My initial taste of Spiral Key has a foundation comprised of "Dream Theater meets Fire Garden meets Opeth " with splashes of Porcupine Tree and Vanilla Fudge folded in for interesting top notes. Spiral Key took me back a few decades, when music discussions were loud and boisterous regarding progressive rock and which bands fit the "accepted definition." Progressive music has traversed a very warped path to reach its current locale and some (I among them) came along for the ride kicking and screaming. Auspiciously for me, thought processes, opinions, and feelings change. Many a night I sit listening to prog music relieved my attitude evolved...the thought of missing out on bands like Spiral Key because of a pre-conceived ideology of what prog should be is startling--and the reminder I need to stay positive about change.
OK...on with this week's musical buffet. My first selection is a song called "Colder Than Heaven." The opening is calm and seems almost choreographed, until the darkness starts to ooze through and you can feel the pain laid at your feet by the vocals. The guitar stings in all the right places and the keyboards and drums sit ominously in the background, patiently waiting to engulf you. The song is both well played and well written. The line, "This can't be hell but it's colder than heaven" hits you square; people can love and hurt simultaneously. I feel Marillion coming through, flavored with an essence of Genesis post "...and then there were three..." Spiral Key has a bit more polish about them than other progressive bands new to the scene. The sound is good, yet almost "too clean" if you know what I mean...
Serving number two from the buffet is the song "People Are People." The opening is dark once again; I am getting the feeling Spiral Key has a closet full of secrets and music is pulling the curtain back...Spiral Key delves into what makes people tick with this song; the message is our differences are what make us similar. The accompanying guitar and keyboards seem to go below the surface while the drums hold steady; everything allowing the vocals to ask--perhaps demand--why people can't simply be people in all their imperfect glory. A good thought-provoker...there is more to Spiral Key than meets the ears...
Liner Notes...Spiral Key is Ken Wynne on bass, vocals, keyboards, and programming, and David McCabe on vocals, guitars, keyboards, and programming. This appears to follow the trend of newer prog bands; two people carrying the load. Spiral Key came together in 2012 as "a fully independent progressive rock/progressive metal band with symphonic overtones." Spiral Key is a band for the progressive thinker; the music is meant to stir your emotions and pull on your brain rather than hammer it with noise for the sake of noise. Ken and David complement each other well because they are on this mission together and music is the vessel chosen to deliver their message. Spiral Key is more than simply a band; it is the culmination of years spent working at and with a passion to build something real. Spiral Key brings to life the feelings, dreams, and perhaps even anger that make the artists who they are.
Meanwhile, back at the music buffet...my final choice this week is "Words Are Never Enough." The song opens in a downward spiral (no pun intended), and immediately I sense anger and defiance. The drums and guitars incline toward a posture that stares you in the eye and screams with the pent-up rage of a betrayed lover. The vocals echo with a sadness that garners its fury more from disloyalty than melancholy.
The cut posted below is "At Sixes And Sevens." The trademark darkness is there right from the get-go; you can almost feel the veil separating the anger of emotion from the ferocity of action tearing in half. The mood settles a bit but the rage remains just under the skin. Spiral Key may be new to the prog scene but they are in a hurry to be heard.
Spiral Key arrived on the progressive music scene with a bang, much like the student in class who asks questions without raising his hand and then demands answers. The band does not redefine prog music so much as explore the deeper meaning of what prog really is. Progressive music steers away from the mundane towards the deep end of the pool; the music is much more complex and analytical. Spiral Key has staked out its camp in the land of the cerebral. There is an emotion in their songwriting that begs for a response, and it is difficult to listen and simply walk away. Learn more about Spiral Key at http://www.spiralkey.co.uk/index.html. Just remember to wear a hard hat...
Another week, another post in the blog, another prog band exposed to the light. There are many flavors on the progressive buffet table, yet they seem to share one commonality. Prog bands want to be heard for who they are and not compared to a random litmus test based on the vanilla blandness that mainstream music has become. Spiral Key uncovered a different side of progressive music for me, one which has helped shape my view of what prog is. Vision, knowledge, and desire are good traits to have and necessary equipment in the hunt for all things prog. Gotta keep the journey moving forward...until next week...
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