SANCTUARY

From Ventura, California hails this powerful quartet, found sometime around 2006 and consisting of female singer/keyboardist Allison Von Buelow, guitarist Gregg Olson (who was also resposible for the drum programming) and bassist Jeff Mack.Four year laters a first work appeared by the group, the 3-track EP ''Sanctuary''.

This short album opens with the atmospheric ''Mud'', where you can get the first taste of Scarlet Hollow's passionate Heavy Prog.Oriental electric guitars with a slight KING CRIMSON vibe mix with Von Buelow's crying vocals and a groovy chorus.With the second listening of the band's approach, the eponymous track, the sound begins to flirt with Prog Metal, but there is also a certain talent in composition by this group.Nice melodies combine with powerful guitar riffs and more laid-back breaks with Von Buelow's voice in great shape, relulting a good, diverse piece of music.The same motive follows the closing and longest track, ''The plan''.Groovy, dynamic and enrgetic Heavy Prog with discreet psychedelic passages in its smoother moments but also monster guitar riffing for the rest of the piece, close to the heavier looks of DREAM THEATER.All tracks are memorable, well-crafted but far from original within the genre's borders.

Some fresh, new blood in the Heavy Prog territory appeared with ''Sanctuary''.Three tracks full of massive riffs and atmospheric textures, that all trully enjoyable.Recommended stuff.