HUMAN ERROR!

Canadian neo-prog group Code 18 has made quite an interesting contribution to the neo-prog of 2020. With members of Huis the band was sure to produce a good sounding record. Basically the sound of Code 18 has all the neo elements; Genesis, Marillion and ELP. They chose a more open sound though, with less compression than their contemporaries. The band has some great ideas when it comes to creating musical themes of exciting imaginative neo-prog. However, the opening song 'Crystal of Time' is already a clear example of why this album just doesn't stick as much as others do; the track has many exciting ideas, but sums them up in a rather 'unfinished' way. In comparison with Marillion - who at their best gave every musical passage a sense of meaning in a story - Code 18 fails to put their compositions to the task. The lack of an above average singer or lyricist doesn't help either. Having said all that; this album has a lot of great instrumentation to offer! I even like the synth-driven interludes. The guitarist offers great emotive lines and some fine fusion chops as well. The fourteen minute long epic 'Waste' offers some of the band its most imaginative music and reaches some great highs. A highly skilled band like Code 18 could easily produce a great album if they would write their music to support a great story. 'Human Error!' remains a genre-album that will surely please a lot of neo-prog fans.