Marquette: Into The Wild

Already a well know name through his work with both Horizontal Ascension and Force Of Progress, Markus Roth now offers up a third band for our consideration, Into The Wild being the second album from Marquette. Those first two acts alone are a broad spectrum of ideas, ranging from melodic rock with a prog twist through to instrumental fusion prog rock. Therefore it should be no surprise that Marquette stretches the Roth envelope further, expansive, symphonic prog the order of the day. Thankfully though, this project is no one man vanity affair, with Sebastian Schleicher adding guitar, bass and backing vocals, Reiner Wendland additional guitar, Dennis Degen drums and Maurizio Menendez occasional vocals. It’s a confident mix and one driven home with an ear for an accessible sound that often distorts what can be some interestingly technical themes.

“Alexander Supertramp� is one such example, roaming forays up and down the fretboard countered by a selection of deep, dark guitar strikes and ever evolving keyboards. And yet, there’s no denying that the whole experience comes draped in billowing melodies and smoother passages that draw you in. A shorter route is taken on “Criminal Mind�, where the simplistically presented vocals from Menendez at times make things feel straight forward, while in other spots reinforcing the vaguely jazzy feel that’s never too far from the surface. With “Portrait Of Mind� even more languid in its surrounds, there’s a lot of mood and atmosphere relied on to get the message across, although it is a surprise just how laid back that conveyance can become.

It is, however, through this album’s longer statements that the true intention comes to the fore. “Seven Doors� daring to veer into a more prog metal majesty while still possessing a fragile heart, whereas the album’s title cut relies on the band’s instrumental chops - an aspect that certainly outweighs the vocal moments - to really get its message across. This track being an ambitious outing that leaves no question as to the talent on show.

Marquette do a sound job of pulling from a variety of sources to create a sound that, while familiar, never feels borrowed, although there are some clear flashes of Camel, Dream Theater, Genesis and other bands of that ilk. Whether that’s quite enough to really make Into The Wild stand out I’m not sure, but those that do take the plunge will find plenty to be impressed by.

Track Listing
1. No Answer
2. Seven Doors
3. Criminal Kind
4. Alexander Supertramp
5. Sensuality
6. Portrait of Men
7. Poisoned Homeland
8. Into the Wild

Added: November 14th 2020
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
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