Phil Brown: (Counterparts UK) Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar Steve Grocott (Ten) Electric Guitar Karen Fell: (Gary Hughes Band) Vocals Dan Mitchell: (Formerly of Ten) Electric Guitar John Power: (Counterparts UK) Bass and Fretless Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, & Violin Dann RosIngana: Electric Guitar Alan Taylor: (Nth Ascension) Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar Gavin Walker: (Nth Ascension) Bass Guitar Martin Walker: (Nth Ascension) Electric Guitar
From the very inception of the origins of the Earth, their have been two constant necessities to support life on Earth that being time and water. For Darrel Treece-Birch (keyboardist of TEN), to take the risk and creating a progressive conceptual album articulating this was a courageous move. Both time and water are mankind’s most precious resources. In his new conceptual album No More Time, Darrel Treece-Birch along with a all star line up try to convey this message both instrumentally and lyrically.
Darrel Treece-Birch’s No More Time takes you on a journey of emotions that both progressive rock purists and even hard rock, heavy metal and AOR purists have a little something they can enjoy on the album. With 15 tracks on the album Darrel Treece- Birch reflects a different perspective on the water we use on the Earth and how time also factors into our usage of this most precious resource. His all star line up has certainly done a great job embracing his vision on this album and conveying it to his targeted audience.
Starting with the first track Nexus Pt1 the album opens up with such a ambient backdrop with a spoken word narrative to set up the story that is about to be No More Time. Then the album smoothly segue’s into Earthbound.
Earthbound is a full instrumental that simulates a story of how water actually got to Earth to begin with. This is demonstrated with great atmospheric keyboards in harmony with atmospheric guitar solo’s throughout the track. This is followed by another instrumental track titled Riding The Waves.
Riding The Waves is a more up tempo track with more layered keyboards and guitars that are matched in unison with a solid and fluid rhythm section. This is also another instrumental on the album that requires a open and objective mind. Riding The Waves continues to paint the picture on the tapestry of the canvas mind of the listener. This sounds much like that of a film score soundtrack the way it is written. It is also ethereal in scope. This leads into the next track Hold On.
Hold On begins with a warm piano passage that is soon followed by a warm vocal melody. It appears almost as a ballad. The lyrical content takes a deep internal direction. It is as if a mentor is mentoring his student. It has many AOR hallmarks especially from AOR ballads past particularly in the 1980’s however with a modern sensibility. This is now followed by the next track on this epic journey Requiem Pro Caris.
Requiem Pro Caris is another warm piano intro driven track. It is as if the piano are simulating raindrops while the spoken word narrative continues with the journey. This leads into the next track Twilight.
Twilight is another beautifully crafted track that is very heavy on the piano. It gives the listener the effect that Darrel is in a small venue giving a show in a more intimate setting. He manages to do this both on the instrumental side and lyrical side. Deep piano tones and vocal tones are the backbone to this one. This leads into the next track Mother (Olive’s Song).
Mother (Olive’s Song) continues with the warm piano passages drawing the listener more and more inside the epic. The piano passage reflects that of a symphony solo passage in a old theater. Soon more modern keyboard atmospheres are layered upon the existing piano passages. This is also performed rather on the darker side. This is another of many instrumentals on the album. This leads beautifully into the next track Freedom Paradigm.
Freedom Paradigm begins with some up tempo percussion rhythm section. Soon this is followed up with a almost climatic heavy metal styled soundtrack. It is loaded with very powerful progressive metal fusion style solo’s throughout the entire instrumental track. This track gives the listener the appearance that the epic has reached a climax. This not before the next track Nexus Pt3 .
Nexus Pt.3 is another well crafted keyboard led passage that is perfectly complimented by a spoken word narrative. It is a little lighter for the listener to digest. This leads into the next track in the epic The River Dream.
The River Dream is a wonderful track that is a instrumental however is written in such away that the listener starts to reflect more and more on the overall epic journey of the concept rather than the individual tracks. The River Dream starts to allow the album to really come together and gel in the album as a collective. This leads right into the title track of the album No More Time.
No More Time begins with a warm melodic touch with warm vocals. Lyrically it appears there is a end of a era. The instrumental portion certainly matches this. The track takes a up tempo harder rock edge as if time is now moving forward. The harmonies are spot on. The harmony between the vocal and instrumental are full of emotion throughout the track. The guitar solo’s are much more AOR leaning, however the track remains on its objective. There are progressive time signatures within the solo’s giving this track a depth a fullness. This leads into the next track Legacy.
Legacy starts off with some lush atmospheric percussion and keyboard effects. The heavy guitar is not that far behind. This has a very Pink Floyd styled atmospheric vibe. All the instrumental pieces appear to running very balanced with one another. The instrumental works more like a vocal harmony telling a story all its own. This leads into Music of the Spheres.
Music of the Spheres opens up with a wonderful feminine touch to the album with a very present female vocal. The piano is warm yet haunting in its nature on this one. Lyrically this song questions many things in life. The track picks up somewhat at the 2:00 mark. The instrumental certainly matches the lyrical content on this one. This reaches the emotional apex of the epic journey of No More Time. There is also a neo progressive styled solo section towards the middle. This leads into the final track Return To The Nexus.
Return To The Nexus begins with a progressive electronic and ambient intro. Its atmospheres are almost in the vein of Peter Gabriel’s This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) from his SO album. All the hallmarks of ambient, progressive, electronica and AOR from the album are present on this one. Return To The Nexus is written and arranged very appropriately to have all styles on the album present. Some of it even has a Kraftwerk influence behind it.
Darrel Treece – Birch has created a concept of grace and intimacy. No More Time is one of those albums that will certainly find a audience outside of the progressive rock community. This album is certainly among those albums that will continue the posterity of progressive music as a collective. I do see this album influencing future generations whether they be progressive, ambient or AOR music minded. This will get a 5/5 and have a place in my Top 10 of 2016.
Label: Independent Release Year: 2016 Country: USA Genre: Progressive Hard Rock
Band Members
Chris Rudolf – Guitars/Vocals/Keyboards/Midi Pedals Stevie Williams – Bass Guitar & Keyboards Steve Lauer – Drums & Vocals Ron Murvihill – Keyboards/Vocals & Flute.
Some bands require many years together to practice, rehearse and gel together before they even darken the doors of a recording studio. On top that they also need some significant time together playing live to find out what works and what needs improvement. Portland Oregon’s own Timelight have certainly shattered all those beliefs. I am not saying that they do not get together and rehearse, practice or spend time forming their unique progressive hard rock sound.
Formed only in 2012, Timelight have certainly have come together with the cohesive vision of a band that has been around 20 to 25 years. Their 2016 self titled debut Timelight Timelight certainly confirms all that. From the very first spin of their independent debut I have been hooked with bewilderment and awe of how tight the band’s sound is for being together for such a short four year period of time. These four guys are either musical veterans or just four men with one solid cohesive vision on what a progressive hard rock band should sound like.
I have heard many independent self financed debuts from many bands over the years and Timelight’s self titled debut is certainly one of the more professional and cleaner sounding albums I have heard in that fashion. To be brutally honest I believe this debut album is well worth any progressive rock label to give this band a chance with a record deal. Timelight’s self titled debut may only have five songs however as in the prog rock spirit the album gives you almost a full hour of beautiful progressive hard rock. Now a breakdown and some highlights from each track from Timelight’s self titled debut.
The Law Of Identity begins a straight away charging high powered rhythmic passage of drums/bass and rhythm guitar. It borders between a progressive hard rock to a progressive metal passage. Soon the keyboards come in and give the track a slight melodic accent. When the vocal finally enters in, it does not overwhelm the listener it rather allows some breathing space for the listener to get into both halves of the band, instrumentally and harmonically.
At the 3:30 mark the track takes a small break where the band feature a more choral side with the vocal harmonies. The rhythm section remains insane and a vital and important focal point throughout the track. The keyboards bring in melodic accent at some key appropriate times. At the 6:28 mark the track takes on a beautiful acoustic guitar lead atmosphere. The vocals remain warm and inviting throughout the track. At times the bass work reminds me very much of early Yes’ Chris Squire. Towards the 10:00 mark the band finally opens up more and allows a more heavier yet atmospheric sound to come forth. The band soon displays the hallmarks and time signatures that make this a progressive rock album.
Genomes the shortest song on the album, begins with a beautiful rolling rhythm section that is followed by great vocal harmonies. You can notice the tight progressions and passages that the band are capable of executing. The way the tracking on the guitars is gives the listener the appearance that they are speaking at one another. The keyboards have a more neo progressive atmosphere to compliment the rhythm sections. The band also really focuses greatly on song structure on Genomes .
Mountain Trilogy starts out with a beautiful piano melody that is soon accompanied by the drums. The vocals and harmonies soon enter in with warmth again. The band clearly are about giving the listener enough without totally overwhelming them to lose their attention. The piano is definitely the background and melodic focus on this track allowing the listener to remain within in the album with anticipation. Mountain Trilogy is a very traditionally progressive minded track that will appeal to progressive purists meanwhile introducing a outsider to true traditional progressive rock.
Normalcy Blindness opens up with a lush layered acoustic guitar passage. The vocals soon wrap around and embrace the acoustical passage lyrically. The background harmony soon appears. The unsung hero anchoring the intro here is the flute. The flute adds great depth to the intro before the track takes a RUSH Hemispheres style straight away rock direction. This track seems like two songs gently and subtly crafted into one symphonic piece. It shares a mellow side as well as a harder edge side however the band does not take the listener off into a tangent where they lose their attention. This is the second epic on the album clocking in at 14:44. The solo’s have a very traditional 1970’s style with the modern progressive sensibilities of 2016. This track blends the generations of progressive rock together very well.
Tell Us What You Love begins with a thick rich rhythm section layer. The bass carrying the intro before the keyboards, drums and guitar come in harmony with the vocal. The instrumental is a really compliment to the lyrical portion allowing for the story to be told. The guitar solo’s give this a depth in the atmospheric quality allowing the listener to digest the entire album as a collective.
For a independent band, Timelight have certainly built a solid foundation towards future work in a career. I believe with the right promotion Timelight’s self titled debut here will find its audience whether a vast audience or a niche. For a band who self financed this and released it independently they did a great work here. This album will be a heavy contender for my New Independent Release of 2016. This album gets 5/5 for its cohesiveness and vision.
John K. – Orchestral Arrangements on “Remedy Of My Heart” Bob Katsionis – Firewind/Outloud/Serious Black – Keyboards on all songs except “Reincarnation” & “Remedy Of My Heart” Mina Giannopoulou – Backing Vocals on “Remedy Of My Heart” Astrous – Aenaon – Backing Vocals on “Break The Core” & “Remedy Of My Heart”
Greece is such a significant part of the world and its history. It has been for well over 5000 years now. In a part of the world that gave us Western Cultural values such as democracy, the science’s and some of the first arts comes a progressive metal band Sunburst to continue this rich tradition. Not only are they maintaining such a rich tradition, they are actually innovating it in the 21st century. With all the above said, it is very ironic that Sunburst’s debut album is titled Fragments Of Creation.
Fragments Of Creation takes progressive power metal to another level of sound, structure and intensity. Sunburst was birthed out of the minds of of Gus Drax – Biomechanical Paradox,Black Fate,Vasilis Georgiou – Innosense, Black Fate and Kostas Milonas – New Day Slave,Foray Between Ocean,Paradox, Outloud,Nick Grey -Bass. However I would not call them the typical cliche` of a ‘Supergroup’ per say. Sunburst are more like four really technically proficient musicians with a common collective vision.
This four man metal unit has such a wealthy of sound and multiple layers that it gives the listener a audio illusion that there are more that four in the band. This is accomplished through the powerful and thought provoking finger work of Gus Drax – Guitars, who strictly plays a seven stringed guitar on Fragments Of Creation thus providing more sonic and melodic instrumental depth to the album itself. Vasilis Georgiou – Vocals is definitely one of the more soulful voices following in the footsteps of other soulful vocalists as the mighty Roy Kahn ex- Kamelot and his successor in Kamelot, Tommy Kerravick. There seems to be a common conceptual theme about life and death and struggle throughout Fragments Of Creation. Now a breakdown of the monster that is Fragments Of Creation.
Out Of The World starts out with a slamming and thunderous rhythmic passage that is blistering. The band wastes no time with such a beautiful audio assault on the senses. The seven string guitar gives it a very unconventional sound for sure. Between the bass/rhythm sections and guitar rhythm sections tuned down it certainly takes the track to a new depth of sheer heaviness. The shredding solo is quite blistering as well.
Dementia opens up with a beautiful full lush keyboard before going into a wicked time signature based progression. It settles down and Vasilis Georgiou’s vocals open a sense of warmth that really invites the listener into the composition. This is one of the more emotion based track on the album. Lyrically it tells a very articulate story of ones isolation with dementia.
Symbol Of Life begins with a wide open power shred on guitars while the blistering rhythm section creates a atmosphere of fury. This track contains solid choral harmonies that are followed by some passionate and well written time signature progressions. The double blast beats give the track grit along with the powerful solo’s. This track balances both progressive and power metal influences.
Reincarnation tears right into a crunchy and blistering intro. The track carries a more western European element along with some elements of thrash metal in the vein of Death Angel or even Testament. There are even subtle hints of galloping NWOBHM elements within Reincarnation.
Lullaby the first official video single for the album starts out with ethereal layers of atmospheric electric guitar. Warm vocal harmonies perfectly run side by side with warmth and gentleness. These elements plus the lyrical story make this the perfect first single in which to introduce the band to the world. This also has potential to be a staple within live set lists. The solo on this one is definitely charged with great emotion.
End Of The Game begins in a very Everygrey Blinded style of progression. This track has various time signatures and power progressions much in the vein of Symphony X’s Paradise Lost and Pagans Mind’s Enigmatic Calling . The band perfectly balance both sides of the progressive and power metal spectrum’s satisfying the audio pallets of listeners to both sub genres.
Beyond The Darkest Sun opens up with sheer speed power metal elements. The track contains some serious shred work and serious speed rhythmic tenacity. The track therein also contains many various time signatures that continue to support the progressive side to the band. This is a sheer instrumental allowing for the band to display in melodic prowess. It reminds me much of Iron Maiden’s Loss Fer Words off Powerslave.
Forevermore opens up with a wonderful melodic instrumental passage with various signatures before calming down some and the warmth of the vocals take the listener deeper within the track. The band by this time continue to catch the the listener with various great hooks and melodies. By this point in the album the band even seems to tighten up while at the same time becoming more confident in their writing and performing ability.
Break The Core begins with a distortion frenzy before exploding with more infectious hooks, signatures and melodies. The vocals are done with such powerful conviction. The band even incorporates some death metal style vocals in some place creating a even more aggressive composition. The rhythm section has some serious wicked solo’s along with the guitar solo’s. This track has a little bit of everything for even the most discriminating listener.
Remedy Of My Heart is the last track and a nice 12+ minute mini epic. It begins with a symphonic instrumentation along with a choral chant section. This also has a very powerful and beautiful female supporting vocal in Mina Trib Giannopoulou . The instrumental sounds as if a army is marching into battle and every chord reflects that. This track is a very very progressive laden track. It slowly builds up to a pinnacle and climax. There are some nice vocal effects in the backing vocal sections. Remedy Of My Heart is the more methodical and patient track on Fragments Of Creation. The time signatures are very unpredictable that the listener in hooked in both audio channels of the mind.
Sunburst’s Fragments Of Creation certainly took me by surprise. This band is part of the next step in the continuing growth and innovation of pure progressive power metal. Inner Wound Records has one of the best find and sign discovery’s I have heard in many years. Sunburst has the potential to be a staple and fixture at Inner Wound Recordings for many years to come. Sunburst’s Fragments Of Creation gets a 4.5/5 and could easily show up in any top 10 of 2016 album’s list.
Melodic Revolution Records | Feature Album August 2016 Leon Alvarado | The Future Left Behind
Label: Melodic Revolution Records Release Year: 2016 Country: USA Genre : Progressive Rock
Band Members Leon Alvarado – Keyboards/Sequencing/Drums/Percussion/Launch Control Voices Billy Sherwood – Lead and Rhythm Guitars On All Tracks Except “To Be Loved” Rick Wakeman – Moog Solo on “The Launch Overture” and Additional Keyboards Johnny Bruhns – Acoustic Guitar on “To Be Loved” Steve Thamer – Narration
In today’s progressive music climate and culture, it would be arrogant to hold on to the notion that every conceptual album has to have lyrical content to tell a story effectively. Rick Wakeman with ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ , Kraftwerk with most of their library and even guitar virtuoso’s like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson have all certainly destroys this ‘Myth’ . Now comes Leon Alvaroado with his soon to be released The Future Left Behind. With a open imagination and a objective mindset, the listener can easily allow the narrative throughout this album to set up the instrumental pieces that flow with such masterful and thoughtful continuity.
Some artists have a very uncanny ability to create their own worlds that invite a true objective listener to become enveloped within that world and carry their minds and souls into a place of brief escape or even a small melodic vacation for the hour or so of the album. Leon Alvarado has done a brilliant job doing this on The Future Left Behind. The album certainly has strong cinematic film score elements that blend in well with all the traditional progressive rock and fusion hallmarks.
Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind, is a conceptual piece that describes what the future of the Earth and humanity maybe. The cinematic elements easily rank up there with legendary science fiction film scores as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, 2001 A Space Odyssey. At the same time ranking right up there with the likes of Jordan Rudess, Derek Sherinian’s PlanetX,Genius A Metal Opera and Ayreon’s Actual Fantasy. Anchored with a very articulate narrative eloquently spoken by Steve Thamer, Leon Alvarado’s brilliant use of sequencing and effects along with the instrumental melody holds the album within the confines of a consumable audio pallet for both progressive purists or those newer and more curious listeners.
Despite the all star line up on this album, Leon Alvarado in a very tasteful and appropriate way allowed for the respective talents to be displayed while maintaining a unique ability to focus more on strong song structure rather than ego carrying it in its duration. First he paints a clear focus with every narrative piece on the album so the instrumental pieces are magnified ten fold allowing the listener to paint the vivid images of the story in the theater of their minds. The all star line up do a brilliant job working within the vision of Leon Alvarado on this project.
Each instrumental track carries its own emotion and paints some very vivid melodic strokes throughout the album. Every layer of sequencing, every rhythm section and keyboard section has its own broad strokes of audio bliss. This is also a album that can translate well to a live atmosphere in concert on stage. In a era where compressed music is force down the throats of the general public, Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind allows every note, progression and passage to breathe allowing the listener to absorb the project with grace. With every listen and rotation there seems to be something new coming to the light of day or something there that has not been noticed before with previous listens.
In conclusion , Leon Alvarado has made a very intricate and artistic statement without compromising his initial vision. It take a lot of courage and risk to make a almost strictly instrumental conceptual piece. Although they are not for everybody they certainly have a niche audience that wants to sit back, chill and allow the theater of their minds to paint a picture alongside the music. I give Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind a 4.5/5 for complete organic vision. This is set for release on July, 30, 2016 on Melodic Revolution Records.
For well over 30+ years Fates Warning have time and again proven why they are one of progressive metal’s staples. Not only are they pioneers of progressive metal, they are the apostles of the genre. There influence is undeniable. Many would agree that without Fates Warning there may not of been a Dream Theater and Symphony X from the USA, Vanden Plas from Germany, Threshold from the United Kingdom, Circus Maximus from Norway and Evergrey from Sweden.
Throughout its history Fates Warning has certainly endured with many line up changes. At the center of the various changes has always been two constants, that being Jim Matheos and RayAlder. It is almost very certain that Jim Matheos and Ray Alder have not lost any vision for Fates Warning. Even before Dream Theater’s Change of Seasons, Symphony X’s The Odyssey and even Green Carnation’s Light of Day, Day Of Darkness, Fates Warning would yield progressive metal’s first true epic in Ivory Gate Of Dreams from 1988’s No Exit album.
In 2016 Fates Warning still have a hand on the banner of progressive metal. This is very apparent with their brand new album and second on the Inside Out Music label called Theories Of Flight. With Theories Of Flight, Fates Warning continue to influence and grow as a band and prove why they are still a standard in the progressive metal community. Theories Of Flight has a little bit of everything Fates Warning has done as a band collective and its various side projects such as OSI, Redemption, Engine, etc ..
Theories Of Flight has a vast collection of elements from straight away progressive metal to avant garde and even ambient elements. The band seems much more rested than they did with their 2013 offering Darkness In A Different Light. The band appears to get right to the point and still allow for the individual compositions to breathe and stand on their own merit. Nothing seems compressed nor hurried in anyway whatsoever.
From The Rooftops opens the album with a very deep ambient tone between the rhythm section and the guitar effects along with the warmth of the vocals of Ray Alder. The intro is definitely filled with emotion before breaking and taking off with a very fierce yet brutal in your face progressive passage. The track definitely has a Jekele and Hyde personality about it. Bobby Jarzombek has added a vicious rhythm intensity at the drums as well.
Seven Stars continues where From The Rooftops left off with a blistering intro before going into a more melodic and harmonic balanced track. The harmony between the vocals and the instrumental portions is as tight as it gets. This track reminds me very much of Fates Warning past with Silent Cries from 1988’s No Exit album. This track is very heavy in its conviction on the vocal harmonies as well.
SOS starts with a crunchy distorted guitar intro before once again going with a all out assault to the audio senses. It also contains some very light thrash elements to it before going into various time progression passages. The bass/drum rhythm section is insanity.
The Light And The Shade Of Things is a more traditional progressive metal track both for its 10+ minutes and its extended intro. The vocals start out very warm to hook the listener into a mini journey throughout the composition. The guitars are very ethereal and ambient in their deliberate nature. The Light And The Shade Of Things is like two tracks going on at once. It is a song of both self reflection and just a straight up kick ass progressive metal track. This is also a ‘gateway track’ for a newer generation of listener and potential fan. It has a tender side and a very aggressive side.
White Flag begins with a very heavy intro before going into a blistering progressive passage. This track is a truly tradition Fates Warning track and a song that can easily translate to visual form for a video if the band chooses. White Flag is very essential to who Fates Warning have grown into song wise. The guitar solo’s are very aggressive.
Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen continues the deliberate assault on the senses. The bands aggressive vision continues for Theories Of Flight. Among all the aggression the band allows for the song to breathe and beautiful melodies to be on display. The band also ventures towards newer time signatures and various effects as well.
The Ghost Of Home opens up with a very non traditional spoken word intro. It is as if a person is changing stations on a television or radio. The vocals draw you in with ease. The Ghost Of Home is the second 10+ minute track on the album. This one certainly has a very heavy OSI influenced progression on it. It reminds me a lot of The Thing That Never Was from OSI’s 2003 deluxe 2 CD edition Office Of Strategic Influence meets a earlier Fates Warning album Disconnected married together. There are areas where their is a ambient element running with perfection with the vocal harmonies.
Theories Of Flight the self titled namesake track begins with some special interstellar space effects. The intro opens in a almost Pink Floydian nature. It also has a deep underlying spoken word effect again. Theories Of Flight is the more eclectic track in tone and nature on the album. It contains very heavy experimental and ambient elements before coming to an sudden end.
In a year where a lot of bands are making ambitious conceptual pieces to remain relevant, or Astonishing, Fates Warning have chosen to make a direct more to the point progressive metal album. This is to satisfy both long time fans and even newer ones. Theories Of Flight is another reminder of who Fates Warning truly are and embody as a band. This album gets a 5/5 for excellence. It also proves why Fates Warning have been fixtures in the progressive metal community over the last 35 years.
Italy has had a very long standing tradition of invention, innovation and engineering. They have used these principals in industry, the arts and sciences and even within the parameters of music. Italian people have a uncanny ability to exert minimal effort and yield maximum results. IfSounds totally fits this definition especially where their 2015 album Reset is concerned. For only five members in ifSounds, their sound gives the listener that there is far much more going on than there really is.
Now to be honest there have been bands in the past use very minimalist elements and come out with a fully layered and warm project. It began with Krautrock in Germany in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s and has continued to more recent genres such as post rock with TOOL and even post metal bands. However ifSounds is one of those bands that come along with the talent enough to blend all those styles I mentioned before, styles that all now have found themselves within the progressive rock/metal banner.
“ifSounds are the images of our dreams and our nightmares. Music is just the shape we give to our stories, our hopes and our fears.” This is how the band describes themselves over on their website. From my observation this could be somebody’s reality or situation with a family member, co worker, boss, friend, etc… ifSounds lyrical content matches the emotion of the instrumental content to a point where people can have time for self reflection. Although their music may not speak to the almost 7 billion people on Earth, it certainly has the quality for those with a opened minds and hearts of objective perception.
Here is a some highlights from Reset.
When I Was Born Again comes in slowly like a impending thunderstorm with the keyboards. Soon the bass heavily comes in and takes the song in another direction. By the time the band comes in with all their parts between the vocal and instrumental there is a minimalist vibe about it. IfSounds have a excellent disposition. They appear to channel early TOOL and Radiohead with a heavier progressive side to the track. This song has a very dark appeal to it. The track ends with a beautiful harmony vocally.
FR9364 opens with some serious drum hi hat work and executed quite well by Lino Mesina . As he carries the heavier progressive passages, the keyboards come in with a sweet ambient sound that gives the song a wash of ambient flair. In some backhanded way the track reminds me of 1970’s WAR with Low Rider with heavier progressive elements.
40-14 is another straight away heavily executed drum/bass rhythm section that is soon matched by a slightly tuned down rhythm guitar. 40-14 is almost like a progressive version of The Who’s My Generation meets much of what the Ray Davies was doing with the kinks. Half way through this track it takes on a heavy heavy psychedelic progression much like in the early Pink Floyd meets Velvet Underground. The band really continues to utilize heavy minimalist passages to perfection here.
Laura begins with a beautiful mandolin with wonderful warm vocals. It is very heavily influenced on the more folk and classical elements. The tracks takes on a real heavy vocal harmony almost like a small choir based folk track like what was coming from New York in the early to middle 1960’s.
I’ve Never Hated Anyone is certainly the anomaly of Reset. This track contains more in your face bombastic elements both in the instrumental and vocal. There is anything from straight away hard rock elements to even very light punk elements. This is also the most metal track on Reset. Finally about the mid point of the song it takes a more progressive hard rock approach with great melody and harmony.
Run Away opens with a beautiful warm and inviting acoustical guitar passage that is soon met in harmony with warm vocal melodies. This track is really led more by the rhythm section of bass/drum and the lyrical content about it. The keyboard at times acts like another guitar in the song.
Flashback opens up with a very Cream like guitar riff. bass and drum rhythmic section. This track is very much rooted in the blues at the start before getting slightly psychedelic. This is very 1960’s old school Prog Rock Italiano. The vocals really carry it.
Fading To Blue opens to a warm almost in the fashion of early darkwave acts like Bauhaus and The Church yet with a 1970’s progression like Popol Vuhl. The back up vocals are almost as instrumental as the warmth of the acoustic guitar. This track adds layers upon layers of various time signatures blended perfectly with the instrumental melodies. This is also a very heavy ambient track in nature.
Reset the namesake of the album opens up as a flow in segue effect from Fading To Blue with a heavy dark atmospheric progression. Reset is like the total collective of the various points that band has executed throughout the album. Reset opens with serious progressions and avant garde time signatures. For five members this track in particular sounds like their are much more members than there actually are. It goes back to the start of this where I said minimal energy maximum distribution. The Tide continues in the vein of both Reset and Fading To Blue with the heavy atmospheric intro’s giving the listener the appearance that the last three tracks may be part of a trilogy. This is definitely heavy on the rhythm section. The Tide closes out the entire Reset album with a extended and wonderful guitar solo. The Tide is the perfect conclusion to Reset.
After a closer listen and spending much time with this album, I have concluded that ifSounds transcend typical progressive rock labels and cliche’s. They can definitely play on more than just a progressive rock live bill. IfSounds Reset gets a 5/5.
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