OCTANE

'Octane' comes to be the eighth studio album by Spock's Beard, released in 2005, an album that much more than its predecessor presents a more streamlined rock sound and tunes down the progginess. This is, of course, also the second album by the Nick D'Virgilio-fronted version of the band, and with a sound that focuses on a more straightforward and groovier tones, it fails to satiate that need for the unpredictable that was ever so present in previous SB releases. Perhaps the absence of Neal Morse is felt the most on 'Octane', as the album features a collection of twelve tracks whose style ranges from hard rock to acoustic or alternative rock with some great instrumental passages. 'Octane' also comes off as having a much darker undertone, which is definitely in contrast with the usual uplifting mood of the band's music, but again, this release should be taken as a rock album and not so much as a prog one. Some nice moments on here include the opening track as well as 'Surfing Down the Avalanche', 'Of the Beauty of It All' and 'NWC', while some of the more mellow tracks might come off as forgettable and mediocre.