MANTIS

Undoubtely the fossilized prog lovers will not be in accord what direction new prog is taking. As you may notice even english bands as Porcupine Tree are adding more energy and catchy melodies in their songs, abandoning complicated structures.

In this direction are moving, even if in an american way, bands as Spock's Beard and Umphrey's Mc Gee. But UMG, with the respect to SB, are more inspired, maybe because of their great job in improvisation, and moreover you can feel here and there that they still have the Gentle Giant influence that the current SB (sadly) seem to miss.

To learn "Mantis" needs several listenings, but it penetrates in your mind with such a power that you are pervaded by its melodies, that comes several times a day in your mind. The first track is very catchy, but nothing more than an introduction. In my opinion the real pearl of the work is the title track: intense, powerful and melancholic in several passages. UMG has no unique instrument orientation. They're not guitar or keyboard oriented as most of prog bands are. All the instruments have their (great) part in the job and melt together with the dissonant voices to reach completion.

I don't know if this is pure prog, and I don't mind about brands and labellings, when I listen to something which brings to me emotion! And "Mantis" offers to me a lot of moments of good music, well played and reach of feeling. I don't need anymore!

Three point 7 stars!

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