Progressive Metal Review: Epic Tantrum-Abandoned In The Strangers Room

Release Date: January 20, 2020

Label: ET Productions

Website

One look at the cover of Abandoned In The Strangers Room from prog-metal band Epic Tantrum and you are thinking prog. It is something similar to what you would have seen on a Pink Floyd album. The choice for a band name? One word, brilliant! I love it and the artwork is eye-catching and it makes you wonder what is underneath that mask. Is it a person, alien, or creature from some dark corner or from hell itself? If you remove the red cloth what exactly will you see, something that is going to have an Epic Tantrum? It leaves it to your imagination, which in effect, is perfect for the listener with a sense of humor and an off-center thought process. It is indeed a strange cover and a creepy title for the album. There again lies the mystery and your perception of the entire package, figure it out for yourself.

Let me tell you something about this band, this is my first taste of their music, and they rock with a definitive progressive twist. I would be willing to bet at least one of these band members listened to Zappa. Lines like “I’m gonna take your skull and make you look pretty,” are not for the faint of heart. The band members are all part of the “Tantrum” family that includes Peter (guitar, vocals), Paul (guitar, vocals, keys), Greg (bass, vocals) and Z (drums). When you are endorsed by a legendary figure in prog-metal like Mike Portnoy that is very telling. Mike said of “The perfect blend of prog and metal.” And that statement could not be truer.

With a total on 19 tracks and 2 CDs, you get a ton of great music. CD1 is the studio cuts then CD2 presents all the cuts live to show you that indeed they are for real. Epic Tantrum is explosive, quirky and melodic all at the same time. And this is exactly what makes them “progressive.” According to the band’s website, the first part of the album, Abandoned, features studio recordings of previously unreleased material. The second part, In The Strangers Room, features live versions of songs from Abandoned as well as material that appeared on previously released demos. That fact there is quite impressive knowing that some of the music is just demos? They are high-quality demos that is for sure. Again, this just shows how talented this band of men are, with limitless potential ahead of them.

They are juggernauts with a vocalist perfectly suited to the music. I have to be honest though, the first time I heard the vocals I did not care for it at all (I think most people that enjoy prog-metal will love this after the first listen). Then a second try, a different day, and now I cannot figure out why I did not like it to begin with. So, there you go, with music it depends if all the sensory doors are open to the sounds and you are not sidetracked with another train of thought with the inability to really “hear” the music. And did I ever hear it all this time? You can count on it. Their ability to play at a slower pace and make some beautiful sounds that are pleasing then immediately bust right out of that at any second and peel off some vicious guitar licks backed by a powerful rhythm section is quite impressive. To see them live must be a real treat.

The guitar work is fabulous and what drives this well-oiled machine. Every track is packed with the firepower to get your blood pumping but you can also pause, and should, to hear the incredible musicianship at hand. In the end, what you get to enjoy is one of the more exciting up and coming bands in progressive metal that are going to raise some eyebrows from this point forward.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

March 23, 2020

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Tracks

CD 1:
01. Don't Bother...
02. Unfold
03. Accessory
04. Fables Of Fortune
05. Outside The Wire
06. Into the Clutch
07. Letting Go
08. False Idols
09. A Howling
10. Abandoned

CD 2:
11. Baillee's Gone Again (Live)
12. Franklin Park Blues (Live)
13. Letting Go (Live)
14. Now I Know (Live)
15. Accessory (Live)
16. Fables of Fortune (Live)
17. The Artist (Live)
18. Don't Bother... (Live)   
19. Drown (Live) 

Progressive Metal Review: Epic Tantrum-Abandoned In The Strangers Room

Release Date: January 20, 2020

Label: ET Productions

Website

One look at the cover of Abandoned In The Strangers Room from prog-metal band Epic Tantrum and you are thinking prog. It is something similar to what you would have seen on a Pink Floyd album. The choice for a band name? One word, brilliant! I love it and the artwork is eye-catching and it makes you wonder what is underneath that mask. Is it a person, alien, or creature from some dark corner or from hell itself? If you remove the red cloth what exactly will you see, something that is going to have an Epic Tantrum? It leaves it to your imagination, which in effect, is perfect for the listener with a sense of humor and an off-center thought process. It is indeed a strange cover and a creepy title for the album. There again lies the mystery and your perception of the entire package, figure it out for yourself.

Let me tell you something about this band, this is my first taste of their music, and they rock with a definitive progressive twist. I would be willing to bet at least one of these band members listened to Zappa. Lines like “I’m gonna take your skull and make you look pretty,” are not for the faint of heart. The band members are all part of the “Tantrum” family that includes Peter (guitar, vocals), Paul (guitar, vocals, keys), Greg (bass, vocals) and Z (drums). When you are endorsed by a legendary figure in prog-metal like Mike Portnoy that is very telling. Mike said of “The perfect blend of prog and metal.” And that statement could not be truer.

With a total on 19 tracks and 2 CDs, you get a ton of great music. CD1 is the studio cuts then CD2 presents all the cuts live to show you that indeed they are for real. Epic Tantrum is explosive, quirky and melodic all at the same time. And this is exactly what makes them “progressive.” According to the band’s website, the first part of the album, Abandoned, features studio recordings of previously unreleased material. The second part, In The Strangers Room, features live versions of songs from Abandoned as well as material that appeared on previously released demos. That fact there is quite impressive knowing that some of the music is just demos? They are high-quality demos that is for sure. Again, this just shows how talented this band of men are, with limitless potential ahead of them.

They are juggernauts with a vocalist perfectly suited to the music. I have to be honest though, the first time I heard the vocals I did not care for it at all (I think most people that enjoy prog-metal will love this after the first listen). Then a second try, a different day, and now I cannot figure out why I did not like it to begin with. So, there you go, with music it depends if all the sensory doors are open to the sounds and you are not sidetracked with another train of thought with the inability to really “hear” the music. And did I ever hear it all this time? You can count on it. Their ability to play at a slower pace and make some beautiful sounds that are pleasing then immediately bust right out of that at any second and peel off some vicious guitar licks backed by a powerful rhythm section is quite impressive. To see them live must be a real treat.

The guitar work is fabulous and what drives this well-oiled machine. Every track is packed with the firepower to get your blood pumping but you can also pause, and should, to hear the incredible musicianship at hand. In the end, what you get to enjoy is one of the more exciting up and coming bands in progressive metal that are going to raise some eyebrows from this point forward.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

March 23, 2020

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Founder of:

The Final on Vinyl

MuzikMan Productions

MuzikMan Reviews

Write A Music Review

Prog Rock Music Talk

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Tracks

CD 1:
01. Don't Bother...
02. Unfold
03. Accessory
04. Fables Of Fortune
05. Outside The Wire
06. Into the Clutch
07. Letting Go
08. False Idols
09. A Howling
10. Abandoned

CD 2:
11. Baillee's Gone Again (Live)
12. Franklin Park Blues (Live)
13. Letting Go (Live)
14. Now I Know (Live)
15. Accessory (Live)
16. Fables of Fortune (Live)
17. The Artist (Live)
18. Don't Bother... (Live)   
19. Drown (Live) 

Progressive Metal Review: Sonus Corona-Time Is Not on Your Side

Release Date: November 22, 2019

Labels: Inverse Records

Website

It’s always a pleasure to review an album before it releases. I was not familiar with Sonus Corona before this review, so it will still be fairly unbiased. Time Is Not On Your Side releases tomorrow, which is exactly the kind of title I would expect from a metal band. From what I gathered off the internet, the band formed in 2015. The six members are from Finland and have been turning the music industry upside down these past few years.

“Induction” grabs my attention with its eerie intro and ominous synths. It takes a minute, but it eventually moves into the metal sound that I was expecting. You get two for one, considering this is a five-minute song. The ending is a little abrupt, but I also didn’t mind it. The lead vocals are a nice surprise. There are some good harmonies, and for the most part, they are pretty clean for the metal genre.

The next song pretty much has every real and synthetic instrument that you could imagine on it. “Unreal” is a cool track. I can’t make out what the lyrics are, but I can appreciate the different vocal stylings that the singer jumps between. It almost has a Michael Bublé feel during the verses, but then it jumps to clean spoken vocals. I think the singer just wanted to show off his talents. “Moment Of Reckoning” seems like it has a mid-song crisis, where it has fun, yet out of place, 80’s space-aged solos spread throughout. It seems that there isn’t much that this band can’t come up with, but I also think that it makes the album a little overwhelming for people who have yet to get acclimated to the band.

“Oblivion” makes me think of heaven or something like that. Maybe it’s the lyrics, or the title, or the fact that the three-part-harmonies sound God-like. There is a ton of reverb on the vocals, which probably explains why they sound so heavenly. “Illusions” is one of the shortest songs on the album, even though it is the same length as the average song on the radio. I would say it is a soft rock song since there aren’t even any electric instruments on it. It’s a nice little intermission, before getting back to your regularly scheduled metal on the second part of the album.

This band has its own thing going on, and I would even say they have created their own sub-category of metal. I would call it like a progressive-galactic metal, or a tolerable-for-hipsters metal. Overall, I like the innovation that Sonus Corona brings to the space. Their strange combination of chords and instrumental pairings keeps the listener interested in what is to come next. If you like quirky bands, or you’re looking for something different from most of the music on the radio, check out Sonus Corona. Time Is Not On Your Side will be out by the time that this review posts, so go ahead and show them some love by picking up a copy.

Lily Clark – Berklee College of Music Intern
November 21, 2019

Reviews Provided By:

The Final on Vinyl

MuzikMan Productions

MuzikMan Reviews

Write A Music Review

Prog Rock Music Talk

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Tracks:
01. Induction              
02. Unreal          
03. The Refuge  
04. Swing Of Sanity              
05. Oblivion              
06. Time Is Not On Your Side      
07. Illusions                  
08. Moment Of Reckoning          
09. To The Ground      
10. Fading          
11. Here

Progressive Metal Review: Sonus Corona-Time Is Not on Your Side

Release Date: November 22, 2019

Labels: Inverse Records

Website

It’s always a pleasure to review an album before it releases. I was not familiar with Sonus Corona before this review, so it will still be fairly unbiased. Time Is Not On Your Side releases tomorrow, which is exactly the kind of title I would expect from a metal band. From what I gathered off the internet, the band formed in 2015. The six members are from Finland and have been turning the music industry upside down these past few years.

“Induction” grabs my attention with its eerie intro and ominous synths. It takes a minute, but it eventually moves into the metal sound that I was expecting. You get two for one, considering this is a five-minute song. The ending is a little abrupt, but I also didn’t mind it. The lead vocals are a nice surprise. There are some good harmonies, and for the most part, they are pretty clean for the metal genre.

The next song pretty much has every real and synthetic instrument that you could imagine on it. “Unreal” is a cool track. I can’t make out what the lyrics are, but I can appreciate the different vocal stylings that the singer jumps between. It almost has a Michael Bublé feel during the verses, but then it jumps to clean spoken vocals. I think the singer just wanted to show off his talents. “Moment Of Reckoning” seems like it has a mid-song crisis, where it has fun, yet out of place, 80’s space-aged solos spread throughout. It seems that there isn’t much that this band can’t come up with, but I also think that it makes the album a little overwhelming for people who have yet to get acclimated to the band.

“Oblivion” makes me think of heaven or something like that. Maybe it’s the lyrics, or the title, or the fact that the three-part-harmonies sound God-like. There is a ton of reverb on the vocals, which probably explains why they sound so heavenly. “Illusions” is one of the shortest songs on the album, even though it is the same length as the average song on the radio. I would say it is a soft rock song since there aren’t even any electric instruments on it. It’s a nice little intermission, before getting back to your regularly scheduled metal on the second part of the album.

This band has its own thing going on, and I would even say they have created their own sub-category of metal. I would call it like a progressive-galactic metal, or a tolerable-for-hipsters metal. Overall, I like the innovation that Sonus Corona brings to the space. Their strange combination of chords and instrumental pairings keeps the listener interested in what is to come next. If you like quirky bands, or you’re looking for something different from most of the music on the radio, check out Sonus Corona. Time Is Not On Your Side will be out by the time that this review posts, so go ahead and show them some love by picking up a copy.

Lily Clark – Berklee College of Music Intern
November 21, 2019

Reviews Provided By:

The Final on Vinyl

MuzikMan Productions

MuzikMan Reviews

Write A Music Review

Prog Rock Music Talk

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Tracks:
01. Induction              
02. Unreal          
03. The Refuge  
04. Swing Of Sanity              
05. Oblivion              
06. Time Is Not On Your Side      
07. Illusions                  
08. Moment Of Reckoning          
09. To The Ground      
10. Fading          
11. Here

Concert Review: Dream Theater at The Palace Theater

Dream Theater At The Palace Theater

April 18, 2016

Albany, New York

It had been over 3.5 years since I saw Dream Theater play live. For this fan it was an exceedingly long time. I regret not going to the Boston show that was captured on DVD with the orchestra but that is gone and here we are. Once again siting in our seats (for the ninth time) waiting for what I consider to be the greatest band in the world.

I have to thank Jordan Rudess for getting us backstage again. He has been very gracious over the years and he and the band have made me and my son feel like we are not just fans, but part of the Dream Theater family. Many thanks out to Jordan and John Petrucci for taking the time for conversation, some pics and signing my program as well. It was unfortunate we missed the rest of the band this time, as we had to get on the road for our journey home and go to work the next day.

 
I went to this concert with a bit more anticipation than all the others because for only the second time I would get to see an entire album played from start to finish. The first time was in 2005 when Judas Priest covered their classic British Steel album. After hearing the new double concept album, The Astonishing, I knew we would be in for a special performance.

The new album is Dream Theater chugging along on all cylinders and sometimes the wheels are off the ground entirely! When we arrived at the beautiful Palace Theater, one of my favorite venues, there was the giant replica of a Nomac. These are the devices in the album story that the civilization were fighting. Everyone that decided to, including myself, got in front of the device to get a real cool picture taken that will be on the band’s site. Then we made our way to our seats which was on the left in the orchestra section only three rows back. These were the best seats we ever had at a DT concert and we were absolutely thrilled. I immediately noticed the stage setting. It looked very colorful and hi-tech. I took note how with each successive show I have attended, particularly since the Constant Motion tour, they have kicked it up another notch to provide some visual treats for their audience. This of course comes with continued success and an ever growing worldwide fan base. I cannot think of a better group of people more deserving than this band.

If you want to know the set list just look at the new album The Astonishing and do not expect an encore it is more than enough music for one sitting. It is a brilliant album with an equally amazing live presentation you will not forget.

What I came realize in a big way on this night was just how heavy this album is. In a live setting and being so close to the stage and those speakers directly to our left against the wall really put everything into another dimension. It gives it another perspective entirely and all of it really hits home, the story and the music. The music is intense and complex, absolutely progressive, starting and stopping then changing from pacifying and soft, to fast and brutal, to match the lyrics. It would be interesting to see a full length movie of this story with their album as the soundtrack.

We were to the right of Petrucci, very close, and seeing him so intensely focused and committed to the music was a joy to witness. Everyone in the band is an incredible talent and you can’t help looking at them all as they play.

If you are a progressive metal enthusiast you must catch this show, it is truly amazing and once again proves why Dream Theater sits atop the music mountain in their respective genre and will continue to for years to come. 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Prog Music Talk, Write A Music Review, MuzikMan Reviews, MuzikMan Productions, Rate The Tracks and New Age Music Reviews Founder

April 20, 2016

Concert Review: Dream Theater at The Palace Theater

Dream Theater At The Palace Theater

April 18, 2016

Albany, New York

It had been over 3.5 years since I saw Dream Theater play live. For this fan it was an exceedingly long time. I regret not going to the Boston show that was captured on DVD with the orchestra but that is gone and here we are. Once again siting in our seats (for the ninth time) waiting for what I consider to be the greatest band in the world.

I have to thank Jordan Rudess for getting us backstage again. He has been very gracious over the years and he and the band have made me and my son feel like we are not just fans, but part of the Dream Theater family. Many thanks out to Jordan and John Petrucci for taking the time for conversation, some pics and signing my program as well. It was unfortunate we missed the rest of the band this time, as we had to get on the road for our journey home and go to work the next day.

 
I went to this concert with a bit more anticipation than all the others because for only the second time I would get to see an entire album played from start to finish. The first time was in 2005 when Judas Priest covered their classic British Steelalbum. After hearing the new double concept album, The Astonishing, I knew we would be in for a special performance.

The new album is Dream Theater chugging along on all cylinders and sometimes the wheels are off the ground entirely! When we arrived at the beautiful Palace Theater, one of my favorite venues, there was the giant replica of a Nomac. These are the devices in the album story that the civilization were fighting. Everyone that decided to, including myself, got in front of the device to get a real cool picture taken that will be on the band’s site. Then we made our way to our seats which was on the left in the orchestra section only three rows back. These were the best seats we ever had at a DT concert and we were absolutely thrilled. I immediately noticed the stage setting. It looked very colorful and hi-tech. I took note how with each successive show I have attended, particularly since the Constant Motiontour, they have kicked it up another notch to provide some visual treats for their audience. This of course comes with continued success and an ever growing worldwide fan base. I cannot think of a better group of people more deserving than this band.

If you want to know the set list just look at the new album The Astonishing and do not expect an encore it is more than enough music for one sitting. It is a brilliant album with an equally amazing live presentation you will not forget.

What I came realize in a big way on this night was just how heavy this album is. In a live setting and being so close to the stage and those speakers directly to our left against the wall really put everything into another dimension. It gives it another perspective entirely and all of it really hits home, the story and the music. The music is intense and complex, absolutely progressive, starting and stopping then changing from pacifying and soft, to fast and brutal, to match the lyrics. It would be interesting to see a full length movie of this story with their album as the soundtrack.

We were to the right of Petrucci, very close, and seeing him so intensely focused and committed to the music was a joy to witness. Everyone in the band is an incredible talent and you can’t help looking at them all as they play.

If you are a progressive metal enthusiast you must catch this show, it is truly amazing and once again proves why Dream Theater sits atop the music mountain in their respective genre and will continue to for years to come. 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Prog Music Talk, Write A Music Review, MuzikMan Reviews, MuzikMan Productions, Rate The Tracks and New Age Music Reviews Founder

April 20, 2016

Progressive Metal Review: Unified Past-Spots

Release Date: 11^th June 2013

Label:  Melodic Revolution Records

Website

The band, Unified Past has been around for a fair bit of time, since 1999 in fact, although they existed as an earlier band in 1990, called Labyrinth, including two members who are still part of the band today, although only one has had continuous service. Spots is the sixth release from the band following From The Splintered Present Surfaces (1999), Power of Existence (2008), Breaking Up The Atmosphere (2009), Tense (2010) and Observations (2011). Spots was originally released back in 2013 and has been revamped ahead of the expected 7^th album later this year.

The band members for the recording of the album, Spots, were Steve Speelman (bass, keyboards, guitars and vocals), Victor Tassone (drums, percussion, effects and backing vocals) and Dave Mickelson (bass). I hadn’t heard of either Steve or Dave before but had come across Victor as a guest on the self-titled debut album by Corvus Stone. Unified Past certainly show that they have been influenced by Rush and Dream Theater, and seem to have their feet planted firmly in the melodic rock area, albeit with a bit of leaning toward prog metal.

Spots is an 11 track album with a total playing time of around 59 minutes. The majority of the 11 tracks have single word names with the only exceptions being the last 2 tracks. The penultimate track is only a single letter, “G” and the final track is called just that, “The Final.” These 2 tracks are also the shortest, with “G” clocking in at 1:21 minutes and, the longest, with “The Final” running on for in excess of 8 minutes (8:27).  Although Steve and Victor are listed as vocalist and backing vocalist respectively, 6 of the 11 tracks on offer are instrumentals.

The opening track on Spots, “Blank” (5:17) has a short atmospheric build up, only around 18 seconds before the power trio of guitar, drums and bass announce their entry in a fairly forceful way. Seconds later, the vocals appear, and a minute after that the guitar throws in a great little riff which surfaces again later. This opening track is one which moves swiftly along, almost with the feeling that the music is being “kept in check” and not allowed to go careening off in any direction. The song benefits from this restraint being imposed.

“Deep” (5:42) is a slower paced track which still allows some excellent guitar work over the rock solid rhythm engine that is the bass and drums, which underpins the track. “Hot” (4:44) takes a step into the jazz zone with some excellent driving passages and superb guitar themes.

“Seeing” (3:49), “Tough” (8:18) and Age (6:26) move away from the jazz area back to the “classic power trio” playing of the earlier tracks. This then leads on to a series of tracks that are instrumentals, “Sun” (3:48), Big (6:35), “Wet” (5:07) and “G” (1:21).

“Sun” is a short punchy track that drives along, “Big” is a slower tempo and goes through a number of time changes, “Wet” continues the slightly slower style and “G” is a quirky, very short piece, which in reality makes me question the inclusion of the track, as it is just so removed from where the other tracks are at.

The final track, “The Final” (8:26) is another slow burner of a starter, with greater emphasis than before on the atmospherics, created by the majestic keyboards and the superb touch of Steve on the guitar. “The Final” is an excellent relaxed, laid-back track which finishes the album on a very positive note.

In general terms, this is a satisfying chunk of prog metal/power metal, but seems to lack the spark that ignites an album for the listener. This is a pleasant album comprising melodic prog by excellent musicians, but never “hits the heights.” I also tend to find that any album that has many instrumental tracks, or is fully instrumental, needs that special “feel.” Until the run of the 4 instrumental tracks toward the end of the album, I was enjoying the album, but they certainly tested my “staying power.”

Spots is an album that just doesn’t reach out, grab your ears and shout “this is great music!” It is an album that I think I will dip into from time to time and pick a few tracks to listen to. As always, my personal opinion may not be the same as anyone else, so give Spots a few listens and see what you make of it.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks:  Blank, Hot, The Final

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

June 30, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: Unified Past-Spots

Release Date: 11^thJune 2013

Label:  Melodic Revolution Records

Website

The band, Unified Past has been around for a fair bit of time, since 1999 in fact, although they existed as an earlier band in 1990, called Labyrinth, including two members who are still part of the band today, although only one has had continuous service. Spots is the sixth release from the band following From The Splintered Present Surfaces (1999), Power of Existence (2008), Breaking Up The Atmosphere (2009), Tense (2010) and Observations (2011). Spots was originally released back in 2013 and has been revamped ahead of the expected 7^th album later this year.

The band members for the recording of the album, Spots, were Steve Speelman (bass, keyboards, guitars and vocals), Victor Tassone (drums, percussion, effects and backing vocals) and Dave Mickelson (bass). I hadn’t heard of either Steve or Dave before but had come across Victor as a guest on the self-titled debut album by Corvus Stone. Unified Past certainly show that they have been influenced by Rush and Dream Theater, and seem to have their feet planted firmly in the melodic rock area, albeit with a bit of leaning toward prog metal.

Spots is an 11 track album with a total playing time of around 59 minutes. The majority of the 11 tracks have single word names with the only exceptions being the last 2 tracks. The penultimate track is only a single letter, “G” and the final track is called just that, “The Final.” These 2 tracks are also the shortest, with “G” clocking in at 1:21 minutes and, the longest, with “The Final” running on for in excess of 8 minutes (8:27).  Although Steve and Victor are listed as vocalist and backing vocalist respectively, 6 of the 11 tracks on offer are instrumentals.

The opening track on Spots, “Blank” (5:17) has a short atmospheric build up, only around 18 seconds before the power trio of guitar, drums and bass announce their entry in a fairly forceful way. Seconds later, the vocals appear, and a minute after that the guitar throws in a great little riff which surfaces again later. This opening track is one which moves swiftly along, almost with the feeling that the music is being “kept in check” and not allowed to go careening off in any direction. The song benefits from this restraint being imposed.

“Deep” (5:42) is a slower paced track which still allows some excellent guitar work over the rock solid rhythm engine that is the bass and drums, which underpins the track. “Hot” (4:44) takes a step into the jazz zone with some excellent driving passages and superb guitar themes.

“Seeing” (3:49), “Tough” (8:18) and Age (6:26) move away from the jazz area back to the “classic power trio” playing of the earlier tracks. This then leads on to a series of tracks that are instrumentals, “Sun” (3:48), Big (6:35), “Wet” (5:07) and “G” (1:21).

“Sun” is a short punchy track that drives along, “Big” is a slower tempo and goes through a number of time changes, “Wet” continues the slightly slower style and “G” is a quirky, very short piece, which in reality makes me question the inclusion of the track, as it is just so removed from where the other tracks are at.

The final track, “The Final” (8:26) is another slow burner of a starter, with greater emphasis than before on the atmospherics, created by the majestic keyboards and the superb touch of Steve on the guitar. “The Final” is an excellent relaxed, laid-back track which finishes the album on a very positive note.

In general terms, this is a satisfying chunk of prog metal/power metal, but seems to lack the spark that ignites an album for the listener. This is a pleasant album comprising melodic prog by excellent musicians, but never “hits the heights.” I also tend to find that any album that has many instrumental tracks, or is fully instrumental, needs that special “feel.” Until the run of the 4 instrumental tracks toward the end of the album, I was enjoying the album, but they certainly tested my “staying power.”

Spots is an album that just doesn’t reach out, grab your ears and shout “this is great music!” It is an album that I think I will dip into from time to time and pick a few tracks to listen to. As always, my personal opinion may not be the same as anyone else, so give Spots a few listens and see what you make of it.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks:  Blank, Hot, The Final

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

June 30, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: Native Construct-Quiet World

Release Date: 21^st April 2015

Label: Metal Blade Records

Website

This is another release by a band that this reviewer hadn’t heard of, and consequently would not have come across. The band is called Native Construct and the title of their debut album is Quiet World.

The band is a collaboration between students started in 2011 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where I’m informed, a certain Dream Theater, also originated. The album, Quiet World, is a concept album dealing with the tale of Archon and The Silence, the inhabitants of the Quiet World. The style of the band hints at Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Queen, Between The Buried and Me, and should suggest what is to be found on Quiet World. There is a musical amalgamation of classical with musical theater via prog metal.

Native Construct is made up of three members, Myles Yang (guitar, programming), Robert Edens (vocals) and Max Harchik (bass).

The album, Quiet World, clocks in at around 48 minutes, with 7 tracks in total. The longest track on offer is the final track, track 7, “Chromatic Aberration” which plays for 12:28 minutes with the previous track, track 6, “Chromatic Lights,” the shortest at only 2:14 minutes.

The opening track on Quiet World, “Mute” (6:34); I have listened to many times because of the range of styles present in such a short time. Starting atmospherically, it soon explodes into action with a full band blast, including a vocal that just about holds its own against the instrumentation. A twist soon sees the track head into jazz territory before 2 minutes have elapsed, with some very nice harmonies and a little show of guitar work from Myles. A further shift around 3 minutes brings in a sublime little passage of gentle instrumentation and harmonized singing. This is then a cue for the “strings” to enter the fray and add a symphonic tinge with some very subtle piano away in the background. This is an excellent little section which slowly builds, but then jumps into growled vocals and metronomic drumming, which unfortunately happen to be two of my pet dislikes, but also features some amazing guitar. Despite several listens, the music loses me at the, and lets not pull any punches, death metal growls. Call it by any other name, extreme metal, whatever, but I find that growling vocals are a total turn-off. This opening track encompasses, for me, the highs and lows of what Native Construct have to offer.

There is a very jazzy start to “The Spark of Archon” (9:09) which edges into the metal style very quickly with some great guitar. The vocals are more like a narrative to start but become “normal” by the 2 minute mark. There are several tempo changes early on, which serve to impede the flow of the track, as it seems to veer from place to place. The jazzy moments are very good, but at around 3:30 minutes, there is a switch to full on metronomic drumming and I start to drift. A moment or two later and we have entered a superb atmospheric melodic passage. Just after 6 minutes we again hit the metal guitar with “double pedal” drumming then the track dives back into the realms of jazz again. There is some superb guitar from the 7:30ish minute which drives the track along, with some low, and fairly indistinct, vocals. The track moves to a finale with simple instrumentation and a crystal clear vocal.

“Passage” (8:23), has atmospheric passages, superb “string” themes, variable time changes, great saxophone, and then the growling starts, this time in front of some superb symphonic sounds.

The final, and longest, track, “Chromatic Aberration” (12:54), has some scintillating guitar work at the outset with excellent vocals and it isn’t long before the time changes start to appear and the vocals shift towards the growl, leaving the track desperately searching for a direction to go in. Instruments vie for attention and the overall effect is, unfortunately, disappointing. As the track continues to veer from one passage to another, it simply starts to blur the track. Around the 4:30 minute mark, there is an oasis of calm, with very atmospheric music and superb vocals, giving a majestic snapshot of what Native Conflict can achieve. The track then moves off in another direction but maintains the listeners’ interest. The mid part of this track is by far the most amazing passage contained within the album. The staccato style which heralds the tracks’ exit seems to jar and the growls also reappear around 12 minutes. 

This listener is certainly not leaping up to put the album on again. Quiet World is a very complex album to get into as it is seems to be trying to be all things to all people, sampling jazz, rock, metal, prog, folk, classical and more. Whereas there are great examples of skilled musicianship on show throughout this album, I found the speed at which shifts from style to style happen, didn’t work and although some passages were superb, the album seems to lack coherence and seemed unfocused.

I will stress again, however, that this is a very personal opinion on Native Construct and admit freely that the sound of growled vocals do absolutely nothing for me, apart from reach for the off button.

Having made that comment however, I will be very interested to see (or should it be hear) the direction that the band take with any follow-up release. I enjoyed many passages on this album, Quiet World, but the chasm between extremes was simply too great.

3.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Mute, Spark of Archon, Passage

Tracks: 
Mute
The Spark Of Archon
Passage
Your Familiar Face
Come Hell or High Water
Chromatic Lights
Chromatic Aberration
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 23, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: At War With Self-Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Release Date: 11^thMarch 2015

Label:  Digital release

Website

At War With Self is a project led/conceived by Glenn Snelwar, a multi-instrumentalist, best known, although not by this reviewer, as one of the guitarists on the Giordian Knot debut which featured members of King Crimson, Cynic, Watchtower and Dream Theater.

At War With Self has previously released three albums, Torn Between Dimensions (2005), Acts of God (2007) and A Familiar Path (2009), and now, album No 4 has landed on The Ancient Ones’ desk for review. The title of the newest release is Circadian Rhythm Disorder.

To quote the press release that accompanies this album release, “Circadian Rhythm Disorderis the culmination of four years of writing, recording, re-writing, analysis, re-analysis, discarding, rebuilding, e-evaluation and final culmination of compositions based on the framework of a 51 minute drum solo performed in a single take by Marco Minneman (drummer, composer, multi-instrumentalist with Steven Wilson Band and Joe Satriani Band).”

I will admit at the outset of this review that the thought of a 51 minute drum solo filled me full of foreboding, but I was interested to hear how Glenn built Circadian Rhythm Disorder around this base point.

The musicians involved on this release are Glenn, who plays guitars, fretless bass, mandolin and keyboards, with Marco Minneman, providing the drumming and percussion.

Circadian Rhythm Disorder is a 24 track album with a total paying time of around 51 minutes. Fifteen of the tracks last for under the 2 minute mark, with “Slate Wiper Pt 2,” the shortest at only 53 seconds and the longest track on offer on Circadian Rhythm Disorderis “Seeds Of Doubt” which plays for 4:19 minutes.

The opening track on Circadian Rhythm Disorder, “Slate Wiper” (3:26) is an interesting piece of music based on the first section of the drum track. There is a fair amount of metal guitar riffing, interspersed with mandolin which draws the listener in, although the sudden change from acoustic to metal guitar can be a little jarring. This is a positive start to the album with a track that certainly hangs together very well.

“Seeds Of Doubt” (4:19) has a very atmospheric build-up to around the 2 minute point before the metal guitar appears in the background and takes over with bursts of machine gun like riffing, which unfortunately isn’t a style that keeps the interest of this listener.

“Seeds Of Love” (3:47) changes tack with piano and acoustic guitar setting the scene before the keyboards fill in the background. A good track, and indeed, I think the best of these early tracks without a doubt.

“Shards Pt 1” (3:21), “Shards Pt 2” (2:17) and “Shards Pt 3” (0:55) are based around the less metallic side of the music, with “Pt 1” using acoustic guitar and keyboards to provide a gentle, almost laid back, flowing piece of music, which does have a few tempo changes, but it is always satisfying. “Pt 2” has a superb piano to start and is again, in the gentler of the musical styles across this release. There are some excellent acoustic guitar themes on offer over the length of this track. “Pt 3” again highlights the piano, but at under a minute in length, is too soon gone.

Having listened to this album several times over the last few weeks, I am still not convinced that I like or dislike it. Overall I’m very happy with the gentler, more atmospheric tracks, but a little put off by the harsh metal thrashing. This is an album I may well dip into from time to time, but only some of the tracks.

As usual, this is a very personal view of Circadian Rhythm Disorder, and I would always advocate that people have a few listens before making their mind up.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Slate Wiper, Seeds of Love, Shards Pt 1-3

Tracks:
Slate Wiper
Seeds of Doubt
Seeds of Love
The Mirror
Mirage
Stumbling To Sleep
Daydream
This Is Not My Reflection
Smash The Mirror
Shards Pt 1
Shards Pt 2
Shards Pt 3
Nightmare
Running From The Dream
N.D.E.
Tunnel Of Light
Re-Birth
First Breath
New Life Pt 1
New Life Pt 2
Slate Wiper Pt 2
A Day’s Death
Completion Of The Cycle
One And All
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 21, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk