Last year Wastefall signed a management deal with Danish metal agency Intromental. Despite of the young age of this group, Wastefall has already released two albums prior to Self Exile through Sleaszy Rider Records. Now that the band has been signed to American Sensory Records, I assume they will become more known in the progscene. This group can be likened to Opeth, Pain of Salvation and Porcupine Tree. However, PoS influences are the most evident of these - Domenik Papaemmanouil has a quite similar voice to that of Daniel Gildenlöw's.

Wastefall performs passionate progmetal without giving a hoot to over-technicality nor complexity of the material. Unfortunately this becomes the group's most evident weakness in the end. While there are some brilliant melodies at times, the songs don't deliver all the time. I hope they'll focus more on the brilliant melodies and less on technical gimmickry on their upcoming works - that way, they'd most certainly have better chance at success... the potential is there.

The production on this record is quite good, though I wish the drums wouldn't sound as triggered as they do. In addition, they should be less snappy. Nevertheless, the overall impression of Wastefall's Self Exile is certainly positive. Some tracks are better than others, and as a whole the record is fairly enjoyable technical progmetal album. In case you love Pain of Salvation's music, you should give Wastefall a listen.

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- MAGE (June 25th, 2006)

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LINE-UP:
Papaemmanouil, Domenik: Lead Vocals, Guitars Katsiyiannis, Alex: Guitars, Backing Vocals Kyrkilis, Christos: Keyboards Valetzis, Nick: Bass Papaleksopoulos, Kostis: Drums and Percussion
Producer:	Unavailable
Mixing by:	Unavailable
Mastering by:	Unavailable

	TRACKLIST:
	01. Intro 02. Willow Man 03. The Muzzle Affection 04. Dance of Descent 05. Another Empty Haven 06. Strife for Definition 07. Sleepwalk 08. E.Y.E. 09. Utopia Fragmented 10. 4 Minutes to Abandon 11. Provoke the Divine Length: 51:10