ARBORESCENCE

I honestly think this CD is really really nice. It combines a new tendency towards more electronic involement in rock, but not in the way that many 80's synthpop bands did. Someone realized along the way that electronica could be fused with rock to form just that; a new kind of fusion. These guys are to electroprog what Present is to ominous prog. The synth patters are just beautiful, and the basslines build a very solid foundation for the drumming, which is also top notch. The first track "Astro Cortex" starts off pretty strong, reeking of normal prog, but then you hit the synth, which continues into "Yog-bar-og." From that point on, you know what these guys are about; something which Robert Fripp probably enjoys wholeheartedly. Arching soundscapes created though beautiful delayed synth bliss. This is for sure a new benchmark in progressive rock. The mid-ninties had sparce offerings for the prog fans. Upon the advent of grunge and thrash rock (a la Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, etc.) complexity was cast aside and metal combined with pop for a terrible genre which still plagues radio airwaves all across the globe. If you sit down, put this album on, and think about what you were doing, where you were in the ninties, you realize just how important this album was for the time. That being said, I believe it still withstands the test of time, but it ultimately depends on what you're looking for. If you're a fan of ELP looking for some killer synth workovers Emerson style, you're going to have to find another CD. If you're a King Crimson fan (I did mention Robert Fripp earlier) looking for some complex math-prog (late Adrian Belew style) you're going to have to go elsewhere as well. This is for more fans of instrumental prog and electronica. All in all, a solid record from a very interesting band.