Paskura: Spika

This is a new band whom I am unfamiliar with. Their bandcamp website states that they are a 5-man progressive/postrock/postmetal band from Moscow and that's it. Taking the easy review route, let me first give you thoughts on who they seem to draw influences from: Yes, neoprog, Dream Theater, and some of the postrock bands. But the mix is what makes this so interesting. They combine their more proggy elements with some angular and jagged guitar lines that would not sound out of place on a Gang of Four record. In the first song on the disc, "Raven Nulu," they shift between several different styles, from initially opening as prog, moving into post-punk, and then to the kind of bombastic metal that Dream Theater is so good at, and then back to prog again. "Confuser" is a slower, more balladic composition, with words in English, and with the same kind of jagged guitar lines from postrock, but combined with bass lines that would not sounds out of place if Chris Squire were playing it. Sort of like if Yes went punk, is a good way to look at this. "Mare: Sleep" uses processed guitars to great effect, over a loping tempo; the follow-up in this suite, "Mare: Paralysis," is much slower moving and more deeply felt. "Erasmus" is an interesting change of pace, almost a traditional rock-style composition, but with more technically accomplished musicianship. "Falll," (yes, with 3 "ls"), is a faster and more driving song, more traditionally metal in its approach. "Romance" brings the disc to its somber end.

This is a wonderful start. I see that the band has a disc of Old demos also available, but as a first major release, I think this should be well received in the prog world. It has excellent songs, great musicianship and a good vocalist. What is not to like?

Track Listing

1. Raven Nulu
2. Confuser
3. Prelude (to Dubbed Imagination)
4. Mare: Sleep
5. Mare: Paralysis
6. Erasmus
7. Traffic
8. Falll
9. Romance

Added: October 16th 2013
Reviewer: Dana Lawrence
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1675
Language: english

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