The album’s main features are surely the three monstruous cyclones, first up , “Keep a Silent Watch” (which is everything but quiet during its nearly 15 minutes of galloping time) , the grand piano initiating the opening premise, shoved smarmily aside by a bestial rhinoceros bass guitar charge that slams untamed and wild, dropping depth charge blasts into the once calm ocean, where the scent of Kansas (‘point of no return’) and Rush splash into the nostrils with deceptive dedication. Savage swaths of obese synthesized lard add intense flavourings to the meaty onslaught, Alexi pounding the skins like a ravenous butcher in heat. Bulldozing prog that eventually fades into the horizon.
Piano takes the lead again on “Shadow Box”, as if the conductor’s baton yearns to set the stage at all costs, swiftly evolving once again into another bass fiasco, sending shock waves that might just piss off the new neighbors next door. Anyways, this is a more geometric piece, definitely anchored in heavy concrete, with a fair amount of graceful piano mortar and brick drums to keep the house from blowing away into Texas. Perhaps, they are “An Empath in Exile” having been evicted for creating their own musical havoc in their former hood. Who knows? That rampaging bass tone is absolutely satanic, though where there is conceivably a slight and only caveat, is that Scott is no Greg Lake (very few can match THAT voice), his tone and technique being reedier and more like Derek Shulman of Gentle Giant fame, though he does hit the higher notes with conviction. Robotic riffs, clanging loops and an automated theme conspire together on “Machine Language”, though certainly humanoid and offering no hint of any Artificial Inducement (aka AI). Linear, sleek and cold as ice. The title “Disconnect” is a blatant lie. There is no unplugging of any intensity or tone as suggested, just another metalloid Godzilla-Progzilla reminder that crushes everything in its path into abject smithereens. A slippery synthesized forked tongue reminds us of what a lizard looks like, as it slurps the lips of an equally turbulent guitar splurge. Repeating the title may be a plea of surrender that happens after all. No immediate worries, really as my favorite track is the oddly more sedate and saxophone drenched “The Sky is Falling”, a welcome pool of tranquility , after enduring more typhoons than the Bermuda Triangle. The melody is elevated to a palatable level of discourse that releases the tension and induces some serious reflection. David Pate releases all that encaged tension with some forcefully exquisite brass playing that hints at sunlight gleaming behind the dictatorial gray clouds. The sax cavalry coming to the merciful rescue.
The release finalizes the wild ride with the final two megaliths , namely the utterly stunning “Mercy Paradox” (15:20) and the 19 minute+ colossal “The Skeleton Flower”. On the first one, the reflective extended guitar solo from guest Jerry Outlaw (now that sounds like a covert asset name to me) is off the charts orgasmic, definitely more feel oriented than chopzilla, and a massive highlight tracks that suggests a softer more ponderous side that is gratefully appreciated. It still revs up into a furious final charge with booming bass, organ acrobatics and thus, a very strong Kansas feel , also evident in the vocal delivery.
The finale is not only most elaborate, but it also possesses the quality of initiating gentle restraint, as the acoustic guitar and haunting voice of Tara Jennings recite an imaginary voyage into the subconscious, the Chris Barbosa violin hinting at vintage JL Ponty. When the slick bass shuffle and Alexi’s complicated polyrhythms enter the fray , the slippery synths and organs fulfill the impression to the nth degree, a strong sense of ‘Cosmic Messenger’ emanating from the grooves. When the vocals enter, the shift becomes obviously a return to the well documented Myth of Logic standard, full of sonic cartwheels and somewhat oblique pools of dissonant exhilaration. It’s now a demanding prog-rock listen, requiring overt concentration and a willingness to follow the pied piper where he takes us.
I am pretty sure that this recording is the official owner of ‘the most played notes on one album’ award, as it verges on outright delirium at times, a technical display of sturm und drang prog that will undoubtedly please the prog purists out there. Absolutely admire the impressive effort and the bombastic style, even though it’s somewhat removed from my more atmospheric wheelhouse, I can nevertheless recommend this artist without any hesitation at all. But it may require some Prog Viagra in order to keep up with all the thrusts.
4 past remembrances