Proghma-C: Bar-do Travel

Straight out of Poland comes an amazingly heavy, experimental and diverse band with obvious influences of Meshuggah, Cynic and Tool and their name is Proghma-C! Learn this name and quickly!! Their full length debut is entitled Bar-do Travel (Armoury Records) and if you are a fan of any of the previously mentioned bands, you will eat this band up. Filled with 10 tracks (including a remix track) of technical Math Metal, ala Meshuggah, and full of twists and turns of complicated poly-rhythms and atmospheric textures, Proghma-C simply have a killer first release here.

Bar-do Travel is the bands first full length release and they did not waste a second of time on this CD, clocking in at over an hour of Technical Metal goodness. CD opener, "Kana", sets the standard for this auspicious opus. The 9 minute opener is mystical, hooky and delivered with vocals that immediately remind you of Maynard J. Keenan of Tool. That deliberate melodic and emotional droning over top of some intense and brutally complex riffing is pure brilliance. Cut to "Spiralling TO Another" with its chaotic time changes and über powerfully delivered textures, Proghma-C are out to make a huge statement here and they nail it. Other challenging songs like "Spitted Out" and "Spitted Out (Out)" (YES, these are 2 different songs!) are tour de forces of Progressive Metal riffage and completely showcases what this band is capable of, as Proghma-C completely brings the heavy but also don't leave the melodies very far behind. "So Be-live" is an excellent example of their melodic songwriting, complete with very breathy, mellow vocals (anyone remember the Texas band, Atomic Opera?!) filled with a heavy groove that then turns into fierce and very angry screaming that winds down the track. Intense stuff, for sure. They even do a killer cover of the Bjork (YES, I said Bjork!!!) song, "Army of me", further proving that there isn't much that they can't do. This version is super heavy with a nasty groove and sounds similar to something that A Perfect Circle would pull off. This is one of the absolute highlights of the record.

Proghma-C simply have an amazing debut record here with Bar-do Travel. The production on Bar-do Travel is especially top notch, allowing all of the textures brought forth to equally shine and with all of the tapestries that are painted on this debut, this is essential. Synth textures fly all around the disc, entering your mind and affecting your soul, making it senseless to try and fight the invasion, while the extreme and experimental progressiveness is equally balanced out with super headbangin' groove and straightforwardness to please both the traditional Metal fans, as well as the more Prog based Metal heads out there. This is easily one of the top Metal releases that have come across my desk in 2010. Eat this one up, Kids!

Track Listing
1. Kana
2. FO
3. Spiralling TO Another
4. Spitted Out
5. Spitted Out (Out)
6. So Be-live
7. I can't illuminate with You
8. Naan
9. Army Of Me (Bjork Cover)
10. Kana (hervy rmx)

Added: October 2nd 2010
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band MySpace Page
Hits: 2644
Language: english

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