Mechanical Butterfly classify themselves as "...experimental progressive rock..." The Concert Closet started as an "experiment" of sorts and has grown--with the help of my loyal followers--into something I have become quite proud of...so how can I resist the prog "petri dish" that Mechanical Butterfly has put out for my listening pleasure? Let us venture bravely to the buffet, allowing the music to take over...
Serving number one was absolutely cultivated in the experimental section of the prog garden; an alluring song called "Gravity." I am immediately struck with images and top notes of the Adrian Belew/King Crimson "Thrak" and improv days...very impressive opening course. I also pick up hints of a Jamie Muir/Bill Bruford collaboration thrown into the mix. Don't let all the experimental stuff fool you though; Mechanical Butterfly hits the listener with some solid drum work and guitars that strike quick, direct blows...
The next offering on the platter is a bit more heavy hitting; "Sparks within a Downpour." Instant face slap as the tune opens, yet the vocals cut in quickly with an unassuming smoothness...much like warm fudge being poured over a marble slab...comforting and weighty all at the same time. I sense subtle aromatics of Marillion wrapped around the "Locomotive Breath" days of Jethro Tull; remember how you loved it when the icing melted as it was drizzled over hot cinnamon rolls? Mechanical Butterfly walks the thin line in the prog garden that divides the art/experimental sections from the metal acreage, and they like to sink their feet into soil on all sides...nothing wrong with that.
Liner Notes...Mechanical Butterfly resides in Acireale, in the province of Catania, Sicily. The members of the band are Francesca Pulvienti on vocals and lyrics, Alessio Oranges on guitars, Laura Basile on keyboards, Emanuele Maita on bass, and Gioele Gentile on drums and percussion. Originating in 2006, Mechanical Butterfly released two EP's by 2008 before going through the growing pains and adolescence angst that many a band endures...
Alessio is the remaining member from the original duo and subsequent line-ups. Staying true to his prog/experimental vision, he assembled the current version of Mechanical Butterfly and released the band's first full length LP, "The Irresistible Gravity" July 2014. Mechanical Butterfly takes me back to my recent review of Bent Knee...the top notes are similar--but also unique in their own right. The experimental/art section of the prog garden is currently in full bloom--and expanding. Mechanical Butterfly is one more prog band in a section of the prog garden that requires little more than an appreciation for the bountiful harvest...sip it slowly so as to savor...
The final serving from the buffet this week is "The Alchemist." A rather fitting finale to a review of a band that found prog gold buried in the garden. The visuals here are quite bold and thrust at you rapid-fire as the song opens. Francesca's vocals pierce the lining of your skull with precision and grace, much like a butcher separating sinew and cartilage from prime cuts of beef...nothing left but the best parts. The drums build a tempo that allows the guitars and keys to ride a wave from cacophony to cornucopia...the colors bleed into each other beautifully.
Listening to the cut below, "Labyrinth of Doors" just keeps the party going. Mechanical Butterfly is firing on all cylinders here; the piece opens fast and hard-hitting, riding that roller coaster for eight minutes plus. Bright colors are not often heavy with dark emotions yet somehow Mechanical Butterfly comes through like a crying bride; euphoric with the present yet seemingly apprehensive about the future...
You can learn more about Mechanical Butterfly and purchase their music at
Mechanical Butterfly Bandcamp. Stray behind the curtain and find out more about the band on their Facebook page Mechanical Butterfly Facebook and follow them on Twitter for updates on releases, tour information, new song releases, and pretty much everything else @mechbutterfy. Go ahead; experiment with the chemistry set...
As difficult as it is to wrap my head around fellow progheads, this is the final post from the Concert Closet for April 2016. The pages are falling off the calendar faster than Petrucci can play guitar--but fear not; for May brings more excitement, mayhem, and as yet undiscovered gems from the garden of prog wonders. Of course to meet my weekly deadline, I must continue the search for all things prog...until next week...
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