ABIGAIL'S GHOST

The wonderful 5. "Widowmaker" (5:22) (9/10) continues this venture, further broadening the band's sonic and stylistic palette (sounding remarkably like another couple of releases from this year: VOLA's Inmazes and NICE BEAVER's The Time It Takes), as does the sweet, melodic follow-up, the more swamp folk-tinged 6. "King of All" (5:23) (9/10).

The band then pulls an amazing trick with the very French-sounding 7. "Le Metteur" (7:14) a song that I find quite haunting and beautiful as it takes me back to French film themes and montages from the 80s and 90s--as well as a little of the delightful IVY sound around the turn of the century. Wonderful guitar solo worked over the Buddha- lounge drums and keyboard washes. (9/10)

8. "Protist"(4:43) (9/10) effectively dives into the depths of heavy prog while

9. "Sweet Serenity" (4:42) captures some catchy melodies in a Johannes Luley kind of way over its unusual instrumental choices. (9/10)

10. "Smotherbox" (8:51) is the first occasion on this album in which the band blatantly return to their Steven Wilson roots. Like a Steve Wilson song, it's a good song with some orgasmic lead guitar work and heavy chord chord play. (8/10)

11. "Rather Unorthodox" (3:48) is a piano-based, strings accompanied, harmonized vocal with a bit of a classic rock ballad sound and feel to it. Nice song. (8/10)

I have to admit that one of the highlights in listening to this album is in the way that I find myself quite often drawn to listen to the electronic keyboard work that might support or fill spaces in many of the songs. A really nice complementary "glue" for lots of the music much in the same way that Richard Barbieri and Jørgen Hagen supplied so masterfully for their bands, Porcupine Tree and Airbag, respectively.

The boys from the bayous have created a wonderful addition to any prog rock music collection.

"Unmastered" is made up of five songs that are sonically diverse and beautifully composed. The band brings it in the creative department, featuring songs that range from their classic sound to more melodic and ethereal tracks. They still feature the amazing guitar work of Joshua Theriot and Randy Leboeuf, the intense keys of Brett Guillory, and the dynamic bass of Kenneth Wilson. I also found that the drums from John Rodrigue are extremely precise and present a clarity that I don't recall from their earlier albums. Lastly, Theriot also provides the wonderful vocals, and I don't recall him ever sounding more in the vein of Maynard of Tool/APC. My wife actually thought I was listening to a new APC song. This is not a bad thing in the least.

If the variety presented on this EP is any indication for future things, we are in for a treat. From the enthusiastic "Sliver" to the very melodic "Bloodlust" to the island/folk music combination of "King of All", the band shows their chops and their whimsy. I particularly love "Bloodlust" with its intense guitar solo and instrumental that ranks up near the top of the list this year, and I also love "King of All", a song that dabbles in some genres that aren't normally involved with progressive rock. In all of this, I am very impressed, as the quality and the inspiration of the melodies is clear and at the forefront.

If you remember Abigail's Ghost or simply love progressive rock, do yourself a favor and pick up this EP. Not only will you help them finance their next album, but it will also be an earworm for you for some time.

One of my pet peeves in any music is quality. It needs to sound professional, even if you're not. It makes a very good first and lasting impression. Luckily, firing up the title track of Abigail's Ghost shows the improvement. Not just in quality, but also, amazingly, in songwriting. Their heavy side of music gives them a slight advantage over, say, Porcupine Tree while keeping their songs short and sweet. Problem was, they all tended to sound the same. Yet immediately, the guitars are showcased, the drummer gets a few fills, a more memorable chorus shows up and the change of pace and direction is a bit swifter.

Things are looking up.

Then once "Black Lace" starts up, you instantly think "Oh no, I've accidentally bought another Porcupine Tree record again." But you'd be wrong, because Josh Theriot sings differently this time. He doesn't just drone and moan like on "Selling Insincerity". He sings with a purpose, with a bit of a lift and a slight swing in the beat. In most music of this type, the beat sits back, in a lazy, droning feel. Now, it's more uptight, the drums are ahead of the beat. It grooves, it moves, it's got life to it, but it doesn't stray from the dark, heavy sound they were best known for on "Selling Insincerity".

Dare I even say, it's quite catchy too...

And it seems to get better. "Romantique Life" jars your gritted teeth with more heavy guitars. The lyrics have more life. The bass line is moving more. The drums are constant, and yet always one step ahead. "Plastik Soul" starts off with a "Jungle Book"-esque swing pattern on the floor toms and drums. It just doesn't seem realistic. Could these guys have totally avoided that stumble in the road?

Well, not entirely. "Cinder Tin", "Gemini Man", "Sneak Peak", "Visceral" all echo the slow, atmospheric utterances of "Selling Insincerity". Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I was just hoping they'd continue to add their own unique touch to these tracks. Which they haven't.

Then, "Easy A" comes on. And for some reason, which I can't really fathom... I like it. I really, really like it. The lyrics sit front and center here, and yet the lush guitar plucks followed by the BTBAM-esque blips of heavy licks give it a spark, a breath of fresh air that, nine times out of ten, would have ended in a slow, dying, wilted fashion. But instead, it has a unique sound that separates it from the others.

A sign that Abigail's Ghost maybe, just maybe, MAYBE have started to carve out their own sound. Even "Annie Enemy", the biggest bruiser of them all, sounds unlike their other songs. Now, it's a bit reminiscent of Oceansize and Riverside, but still, it keeps the emotion, without losing the listener. The heavy guitars are there, the change in pace is better, the prog elements sharper, the lyrics stronger. Now.... I'm starting to be impressed.

VERDICT: Forget the fact that "Grave Concerns" is another Porcupine Tree-esque ballad. This album is flat-out a massive, MASSIVE improvement from their debut, bar none. Yes, there were a few songs on "Selling Insincerity" that were enjoyable, but there was no unique sound to them. Nothing that would really tempt me to listening to that album again. The quality of the record just wasn't there, the motion just seemed lifeless, the tempo slow. The big heavy guitars over the slow, dark melodies felt like inebriated athletes, big, hulking monstrosities with reaction times so delayed, you'd mistake them for drug addicts.

But now, they're fit, spritely, up to snuff. The pace is there, the vocals have more life, the musicianship is fantastic, some of the songs are catchy, the prog is still there, the time signature changes are lightning fast, crisp and subtle. "Ah", you say, "but what if I liked some of their dreary songs off their past album?" Good news, as James May would say. You have some of those on this album here. Plain and simple, you have the progression of a young band carving out their own sound with a few nods to their debut to please their fans as well. This is hands down much, much, MUCH better than "Selling Insincerity".

*puts flame retardant suit on*

FAVORITES: "D_Letion", "Black Lace", "Easy A", "Annie Enemy"

"Waiting Room" cures that by echoing Porcupine Tree by adding a slight bit of weight thanks to their heavier guitars. I love the guitar solo in there, as well. It takes what normally is a dreary shoegaze-like genre and adds a bit of color and life. Not so much that it completely changes the texture of the piece, but enough to brighten the mood a bit. One of my favorites.

Of course, that goes right out the window with "Love Sounds", a slow, heavy electronics based piece with vocals draped over top. Definitely something you'd hear in the intro sequence of a popular crime drama, I'm sure of it. And yet the band changes right on a dime with "Sellout", guitars blazing hot with the heavy effigies of anvils and blazing fire, interlocking nicely with the smoother, more laid back guitar sounds (a la Porcupine Tree). And in fact, it's more of the same in "Dead People's Review". The album now is starting to sound like a Porcupine Tree radio edit. Which isn't bad. I just wish there was just a few more unique touches. The guitar solos help nicely, but it just doesn't help the beginning or end of the songs.

It's not really until you get to "Windows" that you get another bright spark on the album. And yet you finish the song feeling like you've heard it before. Because you probably have.

Thankfully, with "Cerulean Blue", all is well. Immediately heavy guitars in a brutal, fast tempo are interlocked with stop-and-go electronic sounds, fantastic bass work, and utterly time- perfected drumming (excellent double-bass pedal work here). Finally, these great musicians get to strut their stuff. An excellent little solo occurs six minutes in, an excellent little instrumental showcase to try and put these guys on the map.

"Seeping" is another one that stands out a bit. Lush synths backing up another excellent piece of drumming, beautiful acoustic licks and frankly wonderful lyrical work make this another one of the rare standouts here. Same with "Mother May I?" which sounds like a bastard stepchild of Porcupine Tree and Tool after a busy Friday night at a bar.

VERDICT: This is tough, because while the band puts together an outstanding first effort, it's quite overshadowed by the fact that it's a sound that's broadly similar to the likes of Porcupine Tree, Riverside and Oceansize, among countless others. If it's right up your alley, then, have at it. You won't be disappointed. But if you're not a fan of the dark and heavy side of prog, perhaps you should look elsewhere. Or, perhaps you should take a look at their second album...

FAVORITES: Waiting Room, Cerulean Blue, Mother May I?

The first track gives a statement of intent that this is a heavier release too - shades of prog metal creep in, though again the sound still feels a little anchored in the realms of porcupine tree - this track wouldn't feel wholly out of place alongside the heavier moments on Fear Of A Blank Planet, released the same year. In the second, however, they find a mellower alt-rock groove, a feel that continues through large chunks of the album.

Overall, I like this less than Selling Insincerity, but it's still a worthwhile listen.

3/5

It's not to say, though, that this is an entirely unoriginal work. For one thing, it does feel like it blends influences from different points in porcupine tree's discography - there's echoes of the great band's earlier works in there too. In the blend, it does take on something of its own character.

Ultimately, this is very listenable, and it is a testament to the musicians at work here that it can stand up to such close comparison to a band of Porcupine Tree's stature.

3.5/5 rounded to 3/5

D_Letion is a more mature album with a hard rock influence. Although you can argue they aren't prog in the more purest sense since their songs are fairly short and simple, you can hear some intricate and tight guitar riffs that will meet some proggers' expectations. This is a young adults' prog, so much that many compare them to Porcupine Tree, probably because of their similarities in production techniques. The songs are very catchy nonetheless.

Their lyrics are very open with sexual innuendos which works well with Josh "Bones" Theriot's nasal sensual voice. This music doesn't call for anything intricate. Just a delicate touch.

"Black Lace" is a great song on this album because it's a very sweet sensual song with a lot of higher ranged notes on the guitar and much use of the drum cymbals. "Romantique Life" is one of the darkest and sexual songs on the album with lyrics such as "Show me yours and I'll show you mine" but it rocks hard (no pun intended). There is some serious drumming in this song, too. My only complaint about this album is that the drums sometimes sound too organic and could have been in the mix better.

Overall this is a very well-done album and it will get you rocking hard. It is quite an improvement from their debut album, and with the combination of their talent in the recording studio and on stage, this band has quite a future if they keep their act together, whether it be in front of a prog audience or in the mainstream.

This second album moves a bit from the debut one in its similarities with Porcupine Tree even though the basic style remains intact. I think the band has taken its musical root from the like of Porcupine Tree and they cannot move away that much from its root. No harm with it, but it bears risk for those who have been familiar with Porcupine Tree kind of music. But I can guarantee whatever your musical taste is, you will most likely love the music contains here in this album. There is nothing that you can deny in terms of music mood, for example. What I mean is that you would love the upbeat tempo and mood delivered by this album.

The opening track, who happens to be the album title "D_Letion" (5:13) is an upbeat tempo music with its dominant rifffs and drumwork. It flows nicely to "Black Lace" (4:16) in similar vein. Oh yes, you will love the third track which opens with uplifting guitar riffs that make "Romantique Life" (4:34) a dynamic tune - especially combined with tight basslines and poerful vocal work. At least you would like the combined bass guitar and drumwork. You might like the interlude part that starts on minute 2:40 which contains heavy guitar riffs, tight basslines with dybanic drumming and followed stunning (even though short) guitar work.

When the music enters track 4 "Plastik Soul" (5:47) I find it very entertaining listening to the opening dynamic drums with good basslines followed with vocal work. Oh man .. I believe you would love this track very much because it contains very dynamic drumming and nice melody. The band then tones down their music with "Cinder Tin" (5:39) followed with heavy blast of music on the next track "Gemini Man" (4:18) even though the opening is slow. "Sneak Peek" (5:47) is a slow rock composition that reminds me to bands like Pineapple Thief or RPWL."Annie Enemy" (7:20) is also another good track followed with a concluding track "Grave Concerns" (2:25) with its acoustic setting.

Overall, this is a very good album and will satisfy many people with different musical taste. Composition-wise, it's more matured than the debut album. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW