Prog Metal: Syzygy (Australia)

( band pic collated from a number of sources ... could not find a photo of Mili Separovic without his hair in front of his face  )

Band: SYZYGY (Aus)

Genre: Progressive Metal

Country: Australia

Biography:

Not to be confused with the art rock band from America, SYZYGY was an instrumental-only progressive metal band that hailed from Perth, Western Australia. Band members cited amongst their influences such bands as MESHUGGAH, SYMPHONY X, LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT, DREAM THEATER, QUEEN, EXTREME and PINK FLOYD.

SYZYGY had its origins back in August of 1995, when drummer Damien Petrilli and keyboardist Mili Separovic decided to start a band “to make the music as unique and interesting as possible”¹. A short while later the pair was joined guitarist Andro Mestrovich. At this point the name SYZYGY was decided upon and the band began honing its sound as a three-piece outfit for around 10 months (where the groundwork was laid for some of the tracks that would eventually grace the debut album some years later). After some jam sessions with the three existing SYZYGY members, the fourth band member appeared in the form of a second guitarist, Jarred Scagliotta; the final piece of the original SYZYGY jigsaw was put in place with the recruitment of the hard-rocking Paul Judge on bass in the May of 1996. SYZYGY worked as a five-piece band, gigging and entering competitions while building up a loyal following in the Perth local music scene. In the middle of 1998 Judge was dismissed from the band and SYZYGY continued as a four-piece with Mili Separovic taking care of the bass sound via keyboards. SYZYGY entered the recording studio in August 1998 to record its only album in a three-day stint, only to see production issues delay the release until 2000. Another bass player, Anthony Wong, was recruited in 2001once again making SYZYGY a five-piece unit. SYZYGY continued to work in Perth until the band played its last gig in June of 2005 and then disbanded, closing this chapter of the Australian progressive metal scene.

Since the disbanding of SYZYGY Damien Petrilli has continued to ply his skills as a drummer with Perth power metal outfit BLACK STEEL, and to work with Jarred Scagliotta in the band EVOLUTION MACHINE.

SYZYGY’s one and only album is “Prominence”, an eight-track, all instrumental effort that the band released independently in 2000, some two years after the initial recording sessions. Being an independent release, the album does prove a little difficult to find.

SYZYGY is recommended for fans of those progressive metal bands listed as the band members’ influences.

¹ Quote from the official SYZYGY website www.users.bigpond.net.au/syzygy

Sources:

www.users.bigpond.net.au/syzygy

www.metal-archives.com

www.westernfront.com.au

www.myspace.com/damienpetrilli 

www.myspace.com/syzygyaustralia

Discography:

Album: Prominence

Track Listing:

1. Reversal (3:31)

2. Sunrise (5:24)

3. Infinite Odds (2:07)

4. Cry Of The Wolf (5:10)

5. Atmosphere (7:03)

6. Flight 5-3-7 (2:43)

7. Mercury’s Tears (5:34)

8. Mistaken Identity (7:32)

Total time: 39:09

Line-up/Musicians:

- Andro Mastrovich / guitars

- Damien Petrilli / drums, percussion

- Jarred Scagliotta / guitars

- Mili Separovic / keyboards, bass, effects

Why should this band be included in PA:

The addition of SYZYGY will further add to the completion of PA’s information as it continues the journey to be “the most complete and powerful progressive rock resource” by including a little known progressive metal band from the most isolated capital city in the world. 

 

 

 

 

...and it’s over the the PA Prog Metal team now!  

 

Cheers,

 

T.Rox