A TRIGGERING MYTH

A TRIGGERING MYTH was the project of two American keyboardists who released 6 studio albums from 1990 to 2006(I have the last three). It was that last album "The Remedy Of Abstraction" that I first heard not long after it came out and I became a fan. This is complex music with the piano and synths more often than not creating a feast for the ears while on this particular release they brought in a drummer and a guitarist some may know in Scott McGill to help fill out the sound. There is some programming here as well from one of the keyboardists creating atmosphere and different instrumental sounds. The artwork is from Travis Smith just like the cool one on "The Remedy Of Abstraction". This is a 43 minute suite divided into 8 different parts. Lets just say repeated listens are almost a must to unlock some of the brilliance going on here.

It's hard to even mention which parts are my favourite but I made a note about "Part I" about how cool it was to really listen to what's going on here. Piano leading at first then the synths take over then the organ floats in. A mid-paced beauty with so much going on. It settles before 3 minutes as we hear spoken words and a party going on in the background as this continues to the end. McGill struts his stuff on "Part II". Man it's like chaos with so much going on but it's not. It settles after 2 minutes but there's still lots going on. "Part III" is the synth and piano show with tempo shifts and more. "Part IV" is mellow with flute-like sounds. The tempo picks up before 1 1/2 minutes with drums joining in. Those flute-like sounds return later along with a dark mood before it brightens late to end it.

"Part V" is another feast for the ears. Complex with atmosphere as the piano starts to lead early on. Guitar's turn to lead the way as McGill lights it up. It settles with a beautiful melodic sound in atmosphere. Piano only late to end it. I like "Part VI" as it has a symphonic sound here with the pulsating synths as other synths solo. It settles as they start to change it up the rest of the way. Check out the guitar bringing Frampton to mind after 4 minutes. This 10 1/2 minute section is the longest by far. If I had to pick one part I like the best it would have to be "Part VII". Just that heavier sound with those dark piano lines. Drums and synths as well. Subtle changes on this one and repeated themes. I just like the sound of this one. "Part VIII" ends it with more complexity at first but for me it's that calm section 2 minutes in with the atmosphere, synths and piano that does it for me.

This is what we call Progressive Music right here.

I suspect that this is a small work of true art. Unfortunately, I probably haven't listened to this cd enough times yet to fully understand the structure of the overall work, and what exactly it is trying to ultimately accomplish or convey...but it is thoroughly enjoyable! "Forgiving Eden" is a 43-minute suite of instrumental music divided (seemingly arbitrarily) into 8 imaginative tracks with multiple movements within the tracks. A bit dark or suspenseful overall, the poem on the back cover suggests themes dealing mostly with Sin and Forgiveness. To me, the structure is most like a suite of music to a film score.

This work succeeds in integrating many styles and soundscapes together with traditional prog and jazz instrumentation, even while sometimes sounding almost orchestral. With a classical foundation, blending modern keyboards with analog ones, at times sounding cinematic, at others like psychedelic lounge jazz, this eclectic mix is difficult music to categorize! "Contemporary Symphonic Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion"?

This is pretty heady stuff that can work fine as background music, but also contains so many challenging moments of interesting complexity and stellar musicianship as to require full-attention listening. Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller (A Triggering Myth) are exceptional keyboardists and composers with a wide and diverse range of influences, not the least of which is the Canterbury school of prog. Scott McGill's guitar here is superb, and Vic Stevens' drumming is standout. Throughout the cd, transitions between melodies or styles are cleverly segued so that they rarely sound jarring or out of place despite the wide palette from which this musical story is painted; short piano interludes occasionally aid in those transitions. They seem to sense just when to move on to the next section or style, even as certain themes and rhythms recur to form some sort of cohesion throughout the piece. (Honestly, I usually don't go for albums that have this diverse a stew of musical styles - but this somehow works!)

This cd will take more than a few listens to appreciate, folks; and Listen is exactly what you'll have to do to comprehend just how varied and indefinable (in words) the scope of this music is. Yeah, the jazz is jazzy, the prog is proggy, the moods are moody...but this takes progressive music into a new and unique zone worth further exploration. Recommended. 4-1/2 stars

3.5 stars. If there ever was an album that falls right in between 3 and 4 stars this is it. I reviewed their latest from 2006 called "The Remedy Of Abstraction" back in December of 2006 making it one of the early Prog albums I picked up back then. I didn't get into Prog until around 2005 and started doing reviews on here in August of 2006. It was probably that cover art that moved me to pick that one up. This band are a duo from the USA and they always seem to have some very talented guests helping out. Here it's the DEUS EX MACHINA vocalist and violinist adding their talents on several tracks. I couldn't get over that strong Classical vibe on this album which works well of course with Alberto's operatic vocals. I'm just not big on that style but this is too good to ignore or to not appreciate. This was album number four for the band released in 1998, a bleak time for Prog. The cover art will be getting no rewards that's for sure.

"The Awful Truth" opens with drums, piano and more with that strong Classical bent. Sounds like horns, percussion and other intricate sounds as well. It turns powerful after 2 minutes then settles back, A marching styled rhythm after 4 1/2 minutes and I like that angular guitar after 6 1/2 minutes. A very Classical instrumental to get us started.

"Bagliore(Glimmer)" has a brighter and more melodic sound as Alberto comes in with some restrained vocals at first. He does get passionate and check out those vocal melodies. Synths lead before 2 minutes with piano and a heavy rhythm section as the vocals step aside. Vocals are back before 3 minutes along with an urgent sound. It seems to start over again before 3 1/2 minutes with vocals and piano. A top three and one that kept getting stuck in my head.

"His Maddening Certainty" opens with synths, drums, piano, bass and more. It turns aggressive around 2 minutes then settles right down after 3 minutes with keys, synths and a Classical vibe. It picks up again at 6 minutes with drums and synths leading before settling back around 7 minutes. "Not A River" opens with piano, violin and horns in a Classical setting. The tempo picks up some and check out the violin on this track, so impressive! Synths lead for a minute then a calm arrives with sparse sounds coming and going.

"The (AG)Nostic Gospels" is another Classical sounding instrumental with drums, synths and piano leading the way. Some rare guitar 3 1/2 minutes in. "Stato Di Confusione Avanzata" is a top three. Piano as drums and more join in in this Avant flavoured tune. Some nice bass too. It becomes Classical sounding a minute in and Alberto arrives shortly after this. The tempo picks up at 2 minutes with synths leading then Alberto is back singing. Piano and drums lead after 3 minutes. I like that bass a minute later. A solemn mood here as Piras returns vocally.

"The Dust On My Mother's Bible" is something I could never say thankfully. Piano and drums create a heavy groove then synths and piano join in bringing that Classical sound after 1 1/2 minutes. Back to the earlier sound as this track continues to change slightly and themes are repeated. Some angular guitar around 7 1/2 minutes.

"When Faith Transcends Reason" is a top three for those incredible vocal arrangements. Oh my! When the vocals stop it becomes very experimental. You have to hear this. "Ken Who?" is Mr. Golden? Anyway we get mournful strings to start before some strong piano work takes over. Synths too in this Classical sounding closer.

This is completely different music from what "The Remedy Of Abstraction" has to offer. I am glad I won this though although it's sure not for the cover art. If your into the Classical side of things please check this one out.

Three years after their excellent self-titled debut the duo of Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller entered the Monumental Studios in Richmond to record a follow-up release.James Newton and Steve Williams remained in the list of guest musicians, which was now expanded to five members on bass, drums and classical guitar guitar.The new album ''Twice bitten'' was again released on Laser's Edge.

This time the two multi-instrumentalists decided to even perform a long suite, the 21-min. ''Myths'', divided in seven movements, which is a complex instrumental journey full of piano interludes, Electronic segmets, dreamy Classical soundscapes and complex Prog Fusion, very much along the lines of HERMETIC SCIENCE.While not being as consistent as one should expect from the project's debut, this composition contains plenty of nice ideas, especially the changes between ethereal passages and more energetic offerings is more than welcome.The rest of the tracks, much shorter in length, define the overall approach of A Triggering Myth.From keyboard-drenched emphatic Electronic/Fusion to sampled orchestral sections and from smooth acoustic deliveries to more grandiose arrangements with a Soundtrack feel, all are well-crafted with a light sense of melody and a heavy tendency towards dissonance.But even so they sound pretty nice with lots of shifting moods, however the sampled parts of the album sometimes sound very cheap and certainly lower the quality of the music.

''Twice bitten'' does not exactly next to ''A triggering myth'' in terms of musical value.Still this is a very good album of keyboard-driven Progressive Rock with massive Classical, Jazz and Electronic Music references.Recommended overall.

The debut album from a band whose Forgiving Eden album made me purchase their other albums too.

Listed as a fusion band, their debut album is more fusion than the label fusion is intended to be. This album is a fusion between rio, symphonic prog, eclectic prog and jazz. I am sure there is also other elements here I have forgotten. I think eclectic or crossover best describes this album.

The music is big and grandious. It is suffering from delusion grandeur, is a psycho analytical tool can be used on this album. A label often used on myself, btw.

The album strikes out boldly, but misses flight pretty early on and is seeking mother earth pretty early. Not a textbook landing, it has to be said. But this album is still a good fusion album which has a lot of excellent ideas, but not enough good melodies to carry them out. This is a debut album and a very typical debut album too. It says "we have arrived" and this band most certainly have. I am really looking forward to listen to their other albums too.

3 stars

Wow !!!

This album really hit me like a heatwave during a winter day. I have never heard about this band before I by chance picked up this album, quickly forgot about it and then played it (it was labelled as A... and hence first in my alphabetical list of albums).

This is the fifth or so album from this Canadian band. They are listed as a fusion band and that's their basis. But on this album, and in general according to our biography, they also venture into symphonic prog and Canterbury prog. In other words; they pulls a lot of my heart strings.

The music is various kinds of tangents based with solid support of guitars too. This in addition to bass and drums. This album is an instrumental album so no vocals.

Good references are fusion in general, Gentle Giant, Gilgamesh, Hatfield & The North and ELP. The music is not overly technical, but technical enough to display a lot of small interesting details. The melodies are a lot based on moods and emotions with some breath taking breaks scattered around the album.

The quality are very good from the start to the end on this one song/track album. That's why the listeners are forced to stop in their tracks and just listen. Don't drive and listen to this album, please.

In short, this is a great album which should appeal to all symph, Canterbury and fusion fans.

4 stars

Composition / Creativity: 17/25 Compositions are of consistent quality, but lacking in that certain something.

Musicianship: 22/25 Very well played. Parts are tasteful but somewhat uninspired.

Production / Sound: 22/25 The sound quality of the album is nice and clean. Nothing exceptional, but not intrusive or offensive either.

Overall Effect: 17/25 Pretty run of the mill instrumental "quasi fusion". Quite well played, composition skills are not too bad, but fails to build or maintain much excitement or interest.

Total Score: 78

Grade: C+ / 3.5 stars

"Forgiving Eden" is a monster album, an example of how real is the possibility to create great epic albums in the progressive genre 20-odd years after the end of the 70s. The idea of a 43 minute suite is very challenging concerning structure and composition, and A Triggering Myth has managed to be extremely successful at it: in fact, excepting for Part I, the other divisions do not define the whole musical sequence at all, making each Part's closing passage work simultaneously as a soft preparation for the next Part. "Forgiving Eden" is, most of all, a work of beauty and elegance, with the mystic forces of extravagance getting into play in order to weave that beauty in a different way, experimental yet not obtuse, uneasy yet romantically captivating, cerebral yet emotionally driven. A Triggering Myth has genuinely grown in geometrical proportion from their very first album: "Forgiving Eden" is the manifestation of the maturity of Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller as both creators and performers, bringing the ATM stance to the top of its pursuit for complexity and dynamics. The fluid combination of Happy the Man, standard symphonic, Canterbury, Gentle Giantish counterpoints and RIO-friendly textures reaches a zenith of exuberance and elegance, displaying an undisputed beauty that never gets really accessible nor vulgar. With the participation of guitarist Scott McGill and drummer Vic Stevens, the final arrangements manage to keep track of the potential energy stated by the basic compositional ideas. McGill provides lots of augmentations for the melodic developments and harmonic meanders, while Stevens sets a versatile foundation for the ever changing moods, tempos and atmospheres. The 3+ minutes of Part 1 are based on a jazzy ambience led by piano, with delicately weird adornments stated by the synth and the guitar. With the sound of a host of reciting voices, the mood gets a bit weirder still before the arrival of Part II, a section that starts on a very energetic mode before landing on an eerie display of orchestral allusions. This aura of soaring sonorities may remind the listener of However. With the 7 minute long Part III, the band gets focused on academic sources, generating what is arguably the most pompous section of this suite. The endless tangling of half-elaborated melodies feels powerful in its demanding structure, natural in its deconstructive logic. Part IV bears a similar mood, although the delicacy is a tad stronger and the bizarre vibe is a tad lesser. Together, Parts III & IV make the most symphonic moments in the suite. The pairing of Parts V & VI make my favorite portion of the album, with the extroverted moments stating a hybrid of Return to Forever and classic Holdsworth, and the slower passages showing strong influences from Happy the Man with an extra dose of mystery. As usual, the melodic motifs and harmonic developments go on meandering with spotless craft. Part VI includes a few quotations from Part I's main motif. Later on, Part VII reprises a few passages from other Parts, while including new soft ones that almost match the polished extravagance comprised in the most ethereal passages of Parts IV, V & IV. When Part VII approaches the end, a playful motif brings memories of Grieg in a progressive context. Part VIII closes the suite, including a reprise of the beautiful piano motif that had appeared at the end of Part IV. In conclusion, "Forgiving Eden" is a total prog pleasure, a masterpiece of our times, full of infinite nuances that seem to emerge from nowhere after each new listen. This album won't reveal all its beauty with the first few listens, but indeed it will reveal its magical appeal, and like it happened to me, it won't be too long before you consider it a must for any good prog rock collection.

Every once in a while, I do silly things like buy an album because it has a cool cover or I'm drawn to the title. I therefore have a highly eclectic music collection which includes some albums that I just can't listen to. This is one of the albums that I was magnetically drawn to by both cover and title, but particularly by the title of the opening track (which is depicted very nicely by the front and back of the cover). I mean, how cool is Now That My House Has Burned Down, I Have A Beautiful View Of The Moon as a song title?

Anyway, enough waffling and on to the album itself. It's great. It is cool. It is beautiful and emotional and has some even cooler song titles that are also outstanding compositions, the best of which by my book are that first track, The Remedy Of Abstraction, Shakespeare's Strippers, The Eisenhour Slumber and Not Even Wrong. These songs are at times frighteningly complex at others so simple that you wonder why there isn't more music like this around. The interplay between piano and guitar is particularly striking and is laid on top of some very intricate drum and bass rhythm play. The presence of the violin adds further interest to the mix though it is maybe not quite as prominent as it should be (but maybe that's just to my untrained ear).

As this is the first jazz/rock fusion album I have bought, I can't really suggest suitable comparisons for this work. However, I am very much inspired to explore this genre further as, despite my purchase of this album being very much a shot in the dark, I enjoy listening to it very much indeed and am still finding fresh themes on each listen. I'm therefore happy to recommend it to anyone else who is thinking about dipping a toe in this particular part of the prog rock pool. Excellent stuff!

Superb progressive/RIO/fusion duo,formed in 1990 in Richmond,USA by two multi-instrumentalists,Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller.Both were much interested both in 70's progressive rock and improvisational jazz and after they met each other in 1989,they released their debit in 1990 as A TRIGGERING MYTH.This is an absolutely original and personal release with close leanings to RIO,electronic progressive and grandiose soundtrack music.Actually instruments like guitars (mainly) and bass are very sporadic used and their music is built around keyboards and piano.From the classical piano-style and the nice organ work to the grandiose synth/electronic orchestrations,you''ll find yourself being in another world listening to the charming atmosphere this duo can create.There are also numerous passages dominated by smooth flutes and leading trumpets and strings (where the RIO movement come in mind),making their sound ever richer and more beautiful.The final result of their first effort is an album close to the likes of contemporary classical music with tons of keyboards,electronics and an evident ''rock'' element.Highly recommended by my side,''A triggering myth'' is an overlooked gem of modern progressive rock's history.