NUCLEUS

Thesonic equivalent of a force-5 tornado ripping through the dark, seedy underbelly of some ghostly town at night, Nucleus is a revelation. It may not be a masterpiece (and hence only 4-stars), but it is a very strong 4-stars! Perhaps it is the creepy melancholy that permeates each song, conjuring up the spirits of Red-period Crimson, or maybe it is the crushing heaviness of the instrumentation that reminds me at once of VDGG.

You can read though other reviews to find all of the traditional comparisons to other prog bands, but surprisingly there are passages here that also remind me of Oingo Boingo's Boingo album, particularly sections of Harvest, which remind me of OB's song Pedestrian Wolves. Another odd reference may be the self-titled album by Mind Science Of The Mind.

One aspect seemingly overlooked in the reviews posted here is the excellent use of the Rhodes electric piano which provides a subtle darkness that is every bit as fitting and majestic as the excellent tron performances. Arguably, this is some of the darkest Rhodes playing since the fantastic Hell from Gracious' self-titled debut.

If there is a weak point, it may be the vocals. For me it is not an issue, but I could see how some may desire a powerful voice to lead such powerful music. I believe that Liljestrom's voice is appropriate for the music in the same way that KC's Lizard wouldn't be the same without Gordon Haskell's much maligned vocals.

Overall, I would give this somewhere around 4.25 stars...a thrilling listen!