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Vast Caldera Vast Caldera 1 Review by Gary Hill This new instrumental set is perhaps not the tightest fit under progressive rock, but I can't think of anywhere else it belongs. There is a real exploratory, freeform nature to much of this music. It has some metal in some of the guitar sounds. There are electronic elements at play, too. This is not a band release, but rather it's produced by a solo artist. That person is Justin Weiss, and he's created an intriguing collection of music here. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

Romance Piano opens this and holds it for a time. Electronic keyboards come over the top to fill out the sound, creating an almost symphonic effect. There is some seriously metallic guitar that emerges further down the road. All the various aspects eventually merge to create an intriguing soundscape as the number carries forward.

Adamant There is a darker tone to this piece. It has some edgy, hard-rocking guitar sounds. There is a classical meets metal vibe on the number. It slows down near the end in a rather odd, but effective, way.

Glory While there are symphonic electric elements at play, too, the hard rocking guitar textures create something more along the lines of old school hard rock.

Nightfall I dig the echoey rounds of guitar at the start of this. The cut works out with style and charm. In some ways I'm reminded of early Scorpions, but the mellower end of that spectrum. The cut has a definite psychedelic meets prog vibe.

Dawn Classical piano is on the menu as this track starts. The number works out from there with some cool electronic vibes. Metallic guitar gains a foothold further down the road, but more keyboard based stuff eventually ends it.

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