GUPPY FISH

...And they called it Guppy Love... A band for pescatarians everywhere! A guppy is a small tropical fish with a wide, brightly-coloured tail fin. Guppy Fish the band are a different kettle of fish altogether though, This Athenian trio are leaning towards the heavier side of Porcupine Tree's music, although hopefully, fans of Steven Wilson & co. won't get too prickly about me comparing them to Guppy Fish. Imagine floating on a breezy Mediterranean Sea with choppy waves of heavy guitar riffing breaking out and rocking the boat. That's the kind of album we have here. The title track and album opener,"The Fall of Man", nicely sets the scene with a subdued and atmospheric intro, before rip-roaring power chords burst through the surf like a shark attack. Guppy Fish are a band with attitude, as the no-nonsense track, "I Don't Like Your Face" and the Wilson-esque "Exposed" will testify. "Neverending Flow" is the most laid-back track on the album, which veers into melodic Tears for Fears territory. The two-part closing number "Above the Sky" is well-worth waiting for, where the band unleash holy Hellenic hell in a blazing blitzkrieg of Greek fire and fury. Guppy Fish are a Peloponnesian powerhouse, so you won't hear any gentle romantic ballads here,, but if you're not in the mood for blazing a trail through the Aegean with Guppy Fish, then there's plenty more fish in the sea. If, on the other hand, you're born to be wild and like to wear denims and leather whilst riding your Hog, then Guppy Fish are one fish you won't want to throw back into the water - and personally speaking, I prefer Guppy Fish over Walter Trout and Fish from Mariilion.

I've largely been unimpressed with Opeth's pivot away from death metal. A lot of their recent output has felt flaccid and derivative in an oversaturated retro-prog scene. However, the full-length debut of Greek act Guppy Fish covers the territory I'd always hoped Mikael Åkerfeldt and his crew would. The Fall of Man isn't exactly a metal album, though it often flirts with the territory. The music is both grand and gloomy. The shadows cast by the giants of the genre are readily evident, but this album stands on its own.

This album's title track aptly sets the mood as its opener. An eerie, watery guitar arpeggio bursts forth from its quiet beginning into the looming verses. A jagged, irregular riff is deployed to great effect between verses. Two-layered vocal arrangements are utilized both here and throughout the rest of the album to add a layer of depth.

"Easily Played" feels like an outtake from Fear of a Blank Planet if it were played by Haken. The song's overall texture and atmosphere are undeniably Wilsonian, but interweaving clean guitar lines and the majestic outro help it feel distinct. "I Don't Like Your Face" continues with the obvious Porcupine Tree nods. It's one of the more derivative pieces on The Fall of Man, but it's also one of my favorites on the record. It's got an infectious groove to it.

The band tone things down on "Exposed". This mostly acoustic song pulls heavily from folk and post-rock until its final 90 seconds. It's a nice contrast to the heavier moments both preceding and following it.

"Still Here" opens with a riff far bluesier than I expected from this band. I'd expect it from a band like Clutch but not one so firmly in Opeth's vein. By the one-minute mark, though, they've incorporated cabaret piano, and it's not long after that that a herky-jerky guitar riff comes to dominate. The second half of the song is a swirling, organ-powered instrumental.

"Neverending Flow" is another gentle piece, reminiscent of The Flower Kings. This track could have easily veered off into irredeemable cheesiness, but Guppy Fish manage to keep everything grounded. Unfortunately, not every slow song on this album is a winner. "Justify" meanders for its first three-plus minutes, and the eventual climax is not worth the wait.

The two-part, 10-minute "Above the Sky" closes the album and is a mixed bag. Part 1 is a thumping, engaging instrumental, full of jungle rhythms, haunted-carnival organ, and discordant, Voivod-style guitar squeals. Part 2, however, is less interesting. The first four minutes are downright torpid, and while the closing is better, the weight of the preceding slog drags it down.

The Fall of Man is a strong debut effort from Guppy Fish. They successfully channeled progressive metal and heavy progressive rock influences into something both accessible and rewarding.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/08/10/album-review-guppy-fish-the-fall-of-man/