This is a great disc. The blend of progressive rock sounds here is classic. Still, it stretches towards modern sounds in terms of occasional metallic edges. This should please most progressive rock fans new and old. That said, those who have a major aversion to metal based prog will find a couple tunes here they won’t like. I’d say that’s their loss because this is a strong set beginning to end.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This starts quite mellow and atmospheric and the first vocals come in understated and distant. The piece grows gradually upward before exploding out into a killer jam that calls to mind ELP with its keyboard dominated style. After that peaks we get a drop back to an acoustic guitar motif for the next vocal movement. Beyond that sections there are a series of changes. At times I’m reminded of Starcastle. At other points I think of Yes and other things make me think of Gentle Giant and Genesis. It’s quite a dynamic piece with a lot of old-school progressive rock represented in terms of influences. This thing keeps changing, but the changes are all organic.

Some atmospheric sound effects (including pig noises) start this off. They power it up from there into a smoking hot classically tinged crunch prog jam. Then it drops back to just strange keyboards for a time. This keeps evolving powering back up after that. Again ELP seems a valid reference point. As the musical evolution continues we get a bit of a prog hoe-down. Then it shifts to a metallic movement for the first vocals around the four and a half minute mark. After that movement we’re back into a rapidly evolving musical tapestry. At times I’m reminded of ELP. Other points make me think of Pink Floyd. As it gets into sort of a psychedelic classical prog jam it’s awesome and calls to mind Pentwater just a bit. It resolves to more melodic progressive rock from there. It’s a thrill ride, though, that just keeps shifting and changing.