I HAVE LITTLE TO NO MEMORY OF THESE MEMORIES

A piece of cake 5/5! Definitely the best Prog album of 2022, and directly to my TOP 5 favourite prog masterpieces ever. I have many reasons for saying it :) :)

I would like to judge and asses this Toehider song from the point of view of a "Prog Suites,opera rocks, or Prog conceptuals album`s" lover. Not just as one more prog music fan. Try to focus in just titleworks that means long stories to be listened independently, no matter if as songs, albums, or parts of an album. f.ex "Close to the Edge" (YES), "Learning to live" (DT), "Be" (PoS), "Singularity" (Devin Townsend), "The Oddyssey" (Symphony X), etc...). I mean, understanding that this kind of works cannot be evaluated as a simple album or even just as a song. This type of tracks rise to a higher level of musical complexity and that are aimed at the full satisfaction of the demanding listener, who not only seeks to feel immersed in an impressive auditory journey. It also causes the sensation of feeling more and more a prisoner of his melodies, and finally the inability to press STOP or PAUSE, despite knowing that the duration of the work is 47 minutes and 47 seconds (in this case).

The prog scene has been lucky to meet this Australian genius Mike Mills with many LPs and works published in recent years where he "experiments", as he himself says, with different musical styles. Furthermore, after his subsequent collaborations with Arjen and Devin Townsend he was already framed as a great singer and established artist. Yes, we knew that. But, what we didn't know is that aspect of being a super composer and lover of prog, that makes him able to tackle this type of trips. In addition, being able to compose and play absolutely all instruments gives you a privileged advantage over others. So, if we put all of the above together with the fact that he has a voice that is both privileged and wonderful, and his continuous obsession with adding vocal lines to improve all his music as much as possible, only then can we understand the quality of this masterpiece.

After reading many other reviews of the album, I like the fact that after listening to it, people mention and acknowledge its different prog influences and bands from the last 5 or 6 decades. I think this is a praise, since when listening to it you will find your own allusions to different progressive groups and bands that you have loved so much.

(As I consider this important and funny, I will mention in each part what reminds to me)

. All starts with a funny intro vocal part and choruses that they announces a trip to alien planet, treating the issue of lack of memory and memories as the main arguments. If you are Mike Mills, a voice opening is a fantastic begining to awake the curiosity of the listener. Maybe the first time you will not consider a "non-instrumental intro" as something so special. But believe me, soon you will need to learn lyrics and to sing it crazely once and again. (A.C.T? Queen?)

. -intro- Instrumental intro comes around 01:40 in a magnificient progpower metal part continuation, introducing little parts and sounds that be developed over time. (Freak Kitchen? Opeth?)

. At 02:30 aprox, the main melody is played instrumentally, perfectly adjusted despite its more prog-80's style, hair on end! (Transatlantic? Genesis?)

. It progresses towards a hard and more progressive part, mixed in turn with funny-dirty guitar parts to finish the introduction. Nice keyboards effects to call to the voice (Dream Theater?, Haken?) - intro ends -

. Vocals take control from 04:15 to 08:20 offering some fantastic verses and main choruses singed at different modes, apparently easy to sing but is wrapped into difficult prog times measures 6/8, 5/8... Do not be surprised to find 10/12 or more complex times that I prefer not to deep, I think it is better to assimilate, listen, and just enjoy it. The important thing is that vocals and how good it adapts to that complexity. (Rush? Ayreon influence? Camel?)

. Here (08:23) we find acoustic guitars with obscure vocals being answered with other "radio" vocals and suddenly at 10:55 a pretty epic chorus that anticipates perfectly the famous part of "The Hoarder" (Steven Wilson? The Third Ending?)

. THE HOARDER in 12th minute. This famous part of the album is a nice funky-prog composition alterned with a kind of super fast and technique "Rap-prog-metal" vocals that will infect you with the desire to look for a radio. What an explosion of vocal resources! (Toehider at all) To close this part Mike returns to the intro parts but in a different mood. The instrumental one at minute 15 more type of epicloud :D (epic and loud). (the Devin Townsend influence is a clear evidence).

. From min.16 to min.22: An ironic rest with long hard-metal/black-metal parts that are aboarded by Mike with open, power and heavy vocals. A bit long for me, but agreeding that this kind of parts are necesary for suites like this one. (Symphony X? Iron Maiden? Manowar? ACDC? Many influences here...)

. At min. 22:40, after a little, beautifull and magic passage we get back to the anthology 80's prog-rock in another clear nod to Rush. It's really fascinating how easily Mills weaves together all these different styles, going back and forth again and again so cleanly and without it sounding forced at all. (Rush? Coheed and Cambria? Sun Caged?) (Pay attention to the Bon Jovi´s little colaboration :) ...)

. Minute 26. A surprising 16 bits progmetal appears to immerse ourselves in this journey to another planet (Mattias Eklundh?) mixed with good prog metal after it (this part reminds me Circus maximus? Pagans Mind?). Again synth percussions and old PC games sounds and a slow Grunge part with a kind of "dj scratching"(Incubus)... This type of resources are used in masterpieces that only look good and are within the reach of artists like Toehider. You'll understand this and maybe be okay with it if at 28:30 you end up throwing your hands up and humming this shitty Mario Bros Happy Ending thing like a fucking teenager.. (Mike Oldfield?)

. -little respite- Games apart, the work continues in min 30 with a good heavy section, not too surprising but totally necessary in a suite like this, now we are prepared to feel the imminent invasion (Metallica? Megadeath?)

. From 31:45 this epic piece suits perfect for the warning. A repetition of quick parts in a symphony x power metal style, with incredible very fine and high voices. I love the way Mills takes over moments of these types of musical styles to provide greater strength and super epicness. (Rhapsody? Blind Guardian? Again Ayreon?) Raise your ring up! . Minute 33:30. Let´s get in an instrumental dark and power metal mixed with obscure voices that evolved to a djent power metal part. Quite well executed and composed for not being a specialist in the style (Pain of Salvation or DT voices? Periphery?)

. -the solo- At 37:15 a beautiful slow part begins that works as a lever towards the very unexpected guitar solo. What a repertoire of celestial voices, choruses and screams trademarked by Mills to suddenly introduce a wonderfull guitar solo that comes at the perfect time. (Andromeda? Sieges Even?)

. Discover this perfect guitar solo from 40:30 to 41:50 (yes, it is like a mini-song length, but is in its fair proportion, haha..). Surely Petrucci or Stolt himself would sign a solo like this. (Neal Morse, Liquid Tension Exp?) -Back to 80's- From 42:00, Mike has reserved an even more magical part between modern and eighties if possible to describe the process of the trip. Yes, when it seems that he has managed to win you over with that great voice and that catchy part, he suddenly starts with another second verse at 43:30. (Rush? Coheed and Cambria?)

. Note, frequently listen to that beautiful ability of playing with radio voices that the Australian has...

. Time to recover the main chorus at 44:30, but played this time in a more powerfull and epic mode. Oh my god, after this long time I would choose to listen once and again this main chorus. Forever. That unique moment that makes one no longer hold back all the good vibes accumulated during the play, and euphoria explodes. -Closing- As a surprise, a new magical verse going up one more scale that aims to find an ending remembering the initial melody, a typical resource in these works of art: End where it all began...

.

Hopefully this great artist will soon regain the desire to make a new work of Prog art like this marvel. Last week I received a copy of the limited edition of the Vinyl that I was able to purchase directly from their website, which I highly recommend. The vinyl hides a different/alternative ending compared to the studio album, whose content I reserve to enjoy with a good beer.