WORMWOOD

Bader Nana's Wormwood is a pay-what-you-will download available from the Kuwait-based musician's Bandcamp. Other releases available on his page include metal renditions of themes from computer game soundtracks and a collection of acoustic Michael Jackson covers, so I wasn't sure what to expect here; in fact, what you get is a charmingly realised album in a melodic prog vein reminiscent of the softer side of Ayreon.

Recorded at Bader's own studio in Kuwait City, evidently at the group's own expense, there are a few parts where more polish might have been helpful but on balance it's a very credible effort which makes me interested to hear more from Bader, though given how eclectic his other solo releases are I suspect it might be hard to predict when we'll hear more. Certainly, Bader does a good job of dipping his toe into the melodic side of Dream Theater's territory, but he doesn't offer a great many musical surprises in store here and for long stretches of the album you wouldn't know whether this was Bader Nana playing or Anonymous Mid-Atlantic Melodic Prog Band No. 254; hopefully future releases will display a bit more of a distinct personality.