230503

This is a strange one - recorded recently by an Australian Progressive Rock act. Aussies are rather more well known, on a world stage, for your hairy chested, high testosterone rock and roll, and not concept albums.

Although given all the stereotypes that come to mind with the baggage of (1) being Australian and (2) naming yourself after an Egyptian God, this album takes you entirely by surprise.

No, there's no 'Whole Lot of Rosie' here- just a whole lot of Mellotron. And let me tell you, that's a good thing.

In places it is redolent of the classic Progressive Rock we (mostly) all know and love, but in places throws up some of the more fashionable newies like Radiohead and Mars Volta and even (well not fashionable, but welcome nonetheless) Marillion.

The record sounds quite different to a lot of the Neo-Prog bands around. Can't quite put my finger on why, and indeed, it's not a critiscism. The music is moody and thats appropriate given the dark subject matter. Parts of it, actually make me draw heavy parallels to OK Computer by Radiohead, and that may be the tone in some of the lead vocals, which are very strong throughout, and the harmonies, particularly on 'Leaving here Tonight' are excellent.

The rhythms are strong and there is what sounds suspiciously like a Rickenbacker Bass chugging through a lot of it that, whilst a little riff-driven in places, does add a familiar and welcome character to the album. The rhythm section is tight and the time changes are well executed.

The guitars are exciting and stylistically very broad. The keyboards stick fairly heavily to retro sounds and whist I like that, some people may feel it is a bit deja-vu. There are a few exceptions, and this is where they dip their toes into the Floydy-atmosphere thing, and their guitarist does a very strong Gilmour-esque solo in one section of the concluding epic.

It's perhaps not unexpected that the band doesn't draw on any Australian influence, or at least any readily discernible one, and in all this album comes across as a very English sounding affair. Right down to it's faux-hipgnosis cover, which looks very good and would be right at home on an LP sleeve.

It's a record that has grown on me with repeated listenings, and although it's a bit of a search, it's worth hunting down. In particular, 'Waterfall' which is a magnificent song and 'The Collapse' which has some wonderful vocals in it.