FRIEND OF ALL CREATURES

Ever since the band's establishment, Pattern-Seeking Animals have been releasing their work at an impressive rate, and 2025 sees the release of the Spock's Beard off-shoot project's fifth studio album titled 'Friend of all Creatures'. It has been well established at this point that P-SA offer quite a melodic and symphonic rendition of progressive rock, often ornate yet accessible, and while the band never tried to sound like the Beard, the drawing of parallels between the two US-based acts is inevitable, especially considering how prominent John Boegehold has been for SB during the last decade or so, also responsible for writing and producing the entire 'Friend of all Creatures'. This fifth release from the "Animals" continues the musical pursuits already conceived on previous albums - the music is rather mellow and symphonic, lacking these unpredictable jives that other contemporary progressive bands exhibit more often.

Opener 'Future Perfect World' is a gorgeous piece with its bombastic ten minutes of playtime, a more straightforward song exhibiting a strong retro symphonic rock sound. This is followed-up by 'Another Holy Grail', a longer compositions that aims to be more epic and quirkier, while the third track 'Down the Darkest Road' is somber and suspenseful and together with the next song 'In My Dying Days' offers variations in the minor keys as the album exhibits a somewhat uneventful songwriting so far, especially for what concerns the SB universe. At the same time, the interplay between the electric guitars and the violins provides for a moody and eclectic feel. Then comes 'The Seventh Sleeper', and as dramatic as this one is, it ultimately becomes a laborious listen given its extended length. On the other hand, 'Days We'll Remember' is more celebratory and upbeat as well as a re-recording of a Spock's Beard song from 2018's 'Noise Floor'. The closing track here, the band's closing statement, is perhaps the strongest composition off of this album, a synthesis of all preceding moods and quirks. The entire LP is very similar to all other P-SA albums and is perhaps too mellow and too moody for a flamboyant piece of contemporary prog, which does not mean it is lacking certain qualities, like being intricate or melodic.

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