If Asia, John Wetton, Cannata and Blind Alley are acts that you?re into then I suggest you read this review carefully. Xinema is a Swedish act that released this album already back in 2002 but now has been re-recorded in some parts and remixed. I don?t have much info about this act but I can say that these guys are skilled musicians for sure. The singer Mikael Askemure must have John Wetton as a big inspiration and influence because he tries to sound like him and I must say that he does it with a pretty good result. The 12 tracks on "Different Ways" don?t reach the whole distance because there are a couple of fillers that don?t reach the higher ground and maybe too many mid-tempo songs. But the tracks that are good are really good on the other hand.
"In The Scent Of The Night" is a very strong song that reminds of Cannata and Asia with a catchy chorus filled with superb keyboards. If you think John Wetton?s era of Asia is something you prefer then listen to "Over The Sea" that smells early Asia for a long way. Really good stuff indeed. The ballads "Different Ways" and "Across The Styx" could have been written by John Wetton and been on the "Battle Lines album, good songs for sure. "Distant Lights" is a great mid-tempo song with a chorus that turns up the heat with great riffs and keyboards a?la Cannata.
Xinema has done a very good album and should definitely please fans of Asia and Cannata. If they will release more albums I hope they put in more up-tempo and rockier songs to bring out a more variated album. This is an album that has grown more everytime I have listen to it. While you are waiting for the new Asia album you can always check out this album from Xinema.
