Progressive metal – Page 54

Grey Skies Fallen – The Many Sides of Truth (Review)

Grey Skies Fallen are from the US, and this is their fourth album of Progressive Metal.

The band combine a form of Anathema relaxi-prog and a Melodic Death Metal influence with sharp, rasped vocals and heroic cleans. On paper it looks a bit incongruous but in practice it works surprisingly well.

It’s a tribute to the talent of the band that they can combine the soft introspective nature with the heavier Metal parts of the songs and have it sound cohesive and complete.

Elements of Nevermore and Septic Flesh clash with the aforementioned Anathema influence, add to that a bit of Doom and Melodic Prog…basically they have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies and are talented enough to pull it off.

Subtle keyboards accompany the sometimes epic riffs to create a larger than life atmosphere that also manages to stay compact and manageable as the band flex their musical muscles.

The songs are well composed and have a real feeling of grandeur to them. The music is very operatic in scope and ambition, which means it’s a very satisfying listen.

Grey Skies Fallen have produced an album that demands closer inspection. Check them out and hear what they have to offer. You won’t regret it.

Merkabah – Ubiquity (Review)

Merkabah come from Canada and play Symphonic/Power Metal.

I must confess that upon seeing the words “female fronted” and “symphonic” in the description I immediately feared the worst and was expecting some form of Nightwish rip-off. This deplorable state of affairs is caused by the sheer abundance of such clones, so maybe you can forgive my cynicism. You should already be able to tell, however, that I was wrong, and happily so.

This is not a what I was expecting, as it’s far more of the Power Metal genre than the Symphonic/Gothic Metal one and as such it’s a very fresh, energising and downright exciting release!

I’ve stated previously that Freedom Call are one of my favourite Power Metal bands, and although Merkabah don’t sound especially like them, I get the same feelings of happiness and excitement off both bands.

This is life-affirming Metal, that deserves the capitalisation more than most.

Melodic Power Metal, with keyboard/Symphonic accompaniment and top drawer songwriting; this was never going to be anything other than a winner with me, notwithstanding my initial erroneous assumptions.

The singer has a fantastic voice that wipes the floor with most Power Metal vocalists. Her voice is a perfect combination of beauty and power.

The songs are on the longer side, especially the final title track which clocks in at 12:00. These lengths give the band ample room to explore their chosen musical territory and flex their creative muscles, expanding their horizons into more Progressive waters on occasion. Red Letter Days is a great example of this, although at 5:44 it’s actually one of the shorter tracks.

The songwriting is immaculate and the album blazes bright, burning away any false Metal daring to stand in its hallowed presence. I can’t recommend this enough.

Prospekt – The Colourless Sunrise (Review)

Prospekt play Progressive Metal from the UK and this is their début album.

The band are heavier than most of this ilk, and it serves them well. A tight, modern production brings out the shine in them and they play with skill and precision. All of the instruments are punchy and crisp.

I think I detect a bit of a Djent influence in some of the guitar riffs as well. Not overly so, but it’s there nonetheless, adding a certain something extra without becoming overpowering and generic, as Djent so easily can.

The musicianship is exemplary throughout and there are some blinding solos flying around.

These are enjoyable songs that have a glut of ideas and flourishes across the 9 tracks. Most of the songs are on the longer side, as befits a Progressive band, but they never lose their way or become meandering or dull.

The singer has a fluid, melodic voice that can compete with the best that Power Metal has to offer. His vocals slide across the Metallic riffs and keyboard embellishments like liquid light.

This is an album to encapsulate the listener; one you can quite easily sit back, listen to and enjoy the meaty riffs, melodic vocals and crisp atmospheres that the band produce.

Top work, especially for a first album. A bright future dawns.

Júlio Stotz – Suspended in Reverie (Review)

Júlio Stotz is from Brazil and plays piano-heavy instrumental Progressive Metal.

I’m not a massive fan of Djent, as I find most Djent bands become really generic really quickly; however the Djent influence on this EP is more of a side-dish than the main meal and as such it works for this release instead of against it.

These tracks are largely relaxed and laid back; they know exactly what they want to achieve and know there is no point in rushing things. Even when the larger than life guitars and double bass are blaring out the songs retain a serene atmosphere.

The compositions are clearly from a musically mature mind and the juxtaposition of the ambient and classical sounds with the Djent influence works well.

This EP is four songs in 17 minutes and is a worthwhile listen for anyone looking for some atmospheric mood Metal.

Give it a try.

Chaos Plague – Chaos Plague (Review)

Chaos Plague are from Italy and this is their first EP of Progressive Death Metal.

The music is technical as you would imagine, with interesting riffs and arrangements for each of the three songs on this EP.

This is a combination of Death Metal and Progressive Metal which means we get the Death Metal parts with angular riffing, but we also get more relaxed and calmer moments with clean vocals. These clear vocals are competent enough but for me the growling steals the show as these deeper grunts sound like monolithic stone slabs dragging against each other.

Apart from the angular fretwork the drums are exercises in precision and the bass is much more audible than the norm.

The 17 minutes of Metal on this EP hits the spot and hopefully they can develop their style even further for their next release. Very promising indeed.

Thoughts Factory – Lost (Review)

Thoughts Factory are a Progressive Metal band from Germany, and here we have their 8 track album Lost, which contains 65 minutes of accomplished music.

It’s instantly apparent that this is a superior release. Superficially all of the Progressive Metal boxes are ticked, (bright keyboards, technical playing and leads, soaring vocals), but the quality of songwriting is plainly above average.

An ambitious release; the band know what they want to achieve and do everything in their power to achieve this. The musicianship and production is faultless and the songs are clearly in skilled hands.

This is quality Progressive Metal with plenty of variety; heavy, light, slow, fast, ostentatious, minimalistic – it’s all here. The songs are complex and show good structure and pacing. They have an ear for a catchy riff, and the guitars work with each song as a whole instead of trying to be the focal point as some bands make the mistake of having them as.

The singer has an extremely capable voice capable of belting out the powerful sections but also capable of frailty and nuance as necessary. His vocal lines are generally effective and emotive, and he knows when he’s onto a good melody.

The album is based around a central concept and accordingly the lyrics are more personal and emotional than the subject matter that a lot of Progressive bands deal with, and this further differentiates them from the pack.

Lost is likely to be one of the best Progressive Metal albums we’ll hear in 2014. A bold claim I know, especially as it’s only just turned February, but I’m confident that Thoughts Factory have what it takes to compete in the big leagues.

A top quality Progressive Metal concept album – time to add it to your collection don’t you think?

Leviathan – Beholden To Nothing, Braver Since Then (Review)

Leviathan are a Progressive/Power Metal band from the US; this is their fifth album.

This is an ambitious release; 76 minutes of Metal, broken down into multiple interludes and the actual songs themselves.

Leviathan have a strong, full sound from the outset. The band are skilled musicians and make good use of all of the instruments available to them, while the production ensures that everything sounds clear and crisp.

The singer has a good voice that is not quite full on Power Metal but neither is it unrestrained. He can belt out the powerful notes when he needs to.

The songs are involved and have plenty of instrumentation, which may be slightly ostentatious but not gratuitously so; there’s a lot of technical flashiness but the ultimate aim is always to enhance rather than just for the sake of showing off.

Check out Leviathan and give them a try.

Lalu – Atomic Ark (Review)

This is French Progressive Metal group Lalu with their second album Atomic Ark. Helmed by just one man, the album boasts a plethora of well known names from the Progressive/Power Metal genres as both band members and guests.

Big sound, big songs. It’s like Threshold and Kamelot have collaborated together with the express purpose of making an album to please just me.

It’s also heavier than you might expect. The drums are solid and the guitars are thick. When they’re not being used for lightning molten-Metal solos of course.

A huge amount of talented people are involved in this album, and it would be a disappointment, (to say the least), if it was all for nothing. I’m pleased to say that all the hard work, years of development and obvious enthusiasm and ability of the contributing musicians has paid off handsomely and this is as fine a slab of Progressive/Power Metal as you’re likely to hear.

With the exception of the final track, (the hugely epic 19 minute extravagance that is Revelations), the songs are all relatively short. The vast majority barely worry at the 4 minute mark, but not a single second is wasted. Efficient and concise; the songs are instant hits yet retain enough meat to the bones to satiate for some time.

The vocals are highly accomplished, as you would expect, and the melodies and harmonies of the songs are very pleasing.

The keyboard-work on this album merits special mention and is more than just an atmospheric addition; certainly they fulfil this purpose admirably but they are also integral to the songs themselves.

One interesting thing about this release is that for all of the calibre of the musicians who contributed to it, the technicality is never too overt or flashy. It’s there of course, just beneath the surface, enhancing the songs and playing its role. Rather than attempting to play centre stage and steal all of the limelight; the playing never attempts to upstage the actual songs.

Achieving the rarest thing of being both catchy and full of depth, this is an exemplary example of just how brilliant and life-affirming Progressive Metal can be when done right.

Mahogany Head Grenade – Return to the Point of Departure (Review)

Progressive Metal from the US; Mahogany Head Grenade offer us 31 minutes of virtuoso Instrumental Metal.

This is a very guitar-driven release played by people who obviously know how to play; and play they do.

The guitar sound is crisp and precise, which goes for the rest of the instruments also. The songs mainly hover about the 6-7 minute mark and are well thought-out compositions. There are some good flourishes in the songs and interesting parts aplenty.

The melodies used are easy to listen to and the band, (a trio), gel together nicely so that everything seems to be moving as one, even when there is a lot going on.

There are a multitude of samples used on the tracks, which in some way are used in place of a vocalist. They do the job well enough and fit the style of the music.

The songs hold attention and are full of enjoyable Progressive Metal that is written well enough to not need a singer to be the anchor point. Here’s to more of this in the future.

Eryn Non Dae – Meliora (Review)

French band Eryn Non Dae are really upping the ante in terms of quality with this their second full-length.

Eryn Non Dae are a difficult band to pigeon-hole in some ways. I’m going to go with Progressive Metal, (simply because that covers a multitude of sins), but there are also elements of Sludge, Post-Metal, Doom, Ambient, etc. on this artful album.

As a useful reference point think a band like Tool at their most expansive, only make it heavier and add harsher vocals. Prog gone Sludge? Or Post-Metal with the emphasis on the Metal? Tool crossed with Year Of No Light and Rosetta? Maybe.

A sprawling multi-faceted album that requires a guide to fully map out the terrain explored; there is both depth and breadth here, providing the listener with a complete aural experience.

Meliora is darkly atmospheric and bleakly absorbing. The songs have light and shade and never suffer from losing interest. One of the wonderful things about Eryn Non Dae is that they know how to create these various emotions and moods without following the usual Post-Metal template; although there is a good amount of variety on this album it is essentially all centred around aggression and heaviness. This being true, the fact that they have created such landscapes of hardened sound is very telling of their talented nature.

The songs are heavily involving and speak to the listener in private terms, whispering secrets that are hidden in plain sight, wrapped in an enigma of monolithic guitars and towering vocals.

This is an excellent album that I can’t believe has only just come to my attention. Released in 2012 that’s two entire years it has been missing from my life! Definitely a keeper and in it for the long haul. Get this while you can as it will make your life better.