What would we become if allowed to grow into our own passions? Lance King raises this tantalising question right off the bat in his second solo album, “ReProgram” that was released on 29 March 2019. His concern for the death of a child’s creativity is underscored in the music. I hear the dread in the volleys of driving kick drum and plaintive keyboards, while the guitars point accusatory fingers at a dystopian status quo where conformity trumps originality.
King delivers a compelling performance in “Pointing Fingers”, and I can hear why his tenor has graced the likes of Pyramaze and Balance Of Power: liquid ease. I’m in love with Kim Oleson’s guitar work on “Stand Your Ground”. It is no doubt tempting to follow the vocalist ever upward into the song’s crescendo and then lose yourself in soloist heaven, but not Oleson. He plays with both feet firmly rooted in the ground. His modern tone suits King’s voice to a tee, and when he does solo it is technical and melodic at the same time – and with just the right amount of restraint. I’d also like to acknowledge how the keyboards were played in this song. Oleson and/or Fred Colombo played counterpoint to the rhythm guitar in a way that brings the sequencer to the fore. Not so much that it becomes a lead instrument but rather that it adds to the overall urgency of the track.
“Technology” celebrates how technological advancement puts the means of musical production into anyone’s hands and while this democratisation is to be admired, King also poses the question, “Where will it all end?” Made in an instant, and shared in an instant in a world that is media hungry. This critique of consumerism is akin to that found in Porcupine Tree’s “Fear Of A Blank Planet”. Continue reading »
Whether fast and heavy or slow and atmospheric, this album is sure to please whether in a depressive or manic state. Great musicianship and excellent vocals, this album is great with a cup of joe to prepare yourself for a journey.
Neal Morse is a storied musician, having started his career as a member of Spock’s Beard in the nineties. He became a born-again Christian in 2002 and his religious convictions steered him on a path to start producing music infused with his faith. Neal has a prolific discography, and 2019 sees the release of his progressive rock musical, Jesus Christ the Exorcist. This double album has been 10 years in the making.
Some time last year I searched the internet for female-fronted metal bands. The results included Nightwish, Dark Sarah, Arch Enemy and Cellar Darling. From those, Cellar Darling had me the most curious. I read that they had incorporated such curiosities as the hurdy-gurdy in their songs, and because I have a taste for lute and other baroque instruments I took a listen. I should have persisted longer, allowing the whole of “This Is The Sound” to make an impression on me. Unfortunately, “Avalanche” is all I remember now. I cannot say why, but One More Time’s song, “Highland” came to mind at the time. Despite what you might think, this is a good thing. It seemed to me that Cellar Darling were bringing something other than operatic vocals to melodic metal. I still have this impression, listening to “The Spell”.
For the instrumentalist, one of the bigger challenges is to create an own identity. At face value, the lead singer gives a band its identity, since his/her look and voice is one of a kind. He/she is instantly recognisable. Antonello Giliberto’s tone is his identity. When he solo’s, it’s like Paganini’s violin, technically thrilling yet maintaining strong melody. His love for the classics, like Johann Sebastian Bach and Yngwie Malmsteen (yes, I dare elevate Yngwie to that most celebrated category of classical composer) inform his compositions. When you read Giliberto’s biography, it is clear that he is a guitar scholar, having studied at Accademia di Chitarra Moderna, a Sicilian academy specialising in modern guitar. He has a keen interest in the expressive qualities of the guitar, as he’s attended workshops with Kee Marcello and Mattias IA Eklundh, amongst others. I was likewise pleased to learn that he contributed guitar on three of Gabriels’ epic “Fist of the Seven Stars: Act 2”, reviewed earlier.