DRIFTING SUN

Drifting Sun's debut album finds the band presenting a hard-rocking, energetic, accessible style of neo-prog, sounding a bit like a more commercially inclined IQ at points. Theatrical flourishes on pieces like Communication and intriguing lyrical narratives on songs such as Jamie Was a Vampire come across as entertainingly cheesy, and the production values, whilst not astonishing, are pretty impressive for a self-released album of this vintage from an act just starting out.

With Karl Groom making a guest appearance and Clive Nolan helping out with the mix, it seems like the band had some pretty useful connections in the neo-prog scene who were eager to help them out. Alas, 1996 wasn't exactly a fruitful period for the subgenre; established acts who'd solidified a loyal fanbase in prior years were doing fine, but new groups were struggling to gather enough of a following to sustain them. They'd have one more album, On the Rebound, which would shift to a more Marillion-influenced sound but otherwise maintain the approach of this debut, and then they'd have a long hiatus before reconvening and reconfiguring in the mid-2010s. As far as this first album goes, it showcases a distinct sound which will appeal to neo-prog fans without necessarily making lots of new converts.