M!ndgames

As the summer heats up so too does the melody; a musical sound cloud hovering over the prog garden this week floated in all the way from Belgium.  Welcome back to The Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads!  This latest leg of the search for all things prog brought forth a new noise with many facets and layers...music that captivates, soothes, relaxes, and excites.  In my quest for something unfamiliar, I discovered a band that has been tilling acreage in the prog garden for about two decades with little fanfare but lots of talent.  Prepare for M!ndgames, an invigorating dose of prog stimulation...

Referring to themselves as "...refreshing, surprising...heavy tunes and classic arrangements," M!ndgames comes at you with a melancholy sadness only to split your cranium with "...sunlit speed and bombastic outbursts..."  Many a band has ventured into the prog garden claiming to hit both the alpha and omega with the swing of the pendulum, so let's see what kind of M!ndgames await...

My compulsion is to start at the beginning, so venturing back to M!ndgames' 2002 debut release "International Daylight" I chose "Beggars Breakfast" as the opening course for what I anticipate being a delectable buffet.  The soft piano and accompanying strings set the tone for an intimate gathering.  The vocals ride across the top on a cloud of cotton; soft as they approach and settle in, much like a a sailboat returning to shore at sunset's low tide.  I pick up top notes of Atlas Volt and Big Big Train bleeding through the music; peaceful and serene...

Moving forward, I find a tune with that head-tilting "what did I just hear?" quality, "Dramatis Persona" from the 2006 release "Actors in a Play."  There is a theatrical vibe running through this piece, much like Joel Grey in "Cabaret" but with a Jon Anderson twist. The guitars speak softly yet are unmistakable in their appearance.  A song that is like a velvet blanket wrapped gently around your ears...

Liner Notes...M!ndgames calls the Flemish region of Belgium their home, and the current line-up is Bart Schram on vocals, flute, and acoustic guitar, Sandro Starita on electric lead and rhythm guitar and guitar synths, Maximilian von Wullerstorff on bass, and Benny Petak on drums and percussion.

Avoiding line-up changes and growing pains while surviving two decades in the prog garden is difficult if not impossible, and M!ndgames is no exception.  Fortunately they were able to get the right mix and put together an impressive--and still growing--catalog.  Stepping into the music to follow their journey, I sense M!indgames is that stable boat on a rocky lake.  As the waves ripple, lolling you side-to-side, there is a stabilizing tranquility floating on top of the mayhem...with vocals that soothe like aloe after lounging seaside all afternoon.

One more morsel for the ears, "Outside the Gloom" from the 2010 album "MMX."  Simplistically weaving an intricate pattern; M!ingames seems to enjoy toying with your senses.  While bright colors dot the canvas, the feeling of being witness to a macabre circus echoes through your mind.  With top notes of Marillion and a shot of Gentle Giant, the song waltzes across the prog garden with the grace of a break dancer...

Learn more about M!ndgames at their website  M!ndgames and
M!indgame soundcloud.  You can purchase music, check out their catalog, follow up on concert dates and all things related to the band.  For those who like to dig deeper there is the ever popular
M!ndgames FB and @Mindgamesmusic.

Your weekly dose of "sounds to lure you in" is a cut called "The Age of Plenty" from the 2015 album "Paradox of Choice."  This song has a bit more of an edge; think latter day Spock's Beard jamming with early Supertramp...quite the stage when you close your eyes.  Strong guitars lay a nice platform for Bart's vocals and the drums just bring it all together.  There are even top notes of Asia billowing through the headphones...lots going on without becoming just a cacophony of noise...and the pendulum swings...

                       

And thus we once again find ourselves at the end of another week.  M!indgames displays an ability to touch all the nerves in your head that are wired for music.  They can lift you up, take you on an emotional ride through the prog garden, and set you back down...smooth as Aladdin's carpet...

Time now to take the search for all things prog back on the road.  With the summer heat and all the outdoor prog festivities in full swing, finding something new and exciting should be easy--and worth the trip.  Enjoy your week fellow progheads...until next time...