THE FALL OF BLISS

In between the releases of Verbal Delirium (now ex-group of) Nikitas Kissonas self-produced and released ''The Fall of Bliss'' via the Methexis moniker. Coming in a nice digipak with some absurd, dark but beautiful artwork, the package seems ready to intrigue from the first moment.

Nikitas uses some really unconventional melodies and musical scales to dress his first album. The influences here range from majestic Greek music composers (Xarhakos) and dark heavy progressive themes in the vein of Porcupine Tree to purely eclectic prog structures reminding of Beardfish and Gentle Giant. All this is covered with an avant-garde artistic aesthetic and a veil of mystery and theatrical elements, especially boosted by the many acoustic guitars. Not sure if Devil Doll are within Nikita's influences but they tend to come to mind at times. The general tempo is slow, dark and quirky but occasional blasts are not absent (Track the Saviours).

For a home production this release sounds exceptionally professional and the overall musicianship is far from average. The selective use of mandolin definitely strikes a chord and the "clean", polished production is a definite plus. I was not blown away by the vocal sections, nevertheless matching the overall quirky atmosphere, which I feel could do with some improvement, but can not deny Kissona's proficiency in the rest of the instruments. The ideas, although carefully "studied", are a mixed bag, ranging from the indifferent to the majestic. Where a composition appears to have dwindled away, there comes a moment of grandeur and lifts it up but the opposite can happen, leading to an undeniably intriguing listen.

In this case, the term "crossover" can be quite misguiding as I feel this album might appeal more to those with an eclectic taste for unconventional melodies. Not exactly my cup of tea, but with a potential to surprise, "The Fall of Bliss" is a promising start for Methexis.

Many thanks go to Nikitas for sending the album to review.

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