MASTER & M

Probably the coolest album I've heard from 2013 and definitely the one I'm most hooked on. Not since MAD CRAYON's 2009 release, Preda, have I heard an album with so many diverse influences so well melded together. There's KING CRIMSON--lots of King Crimson--but the band has somehow enmeshed within it sounds and styles from 80s techno pop (I hear THE BLOW MONKEYS, KAJAGOOGOO, ABC, ICEHOUSE, GENE LOVES JEZEBEL, and, especially, MINIMAL COMPACT), 70s metal (the reminder of BLUE OYSTER CULT--especially in Buck Dharma-like lead guitar soli--is strong), 80s pop metal (DEF LEPPARD and WHITESNAKE immediately come to mind) and even late-70s jazz fusion (e.g., EARL KLUGH, BOB JAMES, FREDDY HUBBARD, NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN), all covered with amazingly gorgeous and powerful vocals--all sung in Polish! Infinitely melodious yet interestingly constructed and, amazingly well mixed/engineered and produced. Amazingly, I have to give five star ratings to all of the songs (all given the simple designation of "Chapter," I through V) with four of them achieving my own personal (10/10) highest rating. If the album has a weakness it would be in the fairly straightforward drumming and predominance of straight rock time signatures. The singing of founding member, Damian Bydliński, the bass playing of the only other member from the original band, Janusz Tanistra, the keyboard work of newcomer Pawel Fabrowicz, and the electric guitar work of Daniel Kurtyka are all extraordinary--top notch--each a real joy to tune into.

Man, Poland and Italy are where it's at in ProgWorld these days!

4.5 stars rated up for creative originality.

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