THE FALL OF BLISS

As the musical world becomes ever more connected, I find it odd that the prevalence of one- man bands seems to be on the rise. Bedroom producers, as they have been termed, have popped up in a vast array of musical circles, with the most well-known of them most likely being the experimental metal mastermind Ben Sharp in the form of Cloudkicker. Here, however, we have the Greek offering of Nikitas Kissonas in the form of Methexis. A lover of eclectic and progressive music, the album, titled 'The Fall of Bliss,' takes influence from a vast array of modern rock and classic prog bands, making a delicacy of new sounds and styles.

'The Fall of Bliss' is an interesting dish. Full of dark, brooding melodies, the music wavers in and out of a classic prog flourishes and modern indie rock and even hard rock passages that really accentuate the novelty of the music. From the well-placed riffing in 'Eradicated World' to the gentle yet dark indie acoustic style of 'The Aftermath,' the album has just about all that you'd like in a fresh modern prog debut, including a 20-plus-minute titular epic. Clever lyrics explore themes of societal confusion, a changing world, and other dynamic concepts. Kissonas, who handles all instruments except drums and piano on 'Lines on a Dust,' does a fantastic job at crafting a delicate and powerful atmosphere by pairing emotive vocals with precise guitar lines and spurts of tactful keyboards, ranging from Hammond to Rhodes.

While some musical parts seem a bit out of place, like the melodic progression in 'Track the Saviours,' which jumps between falsetto and whispered vocal lines between oddly balanced pop metal riffs, the album as a whole holds together excellently both thematically and musically. The balance between heavy bits and light bits make for an incredibly well balanced album, especially for a one-man debut. Mature song-writing and instrumentation run amuck, and classical arrangements, such as the a cappella arrangement opening 'Poetic Mirrors Wound Heroes' or the acoustic guitar arrangement in the intro to 'The Fall of Bliss,' add a wonderful flair to an otherwise great sound.

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. The promotional aspect of this album came right around the time that a number of other bands were flying their band's banner high and begging for reviews, so I was skeptical about this little Greek project. On my first listen, the dark and rough tone of the music threw me off a bit, but after only a few listens the genius of the compositions, tone, and dynamics began to sink in. Kissonas has significant musical prowess, and whatever work he does in the future is sure to gain significant attention. 4 stars.