Demians is the musical project of one Nicolas Chapel of France, a multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter whose sophomore album Mute once again mixes modern prog with alternative rock styles. Perhaps a tad mellower in spots than the 2008 debut Building An Empire, Mute is a perfect fit for those who love Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Muse, The Pineapple Thief, and Riverside.
Bouncy opener "Swing Of The Airwaves" even has an anthemic, almost U2 feel to it, with a catchy vocal melody, groove laden bass & drum work, powerful guitar riffs, and a smattering of keyboards. In fact, tunes like "Feel Alive", "Porcelain", and "Tidal" all have some pretty radio friendly elements that would seemingly help to broaden wider appeal for Mute. Those who liked the more progressive sounds of the debut might be a tad disappointed here, as the lighter fare included on Mute, such as "Black Over Gold", "Overhead", and "Hesitation Waltz" are pretty laid back, dreamy numbers that fall more into recent Marillion styled prog/pop than anything else. Closer "Falling From the Sun" though is a hypnotic tune with soaring vocals and sumptuous keyboard swells, and though it's another mellow piece, it's an intoxicating one nontheless.
All in all, Mute is a solid effort, but much of what you'll hear on this CD just sounds too restrained, and the few moments Chapel starts getting into a groove and kicking things up a notch just seem all too fleeting. He's obviously got a wealth of talent, and like I said, there are some really good songs here, just not enough to sustain the progressive rock crowd that he seems to be going after.
Track Listing
1. Swing Of The Airwaves
2. Feel Alive
3. Porcelain
4. Black Over Gold
5. Overhead
6. Tidal
7. Rainbow Ruse
8. Hesitation Waltz
9. Falling From The Sun
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