Eden's Curse

This week I thought I would shake the Etch-a-Sketch a little more and check out a different section of the prog library...progressive metal.  I have long been a fan of Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment, but I know there are many other flavors out there; newer ones that have not yet achieved the rank in the prog metal world of DT and others...perhaps hungrier and more willing to push the envelope some. They say the view can be better from the edge...

So I took a risk and strolled down a dark hall, lighting an eerie candle in my search for something entirely different...welcome to Eden's Curse.  This is a band I am not at all familiar with going in, so please indulge me while I learn along with you about an up and coming prog metal band.

Eden's Curse...just the name tells me we are walking on the dark side this week...so far so good.  The band formed in 2006 and released their first album in August 2007.  The original line-up consisted of  Michael Eden on lead vocals, Paul Logue on bass, Thorsten Koehne on guitar, Pete Newdeck on drums, and Ferdy Doernberg on keyboards.  Eden's Curse started out by reaching to four countries on two continents to find five musicians...crazy beginning which makes me even more curious...so I think I need a listen before I commit either way on this band...

My first taste of Eden's Curse is a cut from their self-titled debut album called "We All Die Young." This is actually a cover, and it is quite good.  This is a song I probably would have avoided 15 years ago when I was turning my nose up to anything metal...stubbornly clinging to my "classic prog is better" beliefs. Lucky for me age brings wisdom.  For a debut the piece is crisp and clean, the guitars polished, and the vocals hit you square without making your eyes bleed...a good start.  The tempo is definitely fast and my adrenaline is pumping.

Eden's Curse is not for the faint of heart...one more cut from their first album, "Judgement Day" continues in the heavier prog tradition that metal thrives on. Eden's Curse seems to enjoy punching you in the gut right from the start.

A little more background reveals the band has gone through a few personnel changes in its short existence. Michael Eden and Ferdy Doernberg are both out and the current line-up is Paul, Pete, and Thorsten joined by Steve Williams on keyboards...he replaces Alessandro Del Vecchio who replaced Ferdy, and Nikola Mijic handling lead vocals.  EC still seems to enjoy globe hopping to recruit members...

Looking at their more recent output I find a cut from their latest album, Trinity, called "No Holy Man."  The album is a dark look not so much at religion but rather at the people behind the curtain.  It exposes the human weakness in those who consider themselves religiously superior.  But this is a music blog--not a forum for religious debate--so please hold your arguments and rebuttals for the band.  As for the song, it starts out solid and builds from there.  It has a polish to it that tends to defy the song itself...if that makes sense.  The drumming is a bit lacking at times, but Koehne's guitar keeps the band tight.  Vocals are good and stay hard throughout. The live version I listened to featured James LaBrie from Dream Theater--which should have been enough to carry the song. Unfortunately he seemed a bit too subdued for my liking on this cut.

I really want to like this band, so I decide to try one more track, "Jerusalem Sleeps."  This song seems to cut a little deeper and have a bit more precision.  When I hear the words "Prog Metal," this is more what I am thinking. The drums are very definite and solid, and a great lead for the rest of the band to follow.

I am trying hard to break out of my comfort zone with prog, and Eden's Curse is definitely a step in that direction--more like a catapult for me.  Progressive music has changed a lot since Robert Fripp first graced my ears, and I can accept that...but I still want more than just loud and fast metal for the sake of pissing off the neighbors.  Music needs substance, and on some cuts Eden's Curse is dead-on...no pun intended. Other times, however,the band seems to miss the mark.  Eden's Curse are relative new comers to the prog scene, having released their first album only six years ago, and their fourth studio album is not due out until the fall. They have time to mature and come together not so much like a fine wine; but rather like a kick-your-ass single malt...that would be nice...

I chose the cut below, "What Are You Waiting For," because it encompasses everything I believe Eden's Curse imagined when they first thrust themselves on the planet--a great sound; solid contributions from each member of the band that makes the whole better than the sum of its parts.  This cut is from their first album...let's hope they stay true to their roots.

Not sure which direction I will head next week...but rest assured I will be leaving footprints in a yet another section of the prog library yet to be trod by yours truly...

Spock's Beard

As I travel the road of progressive music, I am amazed, impressed, surprised, and even a little shocked by it all.  Perhaps I was living in a time warp where progressive music consisted of King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Atomic Rooster, Yes, Genesis, ELP, and other "intellectually superior" bands from an era long ago...my how refreshing the face slap of humility can be...

One of the more recent bands I have listened to (albeit very occasionally) is Spock's Beard.  This is another one of those bands I find hard to nail down and quite honestly that is what brought them into my sights this week...a band that just looks to mimic the sound of another does an injustice to both the flatterer and the flatteree.   Besides; if I want to hear Pink Floyd I will play Pink Floyd.  I prefer to try out a band not afraid to leave their own stain on the ears of the listening public...and that is Spock's Beard.

Although there are hints of Yes, Genesis, and Gentle Giant, when I am listening to Spock's Beard I get a sense of being tossed into a time machine and coming out at different times in the past and other times in the future...a la "Time Bandits" if you will; hopping through holes in space to steal the best the era had to offer. Spock's Beard has a unique sound that is at once soothing, stimulating, shocking, and easy to get lost in.

Started in  Los Angeles in 1992 by brothers Alan and Neal Morse, Spock's Beard current line-up consists of the aforementioned Alan Morse on guitar, Dave Meros on bass, Ryo Okumoto on keyboards, Ted Leonard on lead vocals, and Jimmy Keegan on drums.  Neal Morse, the original keyboard player and primary lead vocalist, left the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career; original drummer Nick D'Virgilio left in 2011.  Not wanting to get too caught up in the line-up and personnel changes the group has dealt with, suffice to say the current five members of Spock's Beard have quite a good thing going.

Each current  member of the band is listed on their website with vocal credits and the lead vocals are often shared on different songs...making SB a very versatile band. The layers of guitar, percussion, and keyboards work extremely well and the lyrics are well written.  Listening to "The Healing Colors of Sound" I am transfixed by the complexity of the  intro as it leads to 21 minutes plus of a walk through history as seen through the bible, family, politics, life in general, and a bong...very impressive.  Get too lost in this song and you can easily forget you have an alternate life with responsibilities...

"The Doorway" is another song that opens with an impressive instrumental piece, this time it is keyboards that take you in gently and prepare you for the 'E' ticket ride.  Released in 1996 on the band's second album "Beware of Darkness," this is the kind of song that helps lift progressive music to the upper class of rock 'n' roll where it belongs.  The guitar layers flow beautifully with the percussion and keyboards, and the vocals--while fantastic--bring the sound around to its completeness without fading into obscurity or overpowering the listener.

"Gibberish" is another earlier release from SB, coming out in 1999 on the "Day For Night" album.  Spock's Beard truly is a band that understands the complexity that is prog music; layering the vocals between guitar, keyboards, and drums like a well made sandwich.  It comes at you simultaneously from all sides...slapping you in the face one minute and tapping you on the shoulder the  next.

For those unfamiliar I strongly urge you to dive into Spock's Beard music full on.  Do yourself a favor and start with the early stuff--but don't stick to any chronological order...better to play it like Monty Python and go the time bandits route...and believe me there is plenty of good stuff at each stop.

I chose the cut below, "Into the Mouth of Madness" because it sums up Spock's Beard and proves my point; they are the square peg that you can't hammer into the round hole.

So far I like the journey we are on and I hope you are enjoying the ride as well.  I can't wait to see where this train stops next...

Marillion

I am sure you noticed the new background...I thought since I was taking the blog in a new direction I would start with new artwork...pretty snappy, eh?  My kids tell me I am just full of...new ideas...so on we go...

I mentioned in my previous post that I was taking a new journey with this blog to educate both you and me...and I am staying true to my word.  I deliberately chose a band I was unfamiliar with--and one that is "cool" enough to follow me on Twitter.  I figure if they are willing to give me a shot the least I can do is return the favor.  So if you will indulge me as we take this new road together I will attempt to give a little insight into what has been described as a neo-progressive rock band from the UK.

Marillion formed in 1979...which on the one hand makes me feel old and on the other hand makes me a bit embarrassed.  Old because '79 was the year I said good-bye to high school and hello to culinary school...seems like a lifetime ago.  Embarrassed because I have not heard their music in all these years.  Makes me think that despite believing I am more broad minded, worldly, and musically savvy than the average Top-40 fan, perhaps I am just caught in a different paradigm where I too stay close to the center hanging onto the familiar, away from the outer edges...wow; I actually wrote that without the aid of a black light or a bong...

First let me say this is one cool band and their sound is very hard to nail down.  I have been listening to some different cuts via their website--where they are giving away a demo CD or download if you request it (take that "Big Record Label elitists") as well as in my favorite music library known as YouTube.  Their current line-up consists of Steve Hogarth on vocals, Steve Rothery on guitar, Ian Mosley on drums, Pete Trewavas on bass, and Mark Kelly on keyboards.  Their original singer, Fish (aka Derek William Dick) left the band in 1988 amid tensions and disagreements about excessive touring.  The band sans Hogarth has pretty much been in tact since 1984; Hogarth joined in 1989 to assume front man duties.  OK enough back story...about the music...

Listening to the sampler "Crash Course" gives me some insight into the band's sound, although I must also gather more evidence as time allows.  The sampler is a polished listen to what the band is about as defined by the band.  That is all well and good...but I need to decide for myself...

The first song I am exposed to is "The Sky Above the Rain."  The sound is clean and the vocals strong, a good start.  But I want more from a prog band.  Less of the studio sound and more of an improvised movement that flows from each member as if they all knew what the other was thinking.  "Power"  has a solid groove and a good bass line, but again it reminds me more of The Alan Parsons Project (not a bad thing) and even Radiohead than early Genesis or Porcupine Tree...perhaps I need to dig deeper...

"Script for a Jester's Tear" is much closer to what I am looking for in a prog band...and evokes some of the early Genesis I have heard so much about.  The song moves through many mood swings and drags the listener through the depressing life of someone who continually falls short of his own expectations.  Musically it is excellent; the layers of guitar and the percussion work together flawlessly; this song really flows.  "Market Square Heroes" is another early release that takes me back to the better days of the progressive sound.  Fish has a voice that really resonates, and the whole sound on this cut reminds me of Uriah Heep.  Marillion seems to be a band that picks up steam as it goes and rides that adrenaline rush all the way to an amazing climax.

Before I am accused of being strictly a fan of Marillion during the Fish era,  I also greatly enjoyed the song "Dry Land" from the band's first LP with Steve Hogarth on lead vocals.  The sound is definitely different--I understand why people say the band keeps re-inventing itself--and this song really reaches into your emotions.  The knife twists slowly yet is able to allow the listener to enjoy the pain; not overly sharp nor numbingly smooth...just the right amount of "stab" if you will.

Moving through the Marillion library, I am trying to avoid the continual comparison to other bands as I believe this ultimately diminishes the members here and their music.  Originally I made mention of sounds and bands I was reminded of to give you the reader a base from which to leap when diving into Marillion for the first time, just as I have done.  However; I believe that a week of listening to this band over and over has given me what I need to judge the band and its music on its own merits.

Marillion is a band I have come to enjoy listening to and I can honestly say this past week has been a musical pleasure for both me and my ears.  Checking out their website I see they have quite a few solo and other projects going as well.  I like that because I believe it keeps the members fresh and open to new ideas. Touring is still something they keep up at a heavy pace as well...but this band seems to have gotten in early on getting the audience involved and staying true to the people that got 'em to where they are.  You don't release 17 studio albums by chance...

The track below is "Misplaced Childhood."  I chose this song because it reminds me of what makes progressive music special...break the parts into their separate selves and they are just ordinary--but take them as a whole and you have an entirely different entity...one that barely resembles the parts from which it was constructed.

So I guess change and an open mind can be good.  Hey; I twice saw Robert Fripp play guitar while standing up--once live in Boston and once in a video--so you can teach an old dog new tricks...see you next week with another new serving from the progressive buffet...

Making Change is Making Progress...I Think...

I started this blog back in February of this year mainly as way to  post in the black hole of space what I believe and feel about music.  Now that the seasons have changed (twice), the nest is emptier by one, Detroit has gone bankrupt, and the government is probably reading this as I type, I feel like it is time to change direction with my "hobby."  My wife, who for some reason has stuck by me for almost 25 years and counting, has encouraged me to continue this blog every time I sit in front of my laptop...and my kids have also been an inspiration as I realize the influence (positive I stubbornly believe) I have had on their musical tastes and choices.  So today I take my writing in a different direction...

Anyone who has been following this blog can (or should be able to) tell that while I have a fairly wide range of likes in the music world my preference is for the progressive genre.  So moving forward I will attempt to review different bands, albums, and shows by progressive artists.  King Crimson will always be the gold standard for me; they still put out music that is light years ahead of what others are doing.  Robert Fripp seems to have an amazing ability to approach music the way  Bobby Fischer used to approach a chess match--six moves ahead of the competition.  However; old and new progressive artists other than King Crimson are out there and I believe it is time I broadened my horizons.  So if you, kind reader/listener will indulge me, I will begin a new journey that will enlighten, educate, and entertain us both.  Here we go...

Progressive music seems to fall into several subcategories; rock, metal, art, jazz, and bluegrass among them. The "progressive" label  has also been attached to any band releasing a song that lasts more than seven minutes...and like most things subjective and heavily laden with opinion, there are many bands listed in the annals of music as progressive that I do not necessarily agree with...and others that are not and I cannot understand why.

Talking to some people recently about music in general, I have discovered that what is considered progressive rock, or more specifically progressive metal, was called heavy metal or acid rock when I was a kid.  To clarify; I like Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore, but I do not consider them progressive artists. They are what I would consider heavy metal rockers--and there is nothing wrong with that.  They are good at their craft but I would never put them in a class with Fripp, Belew, Hackett, Wilson, Satriani, or Petrucci.

There are many new and exciting bands that travel in the progressive lane and many mainstays that have been around awhile...some with large loyal followings and others with a fiercely loyal yet (relatively) small fan base.
This is the circle I want to cross into with this blog; re-visiting older and perhaps less "popular" bands and discovering new ones.  I think I have spent too much time in my comfort zone and now is the time to venture into the new world a bit.  I am hoping to awaken my senses and broaden my horizons, as well as grow a new appreciation for a style of music that for the most part has been ignored by corporate radio--which may not be  a bad thing.

So please keep tuning in...my goal is at least one post per week...more if I get the itch and the time.  In the meantime, enjoy the clip below.  I found a slew of these "Hitler Gets Angry" parodies on YouTube and they and they are extremely hilarious and well done.  But rest assured music is not dead...it just lies dormant waiting for the tranquilizers to run their course. I am hopeful that eventually the beauty that is progressive music will be appreciated by a better educated listener.  

Thanks for staying tuned and I hope you enjoy the ride.