EMERGENT

Gordian Knot is Sean Malone. This is his second baby and it is a more mature twin to the first. Malone's compositions are instrumental and heavily influenced by King Crimson. Somewhere on the hallowed ground between Lark's Tongues and Thrak. Some metal elements mixed with fusion and pulled together with a prog sensibility. Guests include; Bill Bruford, Steve Hackett, icons of the genre with guitarsist Jim Matheos (Fates Warning and OSI), Jason Gobel and Paul Masvidal. Drummer Sean Reinert supplies some bombast to spark the project along. Bruford is in fine form on this one. The Brook the Ocean plays off a moment in time from Bill's past. The more sonically spare moments are the best, Fischer's Gambit (re-created from Sean's solo album, CORTLANDT) and Some Brighter Thing. Malone is a force to be reckonned with in his solo bass pieces, Arsis and Grace (live).

This is a worthy effort in the instrumental realm, hard enough to keep metal fans listening and diverse enough to intrigue prog nerds. Sean Malone is a name which we'll be hearing more about, me thinks?