CIRCLES AND BUTTERFLIES

The Last Things' sole album finds the band exhibiting a unique approach to progressive metal, fusing aggressive sections stuffed with technical thrash metal chops with more melodic and gentle sections which feel inspired by none other than early Marillion. It's a weird, weird set of influences, and yet somehow Richard Elliot IV and his crew make it work, and throw in a few tips of the hat to other styles besides (Elliot breaks out some flute on the closing track which I am fairly sure is meant to be some sort of tribute to Jethro Tull). Darren McFarland's bass work adds a few tricks picked up from his stint doing live duties with Atheist, further enriching the sound. It's an odd hybrid, but somehow it works - and man, dig that prog-tastic album cover!