Sunday 18 September 2016

#20 - Top of 2012

Echolyn - Echolyn (Velveteen Records)

The self-titled album by Echolyn is in the 20th place of the 2012 countdown. Echolyn are an American band that is playing a "classic" type of prog rock, while still remaining relevant to today's prog scene. This is their 7th studio album (with a newer one, "I heard you listening" being released in 2015) and is of an equal artistic value with their best album before, "Mei" in 2002.
Going track by track, the album starts with "Island", where we have all the trademarks of the band, with multiple part vocals and delicate instrumental breaks. "Headright" which follows is the exact opposite style of song, keeping it short and simple. "Locust To Bethlehem" starts like a country song with the guitar but mixes classical instrumentation at some point while having excellent mingling of vocal melodies with the instrumentation of the piece. "Some Memorial" relies on piano to carry on through the first part, while breaking into a classical progressive crescendo later on. "Past Gravity" also starts slowly with piano and vocals, exploding into a more energetic rock tune in the latter part of the song."When Sunday spills" is another song in two parts, the first one being  more minimalist while the second incorporates  heavier elements. "Speaking In Lampblack" is more reminiscent of post rock, while the finisher "The Cardinal and I" is more on the progressive side, with more instrumental breaks, the delicate sound of the music tempered by some heavy passages.
In conclusion,this is a very diverse album, with excellent inspiration, driven by both progressive rock and contemporary influences that sounds unique and deservedly belongs among the best music outputs of 2012.


 93/100
Below is the audio track for "Some Memorial".

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