INTO THE EVERFLOW

If this isn't progressive metal, I don't know what is. There's no way I can classify this as anything but a masterpiece of its respective genre. I found A Social Grace to be on the same level in technical terms, but Into The Everflow is packed with more wow moments lyrically and compositionally.

The climax of the title track is one of few musical moments that gives me goosebumps every time. When that happens, I know the band has something special. But on my most recent listen, this album gave me the shivers three, count 'em, three times. That's an instant classic in my eyes.

Some really psychedelic lyrics and sounds here, but merged with technical metal. This is impressive to me because when I think of psychedelic music I think long, drawn out spacey passages with lots of synth work. Not sharp and complex riffs and beats.

Buddy Lackey's got a very unique voice that settles perfectly over the top of this crazy music. Whether he's pounding out intense lines lines like in Little People, or almost moaning high pitched vocal harmonies, it all works.

This band had a relatively short life-span and, in my opinion, took a sharp decline after this album. They don't seem to be very well known in the prog world, and I can only imagine that their albums will become more and more rare as years pass. When they released their four studio albums in a duo of double packs I jumped on the opportunity to buy them. I'd suggest anyone interested in a different kind of progressive metal should do the same.