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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Osada Vida

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Review by Larry Toering

This is a band from Poland that I've been enjoying lately, and they bring the prog like no other in their homeland. I happen to really like just about everything I've heard from them, and this takes the proverbial cake. It's chock full of diversity and intensity every minute of the way. This is also a band worth catching live, as they bring it on even harder on stage. If you like prog rock with an equal blend of light and heavy touches, this is an outfit worth seeking for just that, and this release should take them a long way.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Hard-Boiled Wonderland
The disc starts off with over the top vibes on this killer track with all kinds of different influences felt throughout. Things get really interesting toward the middle of the prog madness. This brings the arrangement into some wild guitar picking, which is palm muted for a subdued effect that won't quit. It’s absolutely interesting and diverse in every way. There is so much going on here that it isn't easy to describe, except to say “it's awesome!”
Stronger
This goes a little more straightforward, with bass riffing that is similar to that of Metallica, whose influence comes on stronger later on the disc. I love the vocals on this, as they blend perfectly in contrast to the overall down the line arrangement. Talk about “awesome,” this really delivers with some excellent guitar playing to top it off.
Fear

The entire band comes on strong with eclectic vibes all over the place on this, which is definitely one of the most complex numbers on offer. The diversity on this one is apparent as well, as they even get a bit funky. That’s actually not foreign to this band, but you usually have to listen hard to find it. Here it takes a mid seat at the very least, and the effect is cosmic. The keyboards are amazing here.

Those Days

This is yet another extremely interesting track, but if I had to find a weakness here it would have to be in the vocal department. But the overall song loses nothing over that. It's still as good as anything else on the disc.

Shut

Being the shortest tune on this disc, this is by no means the worst. In fact, there is no such thing concerning this band, to my ears. But for me, this also has a vocal touch I'm just not into. It has a death metal i approach to parts of it, which seems to be something a lot of bands are doing to keep inflections of death metal. Myself I find it to be a way of keeping that without going all out at it, to explain that. While that part isn't my cup of tea, the rest of the tune rocks very well, especially the guitar solo.

David's Wasp

This is a big instrumental number, and it's simply a far out tune that happens to be one of the best on offer here. They almost reach space rock status on this very progressive track, and the whole disc seems to peak right here.

Different Worlds

This is yet another cool track to get into, as they show more complexity at every turn. If you don't like that, the vocals take the shape of a more pop approach to even it out for an overall satisfying number indeed.

Until You're Gone
If a ballad can do anything, it does a lot here in bringing the tempo down but not losing the listener. It does have ups and downs for this sort of thing. I love the chorus and the vocals in general. This is another very interesting and enjoyable track with all kinds of different keyboard textures.
Mighty World

This goes more into that death metal approach with the music, and comes on like a machine gun that way. However, this time there are no vocals of that persuasion. They certainly saved one of the best tracks for last, as this is yet again an awesome piece of music/ Here they reach masterstroke status. It’s a great closer to an album that comes highly recommended.

Master of Puppets
This bonus track is a very interesting cover of the Metallica classic, which I wasn't aware was on the disc, because it's not mentioned in the liner notes. When I mentioned that it was interesting, well, it's not what anyone would expect. This is a slow version of the track, with piano to make it all the more unusual. In a way, I can see this selling the whole disc because of what they do with it. While I've never been the biggest fan of the original, this I can play on repeat for hours. It's that cool!

 

 
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