CALLING THE EARTH TO WITNESS

Calling the Earth to Witness is a surprising beast. Darkwater's second, Where Stories End, is a highly melodic, but fairly standard piece of lightly progressive metal, with a pop-gothic feel. The first album is not dissimilar, maybe a bit rawer and heavier, not because of the guitar sound - it's crunchy but not banging - but of overall feel. But Darkwater guys allow themselves to stretch out here more, resulting in some 9-minute-plus songs with winding instrumental jams and heady prog structures (on Habit and Tallest Tree). Jams not your usual guitar-synth rapid solos plus atmospheric break, but groovy (especially song Again) and not always predictable. A peculiar feature is the vocal - good, but something I'd associate with some American teen angst song, for example, given the lyrics of All Eyes On Me.