"Beyond the Exosphere", a 17-minute epic, opens the album with a bombastic guitar riff, which soon develops into an equally epic guitar solo. The first section, "Ascension", acts a bit like "Prelude" in the Rush (with whom they share nationality) epic "Cygnus X-1", many riffs from it are repeated later in the song - or, I should say, many similar riffs are played later in the song, I'm not sure whether the exact riffs are played again - with a short section include vocals.

And talking of vocals, I was impressed by the singing. From all I've heard about metal, I expected the lead vocalist to be screaming his head off, but no, his voice is perfectly in tune, clear, and generally ideal for the music. Also, the band are all great musicians - not that I wouldn't expect that, but they play some stuff, particularly on "Beyond the Exposure", that sounds very difficult - and they play it with expertise.

Back onto the subject of the opening track, once "Ascension" ends, the next part, called "Planetary Transit" comes in; which begins with - I have to admit it - one of the best drum solos I have ever heard (though I shall say no more here to ruin it for those who have not heard it). The other parts - "Regenesis" and "Quantum Leap" - are just as good; I particularly like the outro (some of the keyboard parts, I believe, are similar to "The Cinema Show" by Genesis).

So, to conclude my small essay on this marvellous song, I shall waste no further time endlessly describing it paragraph by paragraph, when I can do so in three simple adjectives: amazing, entertaining, and imaginative. Amazing goes without saying. Entertaining - I have not once been bored while listening to this song, and despite (as I mentioned earlier) repeating some riffs from the first section similar to "Cygnus X-1" by Rush, it is somehow not repetitive like "Cygnus X-1" is - and, to be honest, I'd actually rather listen to "Beyond the Exposure" than "Cygnus", as it is much less boring and more fun (yep, I said it). Finally, I have stated perhaps the most important word, imaginative, because it is hugely musically varied. It seems Pyramid Theorem have not been afraid to experiment, like the very first prog bands, with new technology - look at that drum solo - and with a huge variety of riffs and motifs throughout the song, that clearly indicate they as a band have a wide imagination, represented all at once in one brilliant, epic... epic.

After the brilliance of "Beyond the Exosphere", an acoustic (well, sort of) guitar and synths swirl in, which evolves into a heavy muted guitar riff, accompanied by the rest of the band - announcing the beginning of the next song, "Under Control". It features a lot of shifty time signatures, which give it a sense of speed and urgency, and thus feels a bit like a fast, short break after the lengthy "Beyond the Exposure". An ok song, but I think it lacks a certain distinguishment between each part of the musical composition - it feels a little repetitive, but not on a large scale.

Next, we're onto "Freedom". This sounds more like a classic metal song (if it weren't for the odd time signatures, conceptual lyrics and quite a few other things it would be perfect), due to the heavy riffs and drums, bellowed vocals, very loud volume - not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, after "Beyond the Exosphere", it's my favourite song on the album, featuring a great guitar solo (always a winner with me) and has some excellent lyrics - "Obey, or be swept away" ...epic.

Then we get to "Closer to the End", which, literally, is closer to the end. It begins with vocals though a voice distortioner accompanied by some mysterious-sounding acoustic chords on the guitar. This develops into an electric, thunderous guitar riff, and the rest of the band join in. The lyrics go on for a bit before it all breaks down at about two minutes fifty seconds in; however, it soon gets up again with a really good instrumental section featuring an organ solo that gives Rick Wakeman a run for his money and yet another astonishing guitar solo. After a while it returns to the mysterious-sounding acoustic chords and distorted vocals and basically repeats the cycle - except without another instrumental section. A really topping track.

Finally... "Intonate", the last song. It opens with distorted drumming - in fact, a lot of the music in this song is distorted. Even the time signatures are a bit distorted, if you know what I mean. You couldn't wish for a more uptempo, bombastic, musically varied finale - there's so much music in the song I can barely describe it. I suggest you just listen to it and see what I mean.

And to conclude! As you will know if you have read my other reviews, I have two requirements for a five star album:

1. The songs must all be excellent.

2. It must work brilliantly as an album.

I'll head of number two quickly. This album flows from track to track excellently. You might say this is not an important consideration, but actually, if the tracks on an album don't go well together, or they're ordered wrongly, it can seriously affect how people view it.

As for number one, the songs are generally great. "Under Control" perhaps could have been better, and if you wanted to be really perfectionist "Intonate" should have been a bit longer - there are so many parts I thought it was about three minutes long, I was shocked to see it round to about seven. Other than that, though, it's perfect - and, as I mentioned at the beginning, it's what's got me into prog metal. It might not be as brilliant for others, but for me it's as classic as an album like Moving Pictures.

So, the final verdict is... four stars.

[End of Review]

I was thinking about doing a long and thorough review on this album. That was the first sign I hadn’t listened to this recently. Well, I just have, and I’ve realised that if I do what I call a “thorough” review, I'll be here writing it until next Sunday. 

This is because Thank You Scientist, being Thank You Scientist, expanded on their older work and made one of the most eclectic and musically varied albums ever. An album so eclectic and musically varied it would take ages to describe and judge properly. An album, nevertheless, that has helped shape new/modern prog. But I’ll get on. 

It contains jazz fusion with “Wrinkle” and “Shatner’s Lament”, it expands on funk with “Son of a Serpent”, it adds a bit of metal with “Swarm” and “Terraformer”, and classic prog with “Everyday Ghosts” (I say “classic prog”... not really classic, just prog – and odd, experimental prog at that). Thank You Scientist are more imaginative than ever on this album – there's nothing like it. 

Or is there? Well, they’re certainly not the only band that’s “imaginative”. Another band whose music I was reviewing recently, Pyramid Theorem, has a similar use of fusing prog, new experimental methods and, in their case, metal. This, of course, does not mean they are similar bands and part of some new sub-genre – in fact, they’re nothing like each other, Pyramid Theorem is progressive metal and Thank You Scientist is jazz-experimental-fuelled crossover prog – but this does not alter the fact that when a band of prog metalheads is using similar methods as a band of prog “what on earth is this?”s... something like a new wave of prog is coming, is what I’m driving at. 

Anyway, back to this album – nothing like has been seen before this day and age, even though other bands in this day and age are coming close. And, on that note, before I start waffling on and on forever, I reach my conclusion. 

It’s got normal prog, jazz and funk influences, a hint of metal, a general experimental approach – surely anything you’d ever want in a prog album. Therefore, five stars. Expanding on that, I give my two requirements for a five star album: 

1. 1. The songs must all be excellent. 

2. 2. It must work brilliantly as an album. 

3. 
   

Every song is good – or failing that, excellent. “FXMLDR”, in my opinion the best track, meets, I think, the requirements for a classic – an amazing song, I will say no more. As for the second requirement... The tracks couldn’t have been arranged better, but after a while it does give you a bit of a headache. That, however, does not prevent it from being a masterpiece, and since PA says a masterpiece must be five stars, I'll let them off there.

So... five stars. I expect to hear even better on their next attempt, though! Maybe six stars!

Next time, I think I’ll review something easier – Wish You Were Here, maybe. Or Permanent Waves. 

#3 - Terraformer (Thank You Scientist) Review - Five Stars: 

I was thinking about doing a long and thorough review on this album. That was the first sign I hadn’t listened to this recently. Well, I just have, and I’ve realised that if I do what I call a “thorough” review, I'll be here writing it until next Sunday. 

This is because Thank You Scientist, being Thank You Scientist, expanded on their older work and made one of the most eclectic and musically varied albums ever. An album so eclectic and musically varied it would take ages to describe and judge properly. An album, nevertheless, that has helped shape new/modern prog. But I’ll get on. 

It contains jazz fusion with “Wrinkle” and “Shatner’s Lament”, it expands on funk with “Son of a Serpent”, it adds a bit of metal with “Swarm” and “Terraformer”, and classic prog with “Everyday Ghosts” (I say “classic prog”... not really classic, just prog – and odd, experimental prog at that). Thank You Scientist are more imaginative than ever on this album – there's nothing like it. 

Or is there? Well, they’re certainly not the only band that’s “imaginative”. Another band whose music I was reviewing recently, Pyramid Theorem, has a similar use of fusing prog, new experimental methods and, in their case, metal. This, of course, does not mean they are similar bands and part of some new sub-genre – in fact, they’re nothing like each other, Pyramid Theorem is progressive metal and Thank You Scientist is jazz-experimental-fuelled crossover prog – but this does not alter the fact that when a band of prog metalheads is using similar methods as a band of prog “what on earth is this?”s... something like a new wave of prog is coming, is what I’m driving at. 

Anyway, back to this album – nothing like has been seen before this day and age, even though other bands in this day and age are coming close. And, on that note, before I start waffling on and on forever, I reach my conclusion. 

It’s got normal prog, jazz and funk influences, a hint of metal, a general experimental approach – surely anything you’d ever want in a prog album. Therefore, five stars. Expanding on that, I give my two requirements for a five star album: 

1. 1. The songs must all be excellent. 

2. 2. It must work brilliantly as an album. 

3. 
   

Every song is good – or failing that, excellent. “FXMLDR”, in my opinion the best track, meets, I think, the requirements for a classic – an amazing song, I will say no more. As for the second requirement... The tracks couldn’t have been arranged better, but after a while it does give you a bit of a headache. That, however, does not prevent it from being a masterpiece, and since PA says a masterpiece must be five stars, I'll let them off there.

So... five stars. I expect to hear even better on their next attempt, though! Maybe six stars!

Next time, I think I’ll review something easier – Wish You Were Here, maybe. Or Permanent Waves. 

[End of Review]

After “Strain”, the lighter “Canary Yellow” enters with drums and soft guitar. At about one and a half minutes through it becomes heavier, until it breaks down completely, and slowly starts building up again. And then it explodes. I suppose it’s a bit of a personal favourite for me, it’s very well done, and not too long or heavy. But that’s the end of what I like to refer to as... PART ONE. 

PART TWO, therefore, opens with “Messiah Complex I: Ivory Tower” (the first part of the Messiah Complex sequence). It begins with a muted guitar riff that soon develops into a loud, heavy riff. From there I won’t describe it, but it basically acts like the prelude to the whole sequence: dark, mysterious, almost warning of what’s ahead. 

The next part, “Messiah Complex II: A Glutton for Punishment”, flows effortlessly from “Ivory Tower” with a much faster, bombastic riff. The vocals are shouted over this throughout (though there are several changes made from the original riff – variations, if you know what I mean. It’s probably the loudest track on the album – in a good way, though. 

“Messiah Complex III: Marigold” opens a lot quieter than “A Glutton for Punishment”, but does not stay that way (Haken are prog metal, after all) - at about fifty-five seconds in a killer of a riff comes in that in my mind literally says anarchy. At about one minute thirty it slows down to a stomp and the distorted lyrics come in. In fact, I’ll take back what I said about just the riff saying anarchy. It’s the whole song. It’s completely crazy. But anyway...  

The sequence continues with “Messiah Complex IV: The Sect, opening with the same riff, which then stops and some weird harmonised vocals start. It’s probably the most techy, advanced track on the album – there are some especially weird synths and... a saxophone solo? That’s what it sounds like. It soon ends, however, into... 

“Messiah Complex V: Ectobius Rex”. The deadly ender. It begins with a fateful guitar riff, which builds up into a slow rhythmed song featuring some reprises from “Ivory Tower”, “Prosthetic” and “Carousel”. It has every quality of a finale – especially the crescendo at the end. It isn’t, though... 

“Only Stars” is. It starts with a dark piano ostinato accompanied by vocals, and stays like that until the end when it fades out. It is very quiet; like a rest from the loud, powerful Messiah Complex. Certainly a chilling outro – and the end of PART TWO, as I personally like to say. 

And so, I reach my conclusion. The question is, is it five stars or not five stars? To aid me in this decision, I present my personal requirements for a five star album, that I like to add to very one of my reviews to make it look all fancy and official: 

1. 1. The songs must all be excellent.  

2. 2. It must work brilliantly as an album. 

I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and in the end, both requirements are met. Every song is excellent (the Messiah Complex sequence in particular) and they couldn’t work better together. I really can’t fault this album. So it’s a strong five stars. 

[End of Review]

#8 – The Bell (by iamthemorning) Review - Four Stars

Iamthemorning, like so many modern prog bands today, has strived to become different from what you might call “normal” prog (if any prog is normal). They, in particular, combine prog with classical music – perhaps not the first band to do so (one that I am fond of is Barock Project), but even then, any other prog band I’ve heard with classical influences still doesn’t sound remotely like it. You have to hear it to know what I mean. 

Anyway, the band’s latest album opens with “Freak Show”, a song that builds up from a simple guitar melody to a very upbeat, thick textured song – probably my favourite on the album. It’s not the only achievement though, “Ghost of a Story”, “The Bell” and “Lillies” are another two honourable mentions – the astonishing piano on “Lilies” so fast it’s worthy of Chopin (ok, maybe not that good). 

This album is (loosely) about Victorian England – I say loosely as each track is a story on it’s own, generally about human cruelty. Musically, it is inspired by Schubert, which you can tell from the lovely piano played throughout. The music and lyrics are beautifully written, and the album is in two parts – something featured sometimes in both prog and classical operas. 

What’s really good to see is the variety of instruments – instead of just your quintessential classical instruments (violins, trumpets, etc.) you can hear marimbas, bells, and a very nice guitar solo on “Freak Show”. Nevertheless, it is not less classical than Iamthemorning’s previous albums, in fact, it is perhaps more so, there is very little rock in the texture and melodies of The Bell. 

To conclude, my requirements for a five star album - 

1. 1. The songs must all be excellent. 

2. 2. It must work brilliantly as an album. 

Number one is fine – as I said earlier, the music and lyrics are beautifully written. As for number two, the songs work perfectly well together, but it is a bit heavy in places. I don’t mean that it’s like metal, but that it can get what you might call “a bit much” - listen to too much of it and it’ll give you a headache (for me, at least). It’s a bit difficult to explain, some might agree, some might disagree, but it knocks off a star for me – I'd want to listen to a five star album all day. 

So it’s another four star review! 

[End of Review]

Tell me, is this a better way of writing reviews than going track-by-track as I do usually?

So, their debut opens with the instrumental "The Reverie". It begins very quietly, just some soft guitar chords and synths. It gets a bit louder when the drums come in, but really it doesn't change much; just a very relaxing, calm piece of music. Only towards the end are you reminded this is a metal band at work: harsh, loud guitar and heavy drums end the track. Other than that, you wouldn't guess.

"The Reverie" flows seamlessly into "Heliopause", opening with similar heavy guitar/drums. The lyrics are screamed unintelligibly over the noise, almost confirming they are a thumping metal band rather than ambient rock. It's like this the whole way through, until it ends, and the next track succeeds it.

The next track being another instrumental - "Relancer". It is more similar to "The Reverie" in that the music is soft and relaxing, it steadily builds up, and there is very little change until five minutes through. Then it breaks down and a different riff is pursued, which also builds up, but much faster. Then it breaks down all over again, and the next song, "Kobe", continues the album.

"Kobe" is not much different in structure, relaxing up to about four minutes through when the drums start banging and the singer starts screaming. Hard to describe this song, but it's pretty fun, and the finale makes it my second favourite track on the album.

After the banging and crashing of "Kobe", "Atom Smasher" promises to continue the trend. Odd time signatures, experimental riffing, unpredictable stops/starts, growled vocals... you guessed, my number one favourite on the album.

"Atom Smasher" bangs on for a full eight minutes. The next track, "Nadir", is predictably quiet, opening with some lovely piano chords. No vocals, just a calm piano dominated ostinato. Drums come in at the end, but it is still not loud, calm to the end.

With "Nadir" ending, "The Reverie II" opens with a drum machine, soon followed up by soft guitar. It becomes much heavier at about two minutes through, and continues to build up until the end, containing a loud, uproarious finale.

For my conclusion, I present my personal two le grande requirements for a five star album:

1. The songs must all be excellent.

2. It must work brilliantly as an album.

Both of them are nearly met, yet both have imperfections. Not all the songs are excellent, some only mediocre, and this is because little change occurs in some of the songs, which makes it a bit boring. For requirement two, the album works in that all the songs flow into each other perfectly. It's just what I noted before - it's a bit boring after a while, and it might you fall asleep. The combined effect of this takes two stars off for me, otherwise it's a good album - very good, since I gave it an average rating and I'm not even a post metal fan.

So it's three stars. End of another review.

[End of Review]