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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Post Death Soundtrack

It Will Come Out Of Nowhere

Review by Gary Hill

I have previously reviewed another album from this act along with a single. I loved them both. In fact, the single is the first song on this new album. I've essentially reused my review of that release here for the sake of consistency. I know it's early in the year, but this is already a contender to make my "best of 2019" list.

The thing about this act is that prog-purists will hate them. Their mix of sounds has everything from techno to metal, psychedelia, space rock, electronica and more within it. If that's not progressive by definition, I don't know what it is. Call them what you like, though, you'll not hear another act quite like them. Their sound is very different, and diverse, but it's also so tasty.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019  Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review
Chosen Sons
I have previously reviewed this song when it was released as a single. Here's what I had to say about it, "Cool fast paced electronics bring this into being. A blast of sound rises up amidst this. Theatrical, nearly operatic vocals deliver the first line. A blast of louder vocals bring an almost nightmarish metal intensity. The cut continues to evolve from there with more of the same concepts for a bit. Then it works out to more of a "song-like" structure to continue. This is dark and evil sounding. It's also quite prog rock based at the same time. A more rocking sound takes over in a pounding driving section beyond that. This is such an experimental type piece, but it's also oddly compelling and infectious. There are techno and industrial things here, but overall this is distinctly hard edged and powerful art rock that has some definite space edges to it. The synthesizer sounds on this are so cool. The short dropped back interlude is a nice touch, too. The occasional sound effects bring something special as well. The nearly symphonic outro is very cinematic."
Crumbs
The opening portion of this track, and the first vocal section, is electronic and rather stripped back. After that first vocal portion a piano sound and other elements are added to the mix. The vocals take on a more screaming insistence, and this drives forward with a real industrial kind of feeling to it. They drop it back to weird electronic textures that have a symphonic bent from there. It rises up to more of a pure modern prog jam from there.
Dark Matter
The industrial and techno sounds on this have a weird jazzy sort of twist to them. The arrangement on this is freaky and also dense. After the three-minute mark it pounds into metallic fury. The vocals get screaming and intense. This has some prog-like tendencies even in that noise-laden arrangement.
Expect No Sympathy
This comes in with a rather understated, but still noisy arrangement. That holds the track for a while. Then it bursts into something that's part electronic music, part jazzy elements and part metallic weirdness. This is artsy, trippy and driving. It's so unique and so cool. It gets more techno later in the number.
Ripples In The Living Dream
Coming in rhythmic and electronic, this has a driving energy. This is one of the more decidedly progressive rock oriented sections of the album. The vocals come in over the top of an electronic element. Eventually the piece works out to more of a hard rocking thing to continue. This gets into some heavier metallic stuff as it drives forward. There is almost a space rock edge to it at the same time. The closing section on this is very melodic and decidedly lands along the more pure progressive rock end of the spectrum. There is even some acoustic guitar built into it.
Ramona Hills
Atmospheric textures along with the sounds of nature open this. That holds it for more than a minute. Even as it starts to get more developed, it's only with some gradual musical elements coming upward amongst that backdrop. It becomes quite pretty and experimental with a real melancholy darkness as it evolves away from its origins. This piece never really rises up far, though, remaining instrumental and atmospheric, feeling almost like electronic soundtrack music. It drops away to just the sounds of nature at the end.
Benediction
World music sounds with a female non-lyrical voice in the mix opens this. As it grows, and the lead vocals join, it takes on a real psychedelic, space vibe. This is one of the most consistent and mellow pieces of the set.
Piercing The Veil
Electronic and techno in approach, this has a real driving element to it. It's one of the more melodic and purely prog pieces here, too. It does get more powered up and darker as it continues. While it moves toward an almost industrial vibe on these crunchier parts, it's still proggy. There are some cool trippy sound-clips of an echoey spoken voice later. The melody that emerges beyond that is so classy, too. I love the voices that seem to come from all angles on the later space rock like movement.
Fallout
Starting stripped back and textural, this grows out to more of a slightly powered-up and still suitably dark concept for the song proper. It's electronic, techno and also prog rock based. It has a bit of a moody space rock feeling to it, as well. It gets into driving, more rocking zones further down the road.
Pathless Land
Another that lands on the mellow side of the equation, the "freedom" chorus on this is almost hypnotic somehow. There are some moody instrumental passages and textures on the cut. This one is pretty clearly moody modern prog.
Bridge Burner
Pounding drums bring this in and create a stark contrast to the slower modes of the last song. As the guitar and other elements rise up, this takes on almost a Goth metal approach. There is a screamed vocal as the cut fires out into the next section. This works to some seriously screaming metal from there as it drives forward. This is quite extreme in a lot of ways. Around the three-and-a-half minute mark it gets more melodic in a new movement. It doesn't lose the metal concept in so doing, though. As it continues to evolve, and the lead vocals return, it takes on a bit of a space meets techno vibe. It continues driving forward, getting heavier as it does, until after the nine-minute mark where it shifts out to an electronic instrumental movement that takes it to a quick bit of rock chaos to end.
 
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