SQUARE THE CIRCLE

YOOOHAAA...!!! What a great album man ....!!! Did you ever experience listening to a prog album and you got "hooked" to the music by the time you spin the CD at the very first time? How did you feel? How did it then progress in terms of durability of that feeling over time? Did it fade away or is it still there in your heart even until now so whenever you spin the CD you are deeply engrossed with the music or you are in the "flow" with the music? Well, .this album really blew me at the very first spin of the CD. The music matches 100% of my personal taste, especially in the symphonic / neo prog mood. Am sure if you love early Marillion, Arena, IQ, Pallas, Magenta, Spektrum, Darius, Pendragon, Cast, it is very unlikely that you cannot enjoy this music by the Dutch band. But, I'm not gonna review on the basis of because "I like it" as it's not wise at all to do this way. Prog music must be reviewed in an open mind and an objective way that at the end would help you, my dearest readers of this website, to reach a purchase decision.

I just need to warn you that if you want originality of idea in composing a music, you may (or will) not find here with this album as all music style and moods have been invented before with the pioneering bands in symphonic or neo progressive veins. Nothing new with this album, it's a symphonic / neo progressive type of music, so you can imagine how the band sounds. But if your chief reason is to explore more bands with melodic composition under the banner of neo prog or symphonic prog, yeah man .. you got it here. It's a wonderfully crafted composition! I can guarantee on that.

My big thanks go to Andy Julias, my prog guru, who lent me his stacks of CDs for me to explore and I'm really happy that I have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful album. Of course, I will buy it myself later as this one is masterpiece. Quite surprising to me that Andy has got this collection because he was typically favoring much more complex music than this one. You know, he is the Producer for Indonesian prog bands: Discus, Imanissimo, In Memoriam, and some more that typically complex prog music, and NOT neo progressive at all. Thanks, brother! (I will review 'em all here. This is the second and the first was SPEKTRUM that I reviewed yesterday).

Having listened to the CD in its entirety for eight spins, this is my detail review of this debut album of TRIANGLE. It's a five star rating and I don't think you need to read this long review, just BUY THE CD! But for those who are curious with this album, this is my view .

Foreword to the Elements of Life (6:34)

First of all, the title itself is good. It's like an opening chapter of a book whereby the readers are introduced to what sorts of concepts or thoughts about the book and how they will be presented to the readers. Using the same analogy, this album opener helps the listeners get acquainted with the band's musical style. It's an instrumental piece that comprises two major sections, I would say. The first one (2:15 minutes) comprises a drum-less music where long sustain keyboard sounds dominate the melody accompanied by soft guitar fills. Structurally, this opening part reminds me to Marillion's "Pseudo Silk Kimono" keyboard work that opens Misplaced Childhood album. Nuance-wise, it reminds me to the opening / orchestration part of Metallica's S&M live album - especially on the way how guitar fills are used and accompanying orchestration sound from keyboard. It's a very melodic keyboard sound that sometime associate me to the opening music of a movie like Lord of the Rings. Powerful one. At the end of this keyboard overture the music suddenly [2:15] turns in with an upbeat tempo music with dynamic drumming and punchy keyboard sound. It flows wonderfully to guitar solo that flows to a grand piano work in a nuance like new age music by Yanni. It's a perfect match between neo progressive, symphonic and new age music, I would say. The guitar solo played in alternate with keyboard is really stunning. This is a heartbreaking instrumental piece with many killing melodies produced in almost all segments. Well, you should not miss this wonderful track man! A masterpiece track!!

Chasing the Shadows (7:29)

It opens with a melodic grand piano solo influenced by classical music in relatively long duration, more than one minute, before the vocal line enters in mellow style. The piano work accompanies the vocal line in a catchy melody texture during the first lyrical verse of the song. At approx min [3:00] the music flows in its full swing in a faster tempo with dynamic drumming, solid and inventive basslines and howling guitar sounds. Wow! Man . what a great musical piece here! It especially comes thru when the music flows with some complex transitions demonstrating an excellent combination of keyboard, piano, guitar and drum. The second verse vocal line enters accompanied with the upbeat music with obvious basslines. (I really love the bass guitar sounds here). The song ends up with the opening verse singing style and melody using piano as well.

The Centre Shines (11:08)

This third track opens with a nice and complex combination of all instruments used followed with a distant voice line, maintaining the complex music as rhythm section. Drumming is dynamic, bass guitar is so obvious in terms of sound and its playing style. Guitar work reminds me to Hackett. At approx min [2:06] the music turns into quieter passage that reminds me to early Marillion's music. When it turns into a faster music, the lead singer demonstrates his powerful vocal accompanied with stunning guitar work. This song combines various forms of music with a smooth transition between forms that has made an enjoyment. The structure is not that straight as the form at the opening is different with in the middle and at the ending part. For example, at approx [4:46] the music turns into a very quiet passage with only soft keyboard sound that later is followed with bassline and howling guitar - very nice one. At approx [6:00] the drums enter the music and provides an excellent accentuation to the sounds. I enjoy this part that later accompany vocal line returning back to music. It's a true masterpiece!

The Saddest Show (10:28)

This is another track with a bit complex structure where the music contains multiple forms that some of them are not the same one to another. It opens with a loop followed with a drumming work and keyboard plus guitar in an upbeat opening and it later turns into a quiet passage with guitar fills and voice line. The singing part flows melodically in mellow style. At approx [2:36] a male voice narration enters the music break. What's interesting is the music at the background that enters in a crescendo until right after the narration is complete. Guitar solo is truly stunning especially it's combined with drum work that was mixed so obvious in this record, augmented with dynamic basslines. Some quieter passage with soft keyboard work gives a good chance for bass guitar to show his lines to the music. Very nice. The ending part provides a nice drumming solo and solid bass with soft keyboard sounds at the back.. Oh what a great composition!

Amy (5:36)

Having been bombarded with relatively long duration songs, the band returns back with a relatively short song. It starts with a music that is dominated by guitar melody in relatively long duration followed with weird melody vocal line, but it's nice and interesting to enjoy. It reminds me to the music of Sinkadus in the nineties. Sometime at the ending part of the track there is an excellent use of Taurus pedal combined with other instruments and produce wonderful sound. I enjoy especially when my power amp volume turns high - it's so great sound!

Pygmalion (13:11)

This sixth track opens with simple guitar fills that bring the vocal line singing the first lyrical verse in a mellow style. The music enters with a full swing but maintaining the same slow tempo with an excellent augmentation of tom drum sounds and howling guitar sounds. This track has a simpler structure as it flows straight with typical choruses. The only thing that has truly made this song very attractive is the long sustain guitar solo in some segments of the music. Yeah man, even if you may not enjoy this track, but the guitar solo is so stunning!! It's killing me man ... In the middle of the track, the msuic explores bass guitar sound and multi-layer keyboard work.

Nature's Window (11:07)

Structurally, this concluding track is similar with Pymalion. The melody and composition is of course different. The beginning part is completely mellow but it gradually moves to a faster tempo that features many guitar solo melodies. The combination between guitar and drums in many segments are truly excellent. There are some guitar fills during quiet passages where the style reminds me to Marillion. The guitar solo at the ending part is excellent - it moves from low to high registers nicely and concluded the song in an uplifting mood.

SUMMARY

Uh . what a long review. Sorry, I choose to do it this way as I believe that the members of the band have worked really hard to compose this great album. It deserves a novel long review, I think. Musically, it's not something original as there are elements of neo progressive, symphonic and new age music blend nicely into this album. But, the composition - songwriting and arrangements - is really TOP NOTCH! With reasonable number of spins, I finally think that this album deserves full five stars rating. I am ready to take the blame as being "naïve" in generous in giving a rating. Not really; because you have NOT listened to the CD meticulously. Once you have, yeah man .. I am sure will agree with me that this is a masterpiece neo prog album! It's now 2005 and this album was released in 2000 while I have not heard any further development from the band since then and in the future. Sadly to hear this but I hope the band should line up together and make the second album. Keep on proGGin' ..!!!

Yours progressively,

GW

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