme, and trust me, Flores doesn’t do boring. He puts more story, more thinking into his music than most authors can put into a 500 page novel. And finally, there’s the visuals. The accompanying booklet is filled with some of the most beautiful artwork you will ever see. This isn’t a new idea for Hugo, but each release seems to provide a more beautiful treatment assigned to each song. The artwork is worth the price of the CD alone. All in all, it’s another first rate production from one of the truly outstanding masters currently producing on the contemporary music scene.
www.soniccathedral.com/webzine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=585&Itemid=35

Melotronical is a concept album dealing with the evolution of an electronic molecule into a living entity. This entity experiences several stages of life while going through emotions like love, hate, fear, happiness and so on. While listening to the album, I was stunned by the many musical layers they use to build the atmosphere of this prestigious album. Melotronical is based on a diversity of keyboards, a solid bass guitar and the splendid fretwork of Hugo Flores. Over this impressive foundation the sometimes doubled vocals of Jessica Letho show a great variety: from progressive in the vein of The Gathering to the more classical way of singing of Tarja Turunnen (ex- Nightwish). The variety in the way she approaches each song makes sure you'll never suffer a dull moment. Listen to the title track and you'll hear the full range of her impressive voice. The combination of Jessica's voice and the heavy guitars is just awesome. Flores sometimes adds more depth to the songs by singing part of the lyrics and almost turning them into death metal with his dark grunt like in Subatomic Tears. In Dimension Crusher, he uses his normal voice to contrast with the angelic and soft vocals of Jessica, which is another pleasant addition to this great song. Something Calling Me highlights Jessica's majestic and emotional vocals with a piano and keyboards in the background. Finishing the album we get an electronic opening in Reprogramming turning into a worthy end of the concept.
www.backgroundmagazine.nl/CDReviews/FactoryOfDreamsMelotronical.html