INK

Pervy Perkin is a progressive rock/metal band from Murcia, Spain. Their first album entitled Ink was released earlier in 2014. The album itself serves as a long passage between different music styles, but still it remains centered around the progressive rock music.

My first impression about "Ink" was that the Spaniards made a recording after their ears were exposed to many different artists and genres. The experiment called Ink, which is released as a double album comprised of "Book of Equinox" (CD1) and "Book of Solstice" (CD2), was then completed by crossing over the contrasted music elements coming from classical music to progressive metal. The result is a recording that screams eclecticism in every minute of its playtime.

The cinematic character of "Ink" is something that strikes you right after you press the play button - the intro "Opening Credits" announce the beginning of something epic. Song after song, Ink reaches absolute highs and downs, it gets on speed but also knows how to slow down.

"Of Echoes and Reflections," which kicks off with the sound of seagulls, is a combination of classical and metal elements. Factor of the continuity between the pieces is masterfully crafted, that all of the different musical tangents flock into the same bed. The album is on the progressive rock streak accompanied with quirky arrangements and plethora of rhythmic changes.

"The End of the Beginning" is a piece on its own, coming wrapped up with theatrical vocal performance and keyboard interjections. "Morphosis" comes forward as a song that represents a much needed change in the album's flow. A lot of that change is assigned to female vocals and, for a change, growls. That certainly contributes to the album's dynamic.

Second CD, "Book of Solstice," starts with "Memories of the Water" which goes all the way from ambient soundscapes towards the melodic side of death metal. "Shades Under a City Lamppost" is an instrumental with touches of electronic, what makes "Ink" definitely a hodge podge.

With its 2 hours and 15 minutes in length, "Ink" does come a little bit unfocused. However, leaving the time factor aside, there is plenty of interesting and good music here. Having released this album as it is, Pervy Perkin have definitely earned a good experience for what comes next. And that "next" may bring something extraordinary. Wait and see.