THE TYLER DURDEN PROJECT

Here is yet another "comeback" by a long assumed dead prog rock group. The sometimes symphonic sometimes fusion sometimes heavy French band's first release in 12 years gives the impression that they forgot to unleash several productions during the intervening years. This is because, while it bears similarities to "Borderline", to say it picks up where that album left off would be to imply that they suddenly suffered an unprovoked heart attack and conveniently omit the likelihood that it was provoked by years of failing health. I'm not saying that they had to remain a CAMEL clone band - in fact their pinnacle album "Tales from the Green Sofa" sounds like a CAMEL collection that enhances that band's legacy while barely retrenching at all. While I had issues with the direction on "Borderline", "The Tyler Durdan Project" doubles down on the clumsiest tendencies of the past, a hard rock and bluesy interpretation of the fictional protagonist of "The Fight Club" movie, book and comics. One would expect more aggressive programming but not the plod rock parody on display here, punctuated by technically skilled and utterly vapid lead guitar solos only accentuated by Stephan Forner's lackadaisical vocals, a strength of the group when their music actually soared contrastingly. Such a shame.