AGAINST REASON

A friend of mine who hate the neo-prog subgenre brought by Marillion, IQ, Pallas and Pendragon in early 80s because it's basically a simplification of symphonic prog ? that's what he said. I could agree with his opinion but disagree in his conclusion that therefore we should stay away from neoprog. I even like the subgenre as an expansion of the subgenres that already existed in prog music by that time. I think, as we all like this kind of music we also learn to have a progressive mind that is open to any further development of progressive music. Yeah, we have to be progressive in seeing the whole world and in the development of music. The facts that there is some simplification of the music, it's fine with me. We have seen how Pink Floyd which the music was at that time quite simple was later developed in even simplified manners with bands like RPWL, Porcupine Tree, Sylvan and any other crossover kind of bands. So ? what's wrong with symphonic prog that is simplified into neoprog? In fact, it's good because the music can reach wider coverage in terms of fans base so that the music can educate the younger generation and let them explore the past ? the 70s era.

You might think that neoprog has already reached its limit and nothing more that we could expect from the subgenre that pays particular attention and subtleties on melodies and harmonies in composing the music. The result is typically a mellow kind of melodic music with good exploration of keyboards and guitars ? boths as rhythm section or solo. So is the case with Credo "Against Reason" album released this year. The album really blew me away the fisrt time I listened to it. They are really smart and creative in making their music in the corridor of neoprog and has no effort to push the envelope ? but it's an excellent composition as the result. This proves that you can do goodwork in the coridor of existing music subgenre.

The album opener 'Staring At The Sun' strats wonderfully with keyboard solo followed with a medium tempo music in typical neoprog scene. Wow! It's a fabulous opening especially when the guitar solo enters the music. I really enjoy the opening part of this opening track. Th music then provides a break with guitar rhythm section just before vocal enters. While the vocal fills the music you can grab the Gensis guitar fills style accompany the vocal. The music moves in crescendo nicely with dynamic drumming and long sustain keyboard work at background. There are many style changes throughout the song. The interlude part at approx minute 6:48 is nice.

The next track "Cardinal Sin" starts ambient with keyboard work followed with music that brings the vocal. The music really reminds us to bands like Pallas, Pendragon. The music moves nicely with guitar work that reminds us to Gilmour work. The interlude part changes the style into ambient music with different drumming style augmented with piano fills. The guitar solo work is really stunning, performed in Floydian style backed up with piano work. It's cool. The song moves in different style of music and it has wonderful ending part.

"Intimate Strangers" starts mellow with guitar fills, keyboard and bass guitar followed with soft guitar solo. He music then flows in mellow tempo with keyboard as background when vocal enters. The album title track "Against Reason" starts mellow with guitar fills backed with spacey keyboard work. It's basically a short instrumental that brings forward nicely the next track "Insane". I love this fifth track as the vocal and keyboard is so powerful. Oh by the way, one thing that I forget to tell you is that the bassguitar work of this album is excellent and it reminds me to Graeme Murray of Pallas. "Insane" is an excellent track with accentuated vocal work, composed in moderate tempo but quite energetic especially when the keyboard performs its solo work. It also has excellent guitar solo. The rest of the tracks "Reason To Live", "Conspiracy(MCF)" ? the combined keyboard work and vocal is great, and "Ghosts Of Yesterday" are all good tracks in neoprog style.

Overall, this is an excellent addition to any prog music collection. It proves that neoprog has not reached its full potentials yet as you can see this album is an excellent example of this subgenre. Keep on proggin' ....!

Peace on earth and mercy mild ? GW

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