If you like your music eclectic, you will probably like this.
When I first got this, I couldn't help myself thinking about adding an extra "i" to the band's name. Joking aside, I'd never heard of them but the info I had been given about them was that they were a mixture of Progressive and Symphonic Rock which meant they should be of interest to me.
I didn't really know what to expect and a quick look at the list of songs, of which there are only six, told me that the shortest was almost seven minutes long, so I thought I knew what to expect and, I have to admit, that on the first listen I wasn't too impressed. The title track is over fifteen minutes long and reminded me very much of Rick Wakeman, particularly his 'King Arthur' material, but with addition of Metal guitars.
On said first listen, the lead guitar and vocals were a little low in the mix but a bit of tinkering with the equalizer soon sorted this. The track that follows, 'Elite', starts out as a proper Metal track, almost Opeth-ish, before going all Middle Eastern and then half way through it transforms into Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd before returning to the heavier style. 'Gone II' has touches of Yes and The Flower Kings and features some really neat keyboard sequencing. At six and a half minutes long 'Wings' is the shortest track on offer with the vocals having touches of James Hetfield (in places) in what would best be described as the "ballady one" with some nice harmonies but a more "in-your-face" finale. 'Queuetopia' is a slightly more up-tempo song, again featuring some nice sequencing, while 'Closed Casket' has an almost an occasional Jazzy vibe which is a bit of a juxtaposition when you consider the song's sombre subject matter (death) and then, when you least expect it, some Reggae.
This took a few listens to get into as there are many genres squeezed into it, to the extent that you are not quite sure what you have just been listening to when it's done. The vocals could be improved in various areas, (there are effects on there that shouldn't be) and there's no real virtuoso playing so nobody stands out, the whole thing coming over as a band effort, which is probably a good thing. If you like your music eclectic, you will probably like this.
Andy Brailsford
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