AS THE WORLD

This is the album recorded for Sony, the record company that sadly let Echolyn down regarding promotion. With hindsight we can now see they weren't the only ones to suffer as Sony ran their label into the ground on the instructions of their bean counters. The common consensus is it was some kind of tax write-off. Lemmy's Motorhead (see his bio) and even George Michael (ugh) suffered at their hands too around the same time.

But back to the business at hand. From the opening bars 'As The World' promises to be something different. It's plainly obvious that any band that incorporates soaring harmonies into its songs has gone that extra mile in search of something to please the ear.

As the recording unfolds it's clear the guys have decided to up the pace a little compared to earlier offerings such as 'Suffocating the Bloom.' Overall we're presented with songs many of which have an almost staccato feel to them. While it could be argued that the bands overall sound is a little too consistent throughout this album, there is no doubt that this is indeed a modern day epic.

Albums of this sheer complexity only come about after prolonged and intense song- writing. Practicing alot, as the band themselves so much as admitted in the Stars & Garden video, could lead to marriage break-ups and even splits in the band.

In an era when many groups sound the same it's hard for any band, using nothing more than normal instruments, to have there own immediately recognisable sound. Echolyn achieved this feat easily and would have, I'm sure, gained some kind of fan base had any radio station been brave enough to play their material. Perhaps the fact that like most prog, this kind of album needs to be listened to repeatedly before it's magic is unlocked, is the reason it doesn't get the air time it should.

I bought the later edition of this CD, which came with the DVD. This is an altogether more basic, but none the less, entertaining film of the band in their early years. All in all a great package delivered in double quick time from Prog Greg Walker in the US. Echolyn should feature in your CD collection if you don't already own a disc of theirs. This is as good a place as any to start..