Ne Obliviscaris broke new ground in the progressive metal, a genre which prides itself in its forward thinking style as well as the evolution of the bands within, but can often times become as stale and caught in its own cliches as much as any other genre. To break new ground is a feat that deserves praise, and they did that on their debut album with their unique blend of melodic death metal and power metal meets jazz and classical. And while that sentence alone doesn’t sound too unfamiliar, the use of real violin (courtesy of clean vocalist Tim Charles) adds a completely new dimension to this already technical band. Rather than a background instrument, it is in the forefront, setting the mood of the song or trading solos with the guitars.
If I had one complaint of their debut album, Portal of I, it was just a touch too long. (Steven Wilson once commented that emotionally driven albums shouldn’t exceed a length of 50-55 minutes because you will lose the average listener anywhere after that, and I agree with that remark). However, Citadel and Urn dropped the runtime significantly to 48 and 46 minutes respectively, all the while delivering catchy and memorable songs that still showcased the band doing what they do best. Plenty of riffs, solos, dynamic transitions. Overall showcases for every member of the band.
Coming almost 6 years after Urn, Exul had a lot to live up to. The band was more popular then ever before, the world had gone through a global pandemic which had inspired many great albums from other bands in the progressive metal genre, and also it was by far the longest gap between albums that the group had gone through thus far. And while the band has lived up to the challenge of releasing another solid full length, I am saddened to say that it does not live up to hype created in my mind by the last two albums.
One of the bands strengths is created driving andbalanced albums based knowledge of when to delivery crushing riffs and when to bring in something for the audience to sing along to. And while the album has plenty of beautiful soft moments as we would expect it to, the memorable hooks are few and far between. Admittedly, if I took more time to really delve into the lyrics, I might find a greater appreciation for the album. Maybe these were calculated, deliberate choices by the band to enhance a story. I’ve only gathered bits and pieces of it, but I know parts of it deals with the crusades, and takes a page out of Indiana Jones and in turn talks about the search for the Holy Grail.
If there was a consistent theme throughout, I think the band should have been more upfront about that. They could have had included it in the linear notes, touched upon it in interviews, and done something really special with the already beautiful display of the collectors edition of the album. And if there is no consistent theme throughout, well, that just proves my fact that these are a group of songs that do not flow together well and the album does not match the brilliance of Citadel or Urn.
Dissecting the songs on the album, “Equus”, the opening track is probably the highlight of the album. It starts off with a driving riff leading into memorable soft vocals melodies, beautiful violin playing, great contrasting darker riffs and gutturals. Immediately evident is the upfront bass playing of Martino Garattoni. This is the bands first release, and while he is as talented as anyone else in this incredibly virtuosic band, it almost takes you out of the element to hear jazzy bass lines overtaking the beautiful string sections that come later in the song. I get wanting to showcase his playing, but the reason it works for a band like Cynic is because all the members are playing freely around the bass, leaving space for it. Here it almost sounds like the engineer forgot to bring the levels down after recording the bass parts.
Regardless, the song pushes on, and Tim brings us back with his emotional singing and playing, and the climax of the song is a highlight for not just the album, but the bands career. There are some upfront cymbal hits that feel like they are right there in the room with you, and the guitar solo is incredible. Not bad for a 12 minute song to open the album.
Multi-part songs have become a staple for the band, and here that comes in the form of “Misericorde I” and “Misericorde II”. The first part comes in with some frantic riffing, reminiscent of Obscura, and the Middle Easten sounding scales during the solo are fantastic. But there are many moments you think the song will take off, and instead seems to play it safe. Part 2 reprises a melody from the first part, this time softly and beautifully. This long build up is another highlight of the album. It contains a bluesy guitar solo that tugs on my heart every time. It starts to make sense why the parts were broken up, and why Part 1 focused so much on riffing. The vocals finally erupt almost 7 minutes in. This song is about as post rock/post metal as the band gets.
While my review has sounded mostly positive this far, I think you’ll find that’s the case for people regardless of if they love the album or hate it. The first half definitely is the stronger half. “Suspyre” and “Graal” aren’t bad songs. All the trademark elements of Ne O are there. But they bring nothing to the album you haven’t already heard in the first three tracks. Similarly, they are almost interchangeable. You wonder how they’d be able to top the first half, but it the second half feels safe, which is weird to think about when talking about such incredible musicianship. After the two tracks, the album ends with “Anhedonia”, which is a soft instrumental with beautiful wordless vocals by Tim Charles. However, this feels extremely anticlimactic as an ending track when “Graal” also ends anti-climatically with a violin solo.
I think the albums biggest faults lies in its track listing. It almost feels like reverse order of what it should have been. Looking exclusively at music and not lyrics, I would start with “Anhedonia”, or at least put it in the middle to separate and give breathing room to the heavier tracks. “Suspyre” and “Graal” would be my “one-two punch” out of the opening, “Misericorde” would be my epic centerpiece, and “Equees” would be my big finish, with memorable Melodie’s finishing off the album, rather than aimless ambience.
That being said, there’s no bad track on the album and I’d be excited to hear any of them in a live setting. But the order of the songs leaves the listener wanting more, and the lack surprises might leave long time fans feeling a little let down. Then again, maybe they will just be glad to hear new music after the extended wait. Maybe my appreciation of the album will grow in time. But for now, I’m gonna go back and and enjoy Citadel for what’s probably the millionth time.
I rarely a gives scores any more, but this one to me feels like a 3 out of 5.
Rivers of Nihil were one of the American technical death metal bands that seemed to be a direct response to the tech death bands from before (the early 2000s to 2010) switching gears from more traditional death metal or metalcore to space themes and ambient moments, such as The Faceless and Obscura. Those bands in turn made their change in response to the originators of tech death changing to more philosophical themes such as Cynic and Atheist. And around this time, it wasn’t just death metal, but Prog as well, as Devin Townsend and Opeth finding their softer sides. So with this line of bands following each other footsteps, was it surprising that Rivers of Nihil would change from their tradition death metal to incorporating psychedelic elements on 2018’s Owls Know My Name?
The simple answer is no. By then, saxophone had well found it’s way into tech death, including on albums by The Faceless. But aside from what some might dismiss as a gimmick, the songwriting on that album was absolutely solid, and it was a joy of an album to explore. Their follow-up however, surprised even me, not only how good it was, but also how much ground they explore and territory they masterfully cover. Let’s dig in to 2021’s The Work.
Between the release of their of previous album, three major things (that I know of) happened for the band:
1. The release of Owls helped the band get to a point where they could tour for a living.
2. The success of Owls created a pressure for the band’s follow up, something they had not experienced at this kind of level before.
3. The COVID 19 Pandemic put all of that to a halt, much like it did for the rest of the world.
These newfound experiences put the idea of “work” into context for the band, something they explore thoroughly over the course of this 64+ minute record. Without going too much into the concept, it’s not just the actual work we go to in order to support ourselves and our families, but the work our body does everyday to keep us alive, the work we put into relationships, all the work that goes on in our world and in ourselves every second of every day. The band chooses to start this album on a theatrical note. The soft opening is not surprising, and it brings up memories of Autotheism by The Faceless. But what it lacks in memorability as opposed to that one, it makes up for setting the stage for this dramatic endeavor. The subtle change from major to minor key, the background vocals, and train like sound effects all help the song build up to a huge climax. The song comes back down, only to go straight into………
The huge and heavy riffs of “Dreaming Black Clockwork”. This song is equal parts djent from Meshuggah, industrial elements and vocals like Devin Townsend, and “black jazz” like the band Shining, thanks to the comping style of the saxophone. It has a soft and mysterious middle section that only returns to the heavy riffs. This is a great introductory track to the mechanical tones of this album in comparison to their previous ones. It also shows how the band break away from the saxophone as a soloing instrument, and instead as a flowing and continuous part of the ambiance of the album.
If the previous song reminded me of Devin Townsend at his heavier moments, “Wait” reminds me of some of his more tender moments. It is an odd follow up to have a softer song immediately after the previous one, but I think that jarring transition is exactly what the band was going for. After some screams in the middle and a classic rock climax with a bluesy solo, and transitions into the darker “Focus”. I love the dynamics in this song, from the bass heavy verse, to the middle eastern sounding guitar riff of the chorus.
“Clean” has some memorable heavy riffs and screamed vocal lines, but the star of the show is a psychedelic synth solo and bluesy guitar solo that comes perfectly in the middle of it all.“The Void From Which No Sound Comes” combines the industrial and ambient elements of “Focus” with a massive chorus and a perfectly executed saxophone solo. “MORE?” Is the most aggressive song on the album musically, lyrically, and vocally, and it interestingly transitions to a reprise of the intro track, appropriately named “Tower 2”.
“Episode” starts off like doom metal you’d expect from the band Swallow the Sun, and is greatly contrasted with its heavy parts that sound more like the band Behemoth. It has a few masterful guitar solos as well as an emotional climax with the repeated lyrics “Do the Work”. They close the album out with a pair of epic tracks. The first is the gorgeous 7 minutes ballad “Maybe One Day” which is simultaneously hopeful and questioning, climaxing with a slide guitar solo and the repeated lyrics “Is this the only way?”. The last song is the progressive metal masterpiece “Terrestria IV: Work” which weaves through so many twists and turns, finally culminating with our familiar lyric, “Do the work”.
Overall, some transitions from heavy songs to soft songs may be questionable, but they were definitely the intent of the band nonetheless. It with everything else on this album meticulously crafted, it would be hard to imagine that wasn’t the case. Still, it is a small gripe if I had to choose gripes. The album is an incredible experience from start to finish. Every song has merit and memorable sequences. I may have gotten around to this album late, but it has been one of my favorite recent experiences, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of metal, Prog, tech death, or even jazz, as it will surely be one of those albums that bridges the gap for listeners who are typically not into extreme metal, much like Cynic and Meshuggah have done.
Cult of Luna by the time of this release had already established themselves as one of the “big three” of Post Metal alongside legendary bands Isis and Neurosis. They are known for their consistency and forward thinking approach. For me, they had already been a part of two of my favorite albums of all time, with Vertikal and Mariner (alongside American vocalist Julie Christmas). But their previous albums were no slouch either.
Following those two albums couldn’t have been easy, and I may have been tough on reviewing the follow up, 2019’s A Dawn to Fear and the companion EP, 2021’s The Raging River, which both did grow on me with repeated listens. But sometimes the biggest problem with ambient types of music is that it can get lost in the ambience, and forget about the song at its core. This is not the case with the shorter songs with clean vocals the band has every release for some time now, but some of the longer songs that have great riffs, but ultimately sound very similar.
Following quickly after those two releases, I hoped that this one would have a little more diversity, and while that’s not exactly what I found, I did connect with it a bit faster than with the previous two releases.
First and foremost, the album name, track listing, and album art are quintessential Cult of Luna atmosphere, so much so that you can’t believe it already hadn’t happened. For a band who has traveled musically and lyrically through countryside, cities, and even space, a journey through snow and barren lands is the perfect setting for their cold, dark, moody feel.
“Cold Burn” opens the album much like “The Silent Man” did for A Dawn to Fear and “Three Bridges” for The Raging River. It’s a driving song with brief melodic moments. But what they brilliantly do here is lull you into a false sense of security. When “The Silver Arc” comes in right after with a similar sense of urgency, you think it’s gonna be more of the same. But when it’s beautiful droning middle section complete with a bright bass tone you would hear on a record by The Cure or Tool appears, it hypnotizes you.
“Beyond I” the first surprise of the album comes at the perfect time. I shouldn’t say surprise since soft songs on their album are becoming expected, as well as guest vocalists, but they are what I look forward to since they provide so much needed contrast. Mariam Wallentin’s voice is haunting on this keyboard driven track with no drums. It reminds me of AA Williams, especially on her split with Mono. The band intelligently follow this up with the slow building “An Offering to the Wind”. With the tension and atmosphere of a Western film, the flow of the album starts to take shape, with its peaks and valleys mimicking the very landscape it describes.
After it’s epic climax, the album brings itself down again with the ballad “Into the Night”. Whereas “Beyond I” was more electronic and industrial driven, this one continues the country and western feel the band started on the previous track. It starts slow and brooding, building half way in to a full band ballad, with very unusual chord progressions. It reminds me of Radiohead almost, due to a mellotron keyboard tone, and a crooning vocal style. It is a different style for the band. Very ambient, and it shows their continued confidence in the variety of clean vocals. And while the sporadic appearances on these track listings don’t signify a complete change, this middle dip of forward thinking songs bookended by the heavier, driving tracks is what gives this album its wonderful and consistent flow.
Continuing with this thought process, the band does not just randomly pick it back up with immediate heaviness and urgency. They slowly build it up once more time with the short instrumental “Full Moon”, a beautiful blend of the country and western feel of the last two songs, with the electronic/industrial keyboard heavy tones of “Beyond I” all mixed together. The subtle changes of tone yet constant flashbacks to past themes gives this album cohesion, and flows perfect into “The Long Road Home”, which starts with some incredible slide guitar work.
Eventually the title track brings that intensity felt on the first two songs. The band really take their time on this album, in the best possible way. The title track is filled with fantastic dynamics and the production really shines on this one as you hear layering that simultaneously make you think of the cityscapes of Vertikal, the space of Mariner, and the countryside of Somewhere Along the Highway. Aside from obvious post metal references, bands and projects like Agalloch, NIN, Author and Punisher also come to mind.
“Blood Upon the Stone” the last real song and second longest song, acts as an epic closer, and doesn’t take as long as “An Offering to the Wild” to get going. Using the momentum from the previous track, it gets right into it. The extended middle section with delayed guitars, consistent drumming and subtle keyboard tones turns into an explosion of dissonant and post rock goodness. The vocals return over a repeated melody a builds to an incredible climax worthy of finishing off this group of songs. But Cult of Luna don’t leave you hanging.
The album officially closes with “Beyond II”, which is an ambient piece of drone, classical, and industrial, all mixed together. It was created alongside Colin Stetson who also helped provide soundscapes on “An Offering to the Wild”. Normally I’m not the biggest fan of instrumental ambient noise closing out an album. But after such a massive track and complete journey, I can see the need for it here. It eventually fades out, and leaves you ready to re-experience it all.
It’s always hard for a band to live up to a fan favorite. And while Cult of Luna might be in the fortunate position to not have one distinct one, they have certainly created a mountain for themselves to climb over on each new release. But the band gives off the impression that they don’t care… in the sense that they have nothing to prove, and aren’t making albums for anyone in particular. They do what they want to. Some aspects of that are new, some are what they do best. But they’re not going to completely change over night for new fans, nor are they going to stay the same for the old ones. And each new release has something new to give, but it will always sound like Cult of Luna. It’s up to you how much you want to invest in finding the differences. But don’t expect to write it off entirely as just another new album by them.
Kowloon Walled City blew me away when I saw them two nights in a row. Once at a small dive bar in Long Beach. The next in front of about 1,000 people opening for Neurosis. In both shows, their demeanor was almost identical. They are a very unassuming band. But this simplicity is also part of their brilliance. I wrote a review of their previous release Grievances. And when it came time to write a new review for one of their albums, I was shocked that it had been 6 years. A very quiet six years, with scattered shows.
This silence was in part to an uncertainty of the band’s future, which tends to happen when your main songwriter has writer’s block. And with the release coming when it did, it is possible to assume that the pandemic/lockdown could have played the role of the muse, like it did for so many others. If that is the case, I wouldn’t know. Because unlike many bands who came back flashy, swinging, inspired to try a new sound…. Kowloon came back exactly as before.
This new release contains 7 songs that could have been on either of their previous two albums. No clean vocals added, or female vocals…. No crazy times or song structures….no blatant song lyrics calling out specific people or events. It was as if everything we had been through in life had never happened. Just like it didn’t matter to them whether they played in front of 10 people or 1,000. They give you their sound. And that’s not such a bad thing.
In my previous review I explained what makes their sound so unique. Punk sensibility with a sludge/doom/post metal (whatever you want to call it) sound. No crazy light shows or song lengths. No endless tunnels of reverb and delay. And yet, despite their simple arrangements (2 guitars and bass playing slightly different things at the same time, they way Slint did on Spiderland), it is there unique use of space between notes that creates the atmosphere. Even though all the instruments are dry, you still feel like you could be falling as you wait for the next hit.
The title tracks opens by trudging along, as if the chugging were to mimic the lyrics of just passing through life (I don’t have the lyrics written down anywhere so my interpretations could be flawed). Though after a minute, it quickly rushes you to your first bit of soft guitars, a dynamic that despite how often it gets used, never overstays its welcome. Dynamics are after all what this band is all about. That if anything, is their only flex.
“Utopia” is a darker tune with its incredible bass tone, apocalyptic/lost in the wilderness like lyrics, and use of occasional feedback. After a brief soft section, it hits with an epic ending. “Oxygen Tank” on the other hand takes its time to build up, showing off the wonderful DIY production. Punchy drums, upfront bass, just enough room to breathe on the guitars so they don’t muddle the mix, and vocals that always feel on the brink of distorting right out of the speaker. The build up payoffs off with the closest the band has gotten to a normal chorus (“you never wanted to escape!”). Definitely a highlight.
“You Had a Plan” is the closest the band has come to a ballad. Heavy guitars don’t come in until around the 3:30 mark, the music takes over from there, and then the vocals throw in some powerful lines at the end. The song shows the band’s restraint while never conforming to singing when it gets soft.
“Splicing” might be my favorite from the album with its simple but effective bass lines, lyrics, and melodic (while still slightly dissonant) guitar lines. It has a standout lyric “through the haze, like a pulse, you sang”, a build up in an odd time signature, and an abrupt ending.
“When We Fall Through the Floor” musically might feel like more of the same by this point, but it makes up for it with so many memorable lyrics, so you can’t help but headbang as Scott yells, “What’s hidden in the floor?!”
“Lampblack” is a great closer, starting off with the lyric “One last thought” before closing with the line “You want to feel like you’re going home”. There is very little fluctuation in this song and is probably the most jam-like song they’ve done. Aside from the soft breaks, it stays on its main riff before the song ends and fades away.
Like their stage presence, very little attention is forced towards the album. It comes, it goes, and doesn’t over stay it’s welcome. In fact, after 6 years, a 32 minute album is kind of surprising. Most bands would feel obligated to switch things up, so something big, surprise their fans.
But Kowloon Walled City is perfectly happy to do what they’ve been doing. And their fans are perfectly happy to hear more of that. It was almost underwhelming upon first listen, but I should have seen that it’s not about what’s expected. And upon my third listen, I knew it was exactly what it was needed to be. Great lyrics. Great music. And a band that sounds like no other. Why then, would you want them to conform to the trends? Doesn’t matter anyway.
They won’t.
(All pictures curtesy of the band’s social media pages, and websites selling their merch. If you like the album, support the band by purchasing a physical copy of it!)
Between the Buried and Me (BTBAM) released Colors in 2007, an album that would change my life and the way I thought about music. It also changed a lot for the band, helping them away from the metalcore scene they were forged in, to opening slots in Amphitheaters with the likes of Dream Theater and Opeth. Those who were brave enough to get past their long name knew of their progressive tendencies, and on this album, it was on full force, like nothing before it, and in my mind since it.
My love for that albums lies in its balance. Balance between heavy and soft sections. Balance between knowing when to take itself seriously and knowing when to surprise its audience. Balance on knowing how long to stay on a riff or a grove. Balance in its transitions. Perfect balance in its 8 unique and equally important parts, that flow through as one. A balance, that I search for in all albums, but is very rare to find.
So when BTBAM announce a sequel to this album, I don’t take it lightly. This album has a lot of weight on its shoulders, and I don’t want a quick and easy cash grab.
The first single “Fix the Error” immediately left a bad taste in my mouth, aside from some Colors like arpeggios and some drum solos (that I did not yet know were 4 different drummers). It was quirky. It was punk like. And it had a vocal part that continues to grind at me after many listens.
Not at all what I think of when I think of Colors.
“Revolution in Limbo” was the next single, and this one blew me away. It sounded like old BTBAM. As if I could have been on the original Colors album. With brief moments that sounded like Alaska as well as ones that could have been on The Great Misdirect. The balance was back. Metalcore riffs, sweeping guitar licks, transitions that made sense, a confidence in its sense of melody, and a 9 minute runtime that just flew by.
Now I was confused. And the next single didn’t help me out either! A keyboard driven proggy/funky, technical death metal song that sounded more like the bands BTBAM inspired rather than themselves. Something that could have been done by The Contortionist or White Arms of Athena, while still fitting right at home on a Tommy (vocalist) solo record. Now I have three very different songs and no clue, how it all comes together.
On my first listen to the whole album, I’ll be honest. I didn’t think it did. It felt like a bunch of different eras of BTBAM all fighting for seniority. I knew there were good moments and songs, but was ready to write a review about how the balance and melodies were severally lacking.
And then I listened to it some more.
And this long overwhelming album started making sense. Not only that, but it was flying by. And just because it didn’t have the same kind of standout melodies that the first Colors had, didn’t mean it didn’t have flow.
Flow became the word of the album, because I hadn’t realized until that point how much the flow was lacking on Automata and Coma Ecliptic. I’m not saying BTBAM forgot how to write an album. They’re obviously masters of that. But it wasn’t just songs connected by lyrics anymore. Musically, this album was making sense.
From the soft intro of “Monochrome” that we know to expect from them (starting with “Foam Born (A)” from Colors, to the subtle hints and similarities of “The Double Helix of Extinction” to “Foam Born B”. This song snd “Revolution in Limbo” are a ferocious double punch with drumming and guitar chugging that feels like an old friend returning, even though they’ve made a career out of it. Soon you start hearing references to all kinds of BTBAM songs. Is the drumming a reference to “Ants of the Sky”? The vocals a reference to “Lay Your Ghosts to Rest”? The melodic lines a reference to “Informal Gluttony” or “Extremophile Elite”? You start to wonder if they were intended or not. Standouts of the song are the growls (curtesy of drummer Blake), and Ants of the Sky saloon reference.
In the context of the record, “Fix the Error” comes at a perfect spot. Now that they’ve reintroduced the modern life and isolation themes of the first album, the theme of upbringing and revolution makes more sense. It truly becomes a time to celebrate (though I still hate the “if you see the rainbow” part).
“Never Seen/Future Shock” is an 11 minute epic with “Telos” like riffs, melodies, random medical sounding sections, but it also demonstrates something on this album. Not only their confidence, but their sense of fun is really blending so well here. Maybe cause they could reference themselves so much, or maybe cause the songwriting came more naturally. But these long songs with twists and turns don’t feel like they’re dragging on. Even after a section with crazy timing, it pays off with about 4 minutes of beauty.
“Stare into the Abyss” is a keyboard driven electronic track that we’ve come to expect from them, but it provides necessary breathing room and has a post-rock climax. This before the chaos of “Prehistory”, with its video game/cartoon sounds. It follows in the footsteps of “Bloom”, “Voice of Trespass”, and “The Ectopic Stroll”, for the fun section of the album.
If the first half of the album showed they could still pull up their older and heavier style at will, this second half shows their arsenal of tricks aren’t just gimmicks, and the transitions are phenomenal. “Bad Habits” is one of the most interesting tracks in my opinion because it’s got a strong old school Prog vibe. Hints of King Crimson, Genesis, even Gentle Giant scattered throughout their aggressive delivery. From the keyboard tones, jazz, folk, and classical, it is definitely a Dan (bassist) song, it brings out the best in Tommy, especially with its emotional delivery of lyrics like the return of “sleep on, fly on” from “Ants of the Sky”.
Then comes the aforementioned “The Future is Behind Us” which sounds so fun and welcoming in comparison, before moving on to “Turbulent”, which actually doesn’t live up to its name. In actuality, it is another moment of simplistic electronic keyboard parts, continuing what the previous track started while making references to other songs, bringing different ideas together. It just lets you get to the music while building up for what is to come. But before they do that, they actually drop out for a bit with “Sfumato”.
Like “Viridian” before it, the band provides breathing room before the epic closing track. It introduces what will be a main theme on the keyboard while giving off serious David Gilmour vibes, which you can never have enough off. This just leaves…
“Human is Hell”, which acts as the “White Walls” of the album. Starts off similar with a driving riff they actually borrow from TheGreatMisdirect. It follows a similar trajectory as “White Walls” but not without its surprises! The title of the song is said in a part that reminds me of “Digging the Graves” by The Faceless. The first few minutes are almost punishing in how heavy it comes off, and then the melodic chorus comes out of nowhere, almost bittersweet.
It’s impossible to say everything that happens in the song, let alone all the references. Halfway through the melodic melody from “Sfumato” comes back and introduces an extended soft section with beautiful lyrics, melodies, and solos. Then a familiar chord progression leads to a keyboard build up, similar to build ups we’ve seen in their epics before. You can already imagine the audience getting pumped up at this part for the big finish.
After a “Swim to the Moon” nod, a “Prequel to the Sequel” like breakdown, and mini drum solo, we have a brief soft part, before the final chorus. Once this ends, we have the brief major key guitar solo like seen on “Goodby to Everything (Reprise) and “The Grid”. This gives it a classical finale ending, as opposed the sorrowful one of “White Walls”. This is one of my few gripes because it feels like band is relying on it too much, but it is a short gripe for such a triumphant album.
It is so hard to condense writing about this long album with all its references, all it twists and turns, all its technicality, and all its musical sensibility. I fear this review might already be as long as the album itself. But to try and summarize, for someone who was so worried about a sequel to something they loved so much, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Then again, how do you expect a sequel to something that was so unexpected in the first place. But the band passed the test with flying colors, finding a confident way to pick and choose the best parts of their career without completely redoing it.
BTBAM has always had the unique ability of sounding like everyone other band and yet only like themselves at the same time. There wasn’t much they needed to prove to their fans at this point, but their impressive talent to continue challenging themselves while playing some of the most challenging music out there is nothing short of inspiring.
It’s been quite a while since my last concert review, but the right show will inspire you.
Last night, accompanied by my girlfriend and my drummer, we made a last minute decision to travel down to San Diego from LA for a solo piano show from the famed keyboardist most commonly associated with his work in Dream Theater. It’s not often I have to make this journey for shows living in LA, and only have to when I can’t attend the one happening over here. Needless to say, a solo Rudess show in a small room is absolutely worth the 2+ hours, and tired legs, and we couldn’t be more happy with our decision.
I’m starting this review off differently then I normally do. I’m getting the fact that is was an absolutely incredible experience out of the way early, cause I just want to get right into how great and well put together this setlist was. It was my first time at the House of Blues in San Diego. The Voodoo Lounge is the smaller room of the venue, and it was packed with a mostly respectful crowd on a hot/muggy Saturday night. The room eventually cooled down once doors had been opened long enough, and the subtle lighting changes were simple but appropriate throughout the set.
Rudess came out at 8 o clock and started with a short improv, that he joked would be the last time anyone ever heard it again unless they recorded it, and sent it to him. This set the tone for a night of masterful piano playing, and a light atmosphere of storytelling and laughs. Having seen Rudess from afar at a half dozen Dream Theater shows, it was a privilege to be so close to his fingers, as the ease-fully made their way across the keys. Dependent on the piece, he was either focused on the transcriptions, or smiling at the chord, engaging them to enjoy it even more.
The first real song was a new ballad called “Twilight Rain”, which provided some beauty, before showing his classical chops with a Bach piece, complete with harpsichord tones. He then played “Biaxident”, one of my favorite Liquid Tension Experiment songs. By the time he did his first 70s Prog rock cover, the set had already gone through multiple styles, piano tones, and artists.
The classic Prog covers of the set was something otherworldly. Starting with a beautiful rendition of “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, he then moved on to mimick the 12 string guitars for his cover of “Entangled” by Genesis. He had a full choir behind him in his rendition of “The Court of the Crimson King”. He had the classic organ tone for brief cover of “And You And I” by Yes.
He also played an incredible rendition of “Key to the Imagination” off of the new Liquid Tension Experiment album, which is a technical piece as it is, let alone the face that he arranged it all on piano, playing parts done by guitarist John Petrucci on the album. This and “Interstices” off of his “Feeding the Wheel” album showcased his ability to move through rock, jazz, classical, metal, through dissonant lines, and Gershwin like melodies.
The middle of the set was taken up by him soloing on Geo Synth/Geo Shred app that he created. Playing on a tablet, he did synth solos, piano solos, and blues solos that made you think he was playing a real slide guitar. He even at one point played the solo using his nose, as if this show needed to get anymore ridiculous.
Towards the end, he finally gave the Dream Theater fans in the crowd a little something special with renditions if “Hollow Years” and “The Dance of Eternity”, not only showcasing his diversity, but the diversity of Dream Theater, going from a beautiful ballad to the technical aspects and ridiculous time signature changes.
And if all this wasn’t enough, he came back out for an encore of “Even Less”, a Porcupine Tree cover that he covered with Steven Wilson when opening for Blackfield many years ago. He then finished the show with a genre breaking rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” that closed with the exclamation point of an ending that is the last part of “When the Water Breaks” by Liquid Tension Experiment. He emerged from his piano, with the crowd bursting into applause, and went to the merch booth for meet and greets, signing whatever the fans brought up to him.
Aside from his obvious chops on piano, the story telling aspect and balance of the setlist is what really made the show. From anecdotes of starting to learn piano, to playing for David Bowie, to his times at Juilliard, to getting Prog albums from friends, it was very intimate, very honest and very genuine. It was for fans of music, and for Jordan to have fun with his fans after all the world has been through in the past almost two years with COVID and politics. He payed tribute to the greats, dug out songs that haven’t been heard in a while, and did some fan favorites. In turn, it was very well received, and everyone looked like they had been musically cleansed by the end of the night.
This mini tour was greatly appreciated, and to Jordan and his wife who manned the merch booth, thank you so much for sharing your gift, and keeping great music alive.
Setlist
Piano Improvisation
Twilight Rain
Partita No. 5 in G major (Bach)
Biaxident (Liquid Tension Experiment)
Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
Entangled (Genesis Cover)
Moonchild (King Crimson Cover)
The Court of the Crimson King (King Crimson Cover)
Key to the Imagination (Liquid Tension Experiment)
At the time of this review, it’s coming up on four years now since Chris Cornell left us, and it still is one of the hardest celebrity deaths I’ve had to deal with in my 30 years on Earth. Chris had an undeniable powerful and soulful voice. He had an eye for working with talented musicians, as seen by his time with Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog. But he also had a deep appreciation for the music that came before him. This was something more explored with his solo albums and acoustic tours towards the end of his life.
As such, his legacy continues to grace us with the release of a 10 song cover album called No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol 1, released digitally in 2020 and physically in 2021. This leads to the hope that there will be more volumes to follow, but if this were to be the last thing we are left with in terms of new music from Chris, it would be a fine closing statement to his diversity, as well as his musical ability. For people who associate him as just a rocker, he was so much more.
Right off the top we are treated to a rendition of a song made famous by Janis Joplin, “Get it While You Can”. And while hers was a gospel inspired ballad, Chris found a way to bridge the gap of old and new. The r+b is still there, but it also has a tinge of the indie pop style that is currently dominating the airways. The keyboards could have been straight from a Twenty One Pilots song, but is pushed aside for the Joe Cocker like backing vocals of the chorus.
Next is a Harry Nilsson tune that aside from its uses in films and tv (such as Goodfellas) doesn’t get as much recognition as it should. Chris’s cover is pretty faithful to the original. The biggest difference is the use of distortion, especially fuzz on the bass which gives an almost NIN meets U2 contrast, and the lack of the extended drum solo from the original (Chris basically stops right before this in his version, making his about 3 and a half minutes shorter). Otherwise it is still a great upbeat rock tune sure to bring out some nostalgia for people who haven’t heard it in a while.
The next song is “Sad Sad City”, originally by Ghostland Observatory. The duo from Austin, Texas was known for their blend of electronic dance music, funk, pop, and rock. Chris uses this, like he did with the Janis Joplin cover, to update it, and combines the electronic elements with the indie-folk style that is currently popular (think bands like The Lumineers). While the originals of the previous two songs have their merits, Chris absolutely destroys this one. I can only hear it his way, even when I listen to the original.
The next few songs I feel are the major draws to the album. The bread and butter if you will. It all starts with his version of “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses. This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and his version is absolutely beautiful, but I am biased. I miss the length of the original. I miss the solos, the break, the buildup. His is a little more even and consistent throughout, which is why fans of pop music would prefer his. More straightforward with less risk so to speak. But I have to give it credit, I love the ambient sounds in the background of the chorus, and his vocals are spot on as always.
We had already heard him cover “Nothing Compares 2 U” before in live version, but it’s always appreciated to have a definitive studio recording of it, especially alongside such a wonderful track list. Originally a Prince song, and made famous by Sinead O’ Conner, it sounds exactly as you would expect it to, and you wouldn’t trade it for anything. All 3 version are essential listening. It’s not fair to choose. Chris completes the holy trinity with one equally as emotive, bringing out the brilliant lyrics.
John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels” was originally a piano led ballad, as we often saw from him. Chris transfers it to acoustic guitar, which gives it more of a country feel as well as a perceived faster tempo. But while the guitars are double timed, the vocals are never rushed, and it’s all worth it just to hear his voice soar on the lyrics “I just had to let it go”. Doesn’t bring much else, but like the last two, they didn’t really need to.
Some songs on here are more for their imaginative interpretations, some to introduce younger generations to older artists, and some just to hear what Chris’s voice sounds like on famous tunes.
An example of Chris illustrating a relatively unknown artist is on “You Don’t Know Nothing About Love” by Carl Hall. A singer who found work as a session vocalist and on stage in musicals, he unfortunately was never able to break through, and few of his recordings exist. But his gospel inspired and soulful range of 4 octaves is nothing short of breathtaking, and Chris courageously attempts it, while implementing his own vocal style to the song. if his change in the Janis Joplin tune was to let this one shine a little better, it was a brilliant decision.
Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) was a unique band, bringing together elements of classical music, Prog rock, and 70s/80s electronic. “Showdown” was almost disco, like the Eagles had done with “One of These Nights”. Chris forgoes the orchestra elements instead for a traditional rock band configuration. The modern electronic elements replace the distinct sound of electronic music from about 50 years ago. But he does retain the brilliant harmonies on the chorus and he also brings in the attitude of modern rock/blues outfits such as The Black Keys.
“To Be Treated Rite”, originally by Terry Reed, is famous for its inclusion on The Devil’s Reject. Reed was a British folk artist with elements of country and rock. Chris speeds his version up a bit, but it still feels relaxed and comfortable. He takes out the harmonica solos, and in doing so, shortens his version to half the length of the original. The orchestra elements in the background are extremely beautiful in each version, and they fill up the empty space left by the voice and guitar. This is a gorgeous tune, and gives off vibes of traveling through the desert.
And finally, “Stay With Me Baby” was originally sang by Lorraine Ellison, famously last minute after Frank Sinatra cancelled studio time and Warner Brothers had already booked the 46 piece orchestra. Another gospel inspired soul/r+b tune, It is the perfect closer. Chris reminds me of Jeff Buckley’s brilliant work on “Lover, You Should Have Come Over”. The powerful musicianship and church organ compensate well for the lack of a full orchestra, and I prefer his version because of its pacing. I feel like things are too drawn out in the original, but that is just personal preference.
In retrospective, fans of Chris’s hard rock/heavy metal elements might be disappointed. Hearing about a Chris Cornell cover album may give the impression of all classic rock covers. But this showcases his love for all kinds of genres, old and new alike. We know he has covered many songs that did not even appear on this, such as his live cover of “Thank You” by Zeppelin and “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, so we can only imagine what a volume 2 could give us.
His vocals are so adaptable throughout, and his interpretations are also unique. For a man who has given us so much in his life, he continues to leave us wonderful gifts even after his unfortunate passing. For people unfamiliar with some of these songs, it will surly provide some great discoveries to new artists. And for people unfamiliar with Chris himself, it will provide insight into what made him so great. It’s also a fast listen. 10 songs, 36 minutes, and not a bad moment.
Well, it looked like my last list caused a bit of controversy but also was helpful to a few people. So I’ve decided to speed up the process for my next list. The difference between Prog Metal and Neo-Prog Rock is essentially that while Prog Metal (as the name would suggest) is a combination of the progressive genre with heavy metal (that started with Dream Theater, Queensryche, and Fates Warning but has grown substantially from there), neo-Prog is essentially a resurgence of the classic 70s Prog sound of Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and many others.
Neo-Prog started in the 80s with Marillion, and still continues to this day. I must admit (at the risk of losing my credibility) that I did not include albums from a lot of other founding neo-Prog bands, because they didn’t have the same widespread influence, so let me give them a shoutout right now (I’m so sorry Jadis, Pallas, IQ, Arena, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, and a few others. You all deserve better). The reason I choose to specifically focus on Neo-Prog is because…
Well… frankly…. the progressive genre has expanded so much that there are so many different kinds of Prog these days. Bands that have very different approaches and inspirations are all kind of lumped together, from Muse to Opeth, from Mastodon to King’s X, to Karnivool and Periphery, Prog has become kind of blurred. And that’s not a problem for people who are now learning of new bands that way. But for a reviewer making a list, I strictly want to focus on bands that created albums that have a very direct link to the 1970s classic Prog sound.
Now many of these bands may still have their own approach, and may have included techniques or styles that would never have happened in the 70s or appeared on a 70s album, but that’s ok. as long as the link is direct and make sense, I’ll allow it.
Also, I’ve decided to split this up into two parts because of how long the last list came out to be. So here we go! Here’s my list of the 18 essential Neo-Prog Rock albums!
18. Dredg – El Cielo
Dredg had one of the more interesting string of albums to look at (5 from 1998 to 2011). What makes them so interesting is how much they changed from album to album while still retaining the band’s character. From the harsh heavy sound of their debut, Leitmotif (which looking back isn’t too far off from that of their good friends Deftones), to the alternative rock on Catch Without Arms, to the electronic pop sound on their final album Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy.
But it was their 2nd album El Cielo that is considered a crowning achievement. A concept album about dreams and sleep paralysis, it is inspired by one of Salvador Dali’s most famous paintings. It is a diverse album with unique transitions (done mostly by a series of interludes). It ranges from pop, hard rock, and post rock influences, but is always focused. From the catchiness of “Same ol’ Road” and “Sanzen”, to darkness of “I’m Sorry But it’s Over”, and ends on the glorious high note of “Whoa is Me” and “The Canyon Behind Her”. It starts off strong, ends strong, and takes you through many wonderful places throughout.
17. The Dear Hunter – Act II: The Meaning of, and All things Regarding Ms. Leading
We continue this list with a band who is more likely to be called indie rather than prog, but that doesn’t take away from the truly progressive things that these guys are doing. Multi-album concept albums based on a story that the singer created, 9 EPs with 4 songs each based off of moods and feelings associated with each color in the color spectrum, live transitions/jam sessions between songs that would make any band jealous, and a lack of fear when it comes to attempting/incorporating new styles of genres into their already diverse sound.
Act II is the 2nd in a 5 album concept cycle. Musically and lyrically picking up where the first part left off, we follow a boy who travels to the city after the death of his mother. There he falls in love with a prostitute and encounters heartbreak, one of many tragic events in this characters life. The band compliment with hard rocking tunes like “The Procession” “The Church and the Di’e”and “Dear Ms. Leading”, vaudeville style songs like “The Oracles on the Delphi Express” and “Vital Vessels Vindicate”, progressive moments (“The Lake and the River” and “The Bitter Suite”), ballads (“”Evicted”, “Where the Road Parts”, “Black Sandy Beaches”, “Red Hands”), and even upbeat pop tunes like “Smiling Swine”.
It is a phenomenal record, worth every second of every listen, and blends genres like folk, rock, blues, and jazz like it’s nobody’s business. The lyrics are emotional and require multiple spin to full digest.
16. Coheed and Cambria – In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Like The Dear Hunter, Coheed is probably more well known as an indie or “emo” rock band due to the pop punk aspects of their first album. And while those aspects are still a part of the band to this day, they have more than proven their Prog credentials.
This second release (and continuation of their “Amory Wars” saga) by the band not only shows improved songwriting and production, but also longer songs, and concepts within concepts. Starting with the epic battle cry that is the title track, we are treated to a few shorter tracks ranging from upbeat happy tunes, to darker songs with great dynamics and transitions like “The Crowning”. And aside from the well-known hit single “A Favor House Atlantic”, the second half sees the band channeling the attitude of bands like Rush.
From “The Camper Velourium” Trilogy which gets darker and angrier with each song, to the two 9+ minute epics “The Light and the Glass” and “21:13”, the band shows their knack for melodies, harmonies, instrumental moments, riff-writing, chord progressions, and tie-ing stories together by bringing back motifs from earlier songs.
15. 3 – The Ghost You Gave to Me
Poor 3. This band has never been given the recognition they deserve. Perhaps they were cursed with the hardest band name to “google”. But anyone who’s seen them live knows that they are a talented group of musicians, who interestingly blend funk, flamenco, hard rock, and space rock, all in a tight package that sounds like no other band.
Going into this list, I thought I was going to put their 2007 release The End is Begun. That or 2004’s Wake Pig perfectly showcase the balance between the band’s early sound and their later darker and heavier style as well. But their most recent release (which is now 9 years old) is the most focused released in terms of their Prog side. With a string of catchy hard rock tunes, they showcase their odd times and syncopation. But the real champions of the album are “One With the Sun”, “It’s Alive”, and “Only Child”, which showcase the band’s transitions, bright and ambient tones, build ups, and songwriting.
Plus, ending with the brilliant all-encompassing lyrical ballad of “The Barrier” really brings the album closure, as it almost acts as a recap of everything the band had done so far. The world needs more 3!
14. The Flower Kings – The Sum of No Evil
Going into this list, I knew this was going to be one of the most challenging tasks: picking a single album by The Flower Kings. These prog masters not only have an extensive catalog, but consistent as well. Known for long albums, double albums (Paradox Hotel, Unfold the Future, Stardust We Are), albums that flow through like 1 long song (Flower Power, Space Revolver) it is impossible to pick an essential album by the band.
So out of pure bias, this one has always stood out in my mind as my personal favorite. The problem with most albums by the band is that with so much material and lots of short interludes, their albums can sometimes feel overbearing and all over the place. In my opinion, this is the band at their most focused. No filler. Just 6 great songs.
With only one song written by Thomas Bodin and the rest written by frontman Roine Stolt, it doesn’t have as much diversity as some of their albums do, but it is no slouch. The album is full of beauty, melody, technicality, musicianship, moments of flash, moments of much needed rest, and hints of the darker tone the band started using. This is one of the best starting points for a new fan and is still a fan favorite as well.
13. Beardfish – Destined Solitaire / Mammoth
Since this is unlucky #13, I’m gonna go ahead and cheat on this one. Actually it has nothing to do with the number and everything to do with the fact that I literally can’t pick a winner between this two. It’s not that these are the most perfect albums ever, but they are so equally matched together that it would be a great injustice to separate them. These two albums represent the band’s transition from their sprawling double albums to the dark and heavy albums they ended their career with.
Beardfish are a Swedish progressive rock band with traces of everything 70s. From Genesis and Zeppelin, to Deep Purple and Frank Zappa. Perfectly blending the hard rock elements with the quirkiness and technicality of their heroes, they reached acclaim with Sleeping in Traffic Part 1 and 2.
Both albums start with strong progressive instrumentals, “Awaken the Sleeping” harkens back to Gentle Giant and Focus, “The Platform” showing hints of modern metal like Mastodon. Both albums have their signature songs (“Destined Solitaire”/“And the Stone Said: If I Could Speak”) ballads (“Tightrope”), grooves (“In Real Life There is No Algebra”), and plenty of epics that showcase so many styles of the band. They always know when to bring it down with a short time, but there’s so any catchy melodies on these albums that it’s hard to even know how to summarize them.
RIP Beardfish. Many hopes that the world gets to see you again some day.
12. Antimatter – Fear of a Unique Identity
This might be a divisive choice. Some might say that this band isn’t even progressive. Some might say that this isn’t even the band’s most progressive album. Antimatter started out as a collaboration between Mick Moss and Duncan Patterson, formerly of Anathema. This album was the first without Duncan, and was Mick’s time to prove that he could lead the band all on his own.
He exceeded all expectations, with an album that was heavier than anything the band had done thus far. Combining the electronic, dark wave, gothic, and acoustic elements of previous albums, Mick tied it all together in a very Pink Floyd-like way. A clear and focused theme of modern life, excellent production, beautiful tones, emotional delivery, and a strong album from start to finish.
While it may not have anything to do with Yes or Jethro Tull like many of these albums do, it is a rare treat to hear such a well put-together album, and that is very 70s of Mick and the boys. One of my all time favorite albums and worthy of the recognition.
11. Spock’s Beard – Beware of Darkness / X / Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
If you thought my answer for Beardfish was cheating, you’re gonna hate this one. Spock’s Beard is one of the most loved American progressive rock bands to be influenced by the 70s style. Coming out of Los Angeles in 1992, they had the talent, the counter-melodies of Gentle Giant, and a twisted/dark sense of humor. They’ve also been blessed with the ability to reinvent themselves multiple times.
After a string of successful albums with Neal Morse, they pulled a Genesis and had their drummer Nick become their singer. After he left, the band recruited Ted Leonard from Enchant. And so I give you my pick of the essential albums from each era of the band, because each accomplished singer deserves a shoutout for what they all brought to “The Beard”.
Beware of Darkness is their second album with Neal and the most balanced in my opinion. I could have picked any from the Neal era really because they are all so unique, but this one has always stood out to me. It features a George Harrison cover in their style, the quirky “Thoughts” which continued in parts on later albums, the epic “The Doorway”, a showcase of the band’s classical style guitar sounds, a ballad, a band staple in “Walking on the Wind”, and a heavy and epic closer with “Time Has Come Today”.
Nick took a while to fit in, if you ask me. Some of the albums drag on and don’t gel quite right. But X shows the band at the most confident that they had been in quite some time. Three epics full of introspective lyrics, technicality, and beautiful moments (“Edge of the In-Between”, “From the Darkness”, and “Jaws of Heaven”), a fun song in “The Emperor’s Clothes”, the excellent instrumental “Kamikaze”, and the remaining two or three songs (based on the version you get) are catchy and memorable. From start to finish it’s a joy to listen to.
Ted Leonard made quite the impression with his first album with the band. Continuing the confidence and strong songwriting of the previous album, it felt like he had been in the band for years. His emotional and heartfelt delivery highlighted the band’s playing. From Enchant sounding songs like “Hiding Out” and the ballad “Submerged”, to the Nick led Spock’s Beard sound of “A Treasure Abandoned” and “Something Very Strange” even back to the Neal era sound of “I Know Your Secret” and “Waiting For Me”. It even has another edition in the “Thoughts” saga.
If I had to pick just one I’d give the Neal album the nod for the classic sound, but I have to give props to all three eras/singers.
10. Marillion – Misplaced Childhood
Picking a single album from Marillion’s discography is not an easy task, and yet, Marillion fans would most likely gravitate towards this one. Despite its love and acclaim, it doesn’t truly show all sides of Marillion. The first two albums were straight Genesis worship. The next two was the band’s “classic sound”, the next few saw the band’s new singer trying to continue that sound while also trying to be more mainstream, and since then the band has balanced long progressive albums with the introspective alternative rock sound similar to U2, Coldplay, and Radiohead. And while not every album is a classic, they’ve adapted beautifully with the times.
And while I wanted to pick one album that showcased singer Steve Hogarth and all he’s done for the band, I just couldn’t pick one album that reaches the same level of acclaim of this Fish-era masterpiece. Breaking away from just their love of everything Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, the band showed that they were competent songwriters with Fish’s emotional lyrics and Steve’s Gilmour-like solos. The first of two Marillion concept albums written by Fish, the album looks at love, success, acceptance, and lost childhood.
The album starts with the gentle and delicate “Pseudo Silk Kimono” and travels through some of the band’s most memorable songs: its biggest hit “Kayleigh”, the touching “Lavender”, the multi-part “Bitter Suite”, and the triumphant “Heart of Lithuanian”. The second side flows as well as the first side, not as mainstream but equally as memorable. The upbeat “Waterhole” and “Lords of the Backstage” lead to the epic “Blind Curve” and the album ends on a high note with the title track and “White Feather”.
I would love to do an in depth review of this one and a few of the Hogarth releases such as Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles, and Somewhere Else. For now, enjoy this album and my in depth review of Clutching at Straws, which is also on this blog spot.
That’s it for part 1. Stick around for part 2 with albums 1-9. I should have it up soon.
Fates Warning are the unsung heroes of the progressive metal genre. Never reaching the mainstream appeal of their peers such as Queensryche or even Dream Theater, despite being just as influential, they have continued throughout the years, releasing great album after great album.
With the announcement of a new album, we knew it would be no different. Even before their hiatus they had already adjusted with the times, and incorporated many modern elements to their 80s Prog sound. This was in part of the influence of Kevin Moore adding electronic keyboard elements, but is also a testament to their lineup,which has been a part of many other projects and find a way to bring all of those styles together in a cohesive sound. Despite the changes, it’s all still Fates Warning, and the fans wouldn’t want it any other way.
Long Day Good Night is their 13th release. It is 13 songs long, and if you add all the numbers in its length together (72:22 – 7+2+2+2) you get…… well you get the idea. It continues very much in the style of their last few albums. Combining heavy modern sounding riffs, big catchy, anthemic choruses, some electronic elements, at least a ballad, and at least one long song. And this formula works, because it showcases all the different sides of the band. The band even stated that was their particular goal for it.
Lyrically, it all deals with the idea of “home” which is very fitting for the state of the world that we are currently living in. During this Coronavirus Lockdown of 2020, we have spent more time at home than we ever have before, and the idea of the word changes. For bands, maybe home is being back on stage. Maybe the isolation means that home is just being back with your friends. Either way, this is the 2nd album in a row that I’ve reviewed that feels like it has been directly influenced by the quarantine, as Islands by The Flower Kings was as well.
Even the cover works on two fronts. Yes it fits the title and theme, but it also acts as a “return to home“ in the sense that it is their first album back with Metal Blade since FWX in 2004, and bears a striking resemblance to the cover for that one.
Musically, it takes a minute for the first track, “The Destination Onward” to get going, but once it does, it is followed by an excellent build up. The drums, guitars, and vocals are mixed beautifully and it gets you very excited about what’s to come. About 3 minutes in is where it really picks up and it keeps this heavy upbeat pace for the next 5 minutes. It is one of three long songs on the album, and showcases the bands technically, groove, and ability to write a memorable chorus. I can imagine them playing it live and everyone is singing along to the “I gave everything I had” lyric. Plus, it has one of the best guitar solos on the album.
Now if the first song showed glimpses of heavy with its start stop riff during the verses, the next two songs continue that and take it even further. “Shuttered World” might be one of the heaviest songs the band has ever done, in a groove that reminds me of the band Nevermore. This is counter-balanced with another melodic chorus that makes it an album standout. These first two songs will be fan favorites.
“Alone We Walk” closes out the opening heavy trio with a classic Fates Warning sound superimposed over a down tuned guitar riff. Less memorable than the first two, but still with its share of great lyrics and harmonies. This trio of songs starts the album off so strongly that you’d swear this was their best album so far!
But the problem is, there’s still a long way to go! So the band knows they have to change it up a bit. The next trio of songs is more focused on the softer ballad like moments. “Now Comes the Rain” sees the band doing their best Queensryche impression. No, it’s not a blatant rip-off, but it is a nostalgic late 80s early 90s sound that reminds me of classics like “Another Rainy Night” and “I Don’t Believe in Love”. A welcome change of pace to the album.
“The Way Home” starts off like a beautiful ballad, and makes you think you’re getting another song like “Pleasant Shade of Gray Part IX”, but then switches up to a more progressive second half, much like they did with “The Eleventh Hour” from Parallels. Unfortunately, the second half isn’t as memorable as its first and might have worked better as two separate songs. But maybe it needs a few more spins.
*Edit* it has grown on me with more spins!
The heavy section is important though cause it breaks up the previous ballads with another beautiful ballad, this time complete with actual string instruments. “Under the Sun” reminds me of 80s ballads that you would hear from pop bands or alternative rock bands, not necessarily just from metal bands. It is very emotional and can become quite the ear worm for the listener.
The next section of the album seems to be where it starts to lose some listeners. With the trio of heavy and trio of ballads, we get four classic heavy metal songs in a row, split up by one electronic influenced song. With the bands technicality and emotion leading the way, it seems kind of a step back to just do catchy heavy metal songs. But, as the band stated, there’s something for everyone on here. So let’s get through them.
“Scars” was the first single so many of us Fates fans had already heard it. It still holds up with its placement in the album. It is the classic Fates sound we’ve come to expect from their last couple of albums and holds well against tunes like “Pieces of Me”, “Simple Human”, and “White Flag”.
“Begin Again” starts off with a bluesy sounding riff. It’s got a decent pre-chorus and chorus, with hints of Tool and Porcupine Tree, but not the same melodic memorability as previous songs. The most unique section is the off time counter melodies right before the guitar solo, which I’m still not really a fan of.
“When Snow Falls” breaks up to sequence of heavy songs with one of the albums highlight performances. Sounding like an OSI song with Ray Alder on vocals, Gavin Harrison’s drumming fits in perfectly. The tones are brilliant as are the uses of effects such as delay. I always love when Fates steps into this territory and wish we got to see it more (either that or we just need another OSI album soon. Jim and Kevin I’m talking to you!).
But the album goes back to its comfort zone with the song “Liar”. In most of the reviews I’ve seen, people point out its length as its biggest weakness. They say that this track or “Begin Again” (or both) could have been cut and it would have been a more enjoyable experience. I agree, but it also depends on how you listen to it. In one sitting, yes it’s too much. But individually every song is good. So if you need a long album in the car or these songs are on shuffle in a playlist, you don’t mind them as much as you do all at once.
Either way, “Liar” has its moments and “Glass House” is a shorter more straightforward song with probably the catchiest chorus since “Scars” so it’s just enough before we get to the meat and potatoes of the album. “The Longest Shadow of the Day” (also the longest song of the record) is 11:30 seconds.
The majority of it comes from its extended intro where we get jazz style guitar licks, excellent bass solos, and shred guitar solos, while Bobby on drums and Joey and bass do what they do best and hold it all together. Once you get to the vocals, it is actually a pretty simple and straightforward song, with just a few verse and repeated lines. Still, one of the bands best moments in a long time.
The album finishes with the classical inspired ballad, aptly titled, “The Last Song”. This lulls the listener out after the technical mastery and showmanship of the previous tune, and leaves fans of the band hoping that they don’t mean the last one forever.
All in all, this album has me scratching my head where I would place it in my favorites by the band. There is a ton of great material on it. And the only thing it has going against it is it’s length. There’s not a bad song on it, but there are better songs on it than others. And because if that, the band does have better “put-together” albums. Still, it’s not gonna leave any fans upset at its existence. There’s more than enough material to hold people over, plenty of songs are gonna be great live, and everyone will have their own unique favorite song from the album.
It will hold well for many years to come. It doesn’t over take the spot of my favorite by the band (“Darkness in a Different Light”), but halfway through, I really thought it would. Definitely a contender for album of the year, and a must check out for any fan of metal and Prog, whether old or new.
By 1976, Genesis was already a leading figure in the Progressive Rock scene, thanks to 6 albums, 5 of which are Prog Essentials. After their commercial flop of a debut album, they began their streak with Trespass in 1970. These albums showcased that the band was able to put whatever they could possibly fathom onto a record. They created a number of Prog classic songs, and they were also able to establish themselves as a wildly entertaining and unexpected live act.
This was part of the somewhat flamboyant and over-the-top persona of Peter Gabriel, which like Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull was prog’s answer to the emerging Glam Rock genre, which gave way for the likes of David Bowie. And it very much worked for Genesis, as the quirky singer matched their musical technicality and proficiency.
This was most obviously achieved in the form of their 1974 double album, and a Prog opera reminiscent of Tommy by The Who, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I won’t go too into this one because I’ll probably be tackling it soon, but it was the perfect example of the band’s cinematic and play-like stage performance coming to fruition through their music. Unfortunately it was not a big hit at the time, despite later achieving cult classic status, and may have played a very small role in the departure of Peter Gabriel, amongst other things.
So, with the band trying to follow up this album, they now had to prove that they could still write a hit even after the lineup change. They quickly got to writing new material and listened to many audition tapes for replacement singers. But it was the band convincing Phil Collins to sing the song “Squonk” that brought about his transfer from drummer to singer.
Now luckily, the music was still in the band’s style as some of the pre-Lamb albums, so the band found that the music came together quickly. Phil did his best Peter impression vocally while still finding and discovering his voice. But he was also inspired by Peter’s lyrical approach. The albums blends some songs of a tongue-in-cheek nature, with some that are fantastic and whimsical, and even some that are more serious and poetic.
This demonstrated all the facets of the band, and the music naturally followed suit. What this album does is kind of act as a showcase, not only acting as the transitional album between Peter and Phil, but also of Genesis past, present, and future. It has the progressive songs of the past but also greatly foreshadowed the pop sound of Genesis to come. Even though there was still one more Prog album left out of these guys before the drastic tonal change of …And Then There Were Three…. in 1978, it still has some of the bands poppiest, catchiest, and most melodic moments thus far into their career.
The album begins with an absolute classic. One of the best first songs on an album in my opinion. Listening to this, you instantly knew the band was going to be just fine. “Dance on a Volcano” has a memorable two part intro. Part playful, part orchestral, it has a unique transition to its frantic but controlled verse with gives way to its memorable “chorus” and “bridge” section. The song continues with some technical wizardry in the second half before transitioning smoothly into the second song.
“Entangled” is a beautiful ballad that provides some down time after the upbeat opening piece. It is 12 string driven acoustic song with a memorable verse and a beautiful chorus that is straightforward for its first 4 minutes. The last two and a half minutes are led by the synth, bass pedals, and the Mellotron. It’s hypnotic, and it’s simplicity is what makes it effective.
“Squonk” is a song about a mythical creature, but musically has been called one of the band’s heaviest songs. It is a deceptively simple song due to its subtle changes and its jam session ending, but it goes back and forth between two very catchy melodies, that can be seen as verse and chorus sections despite a lack of repeated lyrics. Phil has stated that his drums were inspired by John Bonham, and they definitely stand out on this track.
“Mad Man Moon” would be the other most progressive tune on this album aside from “Dance on a Volcano” in my opinion. Starting out as a simple and beautiful ballad with a bright uplifting sounding chorus, it takes a left turn with its middle section in the form of an extended keyboard part before Phil Collins comes in with his fast paced vocal delivery. The song returns to its verse and chorus and ends very strongly.
Side 2 is more straightforward than side 1, and therefore might have some of the most memorable songs for the casual listener. It starts with “Robbery, Assault, and Battery” which sometimes feels like the odd song out in my opinion. It’s a fun one on its own, does a great job of telling a story, and it’s got its moments of catchiness as well as its progressive middle section where the band goes all out, but to me it doesn’t match up with the more serious and delicate songs.
“Ripples” for example, might be one the most beautiful things Genesis ever did. This 8 minute masterpiece doesn’t stray far from itself. The middle section fits well with its verses and choruses, and despite being the longest song, is one of the more straightforward tunes on the album. A gorgeous and lush sounding ballad that hints at later Genesis, as well as Phil’s solo career.
This is followed by the equally catchy but more upbeat title track, which also hints at these things to come. A very Beatles-esque, playful tune, that returns to lyrics of beasts as “Squonk” did. But it’s hook might even have you forget all about this as you patiently await to sing along with “they’ve got no horns and they’ve got no tail” part. This two songs really balance the album well, giving something for everyone.
Having accomplished an album with some pop sensibility, some beauty, and lots of technical musicianship, all that’s left is to go out with a bang, and that’s exactly what “Los Endos” is. An instrumental grand finale with parts of “Squonk”, “Dancing on a Volcano”, and a song that didn’t make it onto the album but was released as a b-side. They even through a nod to Peter Gabriel at the end. A fitting tribute to the past, and a fitting closure to an album that was looking onwards and upwards. It provides a rest in the sense that it doesn’t throw too much new information at you, after having to digest so much already, but properly closes out the album after the simplicity of the title track.
So, my overall thoughts on the album?
Revisiting it on vinyl a few times has made me appreciate songs that didn’t use to stand out to me. I always loved “Dancing on a Volcano”, “A Trick of the Tail”, “Entangled”, and “Ripples”. I now have more appreciation for “Squonk”, “Mad Man Moon”, “Los Endos”, and even for “Robbery, Assult, and Battery” despite what I said about it above.
There is a lot happening on this album. They cover a lot of ground and everyone gets their moment to shine. For a band who’s future was uncertain, they passed the test with flying colors. Many fans still view this as their favorite album and rightly so. The production was much better than previous albums and you get the best of both worlds with Phil paying tribute to Peter while showing his own strengths. The band is at the top of their game and their songwriting really shows it, with its balance of melody, harmony, and showmanship.
Off the top of my head, this is always my go to as favorite albums by them, but we’ll see if some in depth revisits of their older albums change that. As a whole, my only gripe is that I usually start to fatigue around the midway point, but the last three songs pick up so strongly that it quickly hides any of that away. Otherwise, this is probably the closest Genesis got to a perfect album…
View of the Sunrise 