Subject To Thoughts is a prog rock duo from Brownsville, Texas, Their latest release, From Sunrise to Sunset, is nearly 80 minutes of dark, dense, often atmospheric prog, filled with extended instrumental passages and soundscapes, yearning vocals, and lush melodies. The band, made up of Mark Mendicta (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, backing vocals) and Brandon Strader (lead vocals, guitar solos), list their influences as Dream Theater, My Dying Bride, Anekdoten, Enchant, and Katatonia, but you can also hear a little Porcupine Tree, Anathema, and Marillion at times as well. This is pretty moody stuff, and for the most part the songs tend to stay stuck in a similar range and tempo, rarely does the band break out and knock your socks off. Tunes like "A Sign in Belief", "Closer to Salvation", "Into the Horizon", and the 12 minute title track, all show glimpses of the talent and desire that these two have, but the problem is that most of the songs tend to be very lengthy, and simply meander way too much. The most exciting song here, "The Morning Emerges", sees the band finally kicking it up a notch, as they flex their muscles a bit and really give you something to chew on. For the most part, their hearts are in the right place, and you can see that Mark & Brandon really want to come up with some relevant and enjoyable prog here, but they just haven't yet figured out the knack for creating songs that reel you in and keep you held hostage. Many of the songs are too long and feature instrumental passages that are too repetitive and just drift on endlessly. All the tools are here guys, just reign in your desire for 'epic-ness' and try and write some songs that will be catchier from both a vocal and musical perspective, and then you'll be on the right track.
Track Listing
- From Sunrise to Sunset
- Staring Into the Sky
- The Light Seen
- A Sign in Belief
- The Peaceful Serenade
- Closer to Salvation
- Whisper
- Into the Horizon
- The Morning Emerges
- Beneath the Questions
- Revelation To the Answer
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
