Rexartrefkin is a trio from Florida and Rex 1 is their four song debut. While, it may only contain four songs, the disc still weighs in at almost twenty-five minutes in length. Songs of that duration beg comparisons to the progressive rock of the 1970s, and certainly it doesn’t end there. The complex arrangements and intense musicianship also bear references to such bands as Yes, Rush and King Crimson.

The sound here is more modern, though. It doesn’t shy away from the classic and progressive rock roots, but it stretches further into modern hard rock, as well. In fact, it seems obvious that these guys try hard to steer clear of any kind of rules or conventions or formats. The disc is one that gets better with repeated listening, but most complex music is that way.

While at times, Rexartrefkin’s reach seems to exceed their grasp, this CD shows them to be extremely talented musicians. It’s far better for a band to try something that they can’t easily do, than to just play it safe and do the mainstream thing because it’s easy. While this release is not perfect, it shows a lot of promise. It will be interesting to see what this group comes up with next. They’ve got the chops and the spirit of adventure and musical exploration. The mad skills necessary to fulfill their vision will likely come with more experience.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This seems to have some sections where the vocals get a little off-key. In addition, the production feels rather muddy and cluttered at times on this piece. Both of those factors, particularly when matched to the quality of the remaining music, points to the fact that putting “Aquiessence” in the opening slot might have been a mistake. The vocal and production problems early on might send some listeners running away. The thing is, they actually pull it all together very well later in a jam that’s hard hitting and very much in a dramatic epic classic rock style. For that reason, the track might have worked better closing the set than opening it.  “Aquiessence” is the most dynamic piece, starting with an almost balladic motif and working out into hard rocking progressive music as it continues. Comparisons to Rush, think “Natural Science,” would be warranted in the way the composition builds. The section that takes the cut later is almost heavy metal in some ways, but the non-lyrical vocals that come over the top pull it more into classic rock and work really well. One might compare it to a more modern Led Zeppelin, if the thought was the more epic Zeppelin referenced by pieces like “Kashmir.”