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COMPASS

Progressive Metal • United Kingdom


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Compass biography
The Compass story began back in December 2017 when singer songwriter Steve Newman decided to write a few songs that musically would step outside the barriers imposed by many years writing for his own band Newman. This was to be something very different, liberating, both musically and lyrically, from anything he had created before, with the freedom to move across genres and not be pigeon holed within any particular musical style.
A very eclectic mix pulling in influences from Dream Theater, Rush, Saga, through It Bites, and Pink Floyd. We hope that ?Our Time On Earth? will take the listener on a musical and lyrical journey through emotions and the highs and lows of what essentially this collection of songs is about. Our lives, and the path that each individual takes and how their actions affect themselves and people around them ?From our first breath to our death, this is our time on earth.
Line up:

- Ben Green / Vocals
- Steve Newman / Guitar, Keyboards
- Dave Bartlett / Bass
- Toni Lakush / Drums

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COMPASS discography


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COMPASS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.78 | 9 ratings
Our Time on Earth
2020
4.06 | 7 ratings
Theory of Tides
2022
3.75 | 4 ratings
A Silent Symphony
2023

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COMPASS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Theory of Tides by COMPASS album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.06 | 7 ratings

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Theory of Tides
Compass Progressive Metal

Review by alainPP

4 stars COMPASS is the English group starting its musical adventure in 2017 when Steve Newman decided to write in a varied genre ranging from DREAM THEATER, RUSH, SAGA, IT BITES, the great FLOYD, ENCHANT and TOTO in my opinion, in short in the prog metal line . A raw sound supposed to take us far from the earth revisiting the history, life, works and inner turmoil of the famous astronomer Galileo GALILEI; on a reflection of our time spent on it. COMPASS with Dave from the group NEWMAN came to help him quite naturally during this pandemic period to compose.

"Mountains on the Moon" piano intro and symphonic orchestration before the arrival of a metallic riff; 1'32 '' and it explodes on a tune drawing on a sound of prog metal, the AOR for the voice and chorus-solid rhythmic base; aggressive digressive break on a THRESHOLD relent, layers of keyboards at the end which reminds me of ENCHANT; to follow this voice of Ben which sends very far on the edges progressive metal. "Searching for Answers" ​​with a heavy riff takes us on the tangible barrier of prog metal; however the background tune is eyeing an over-vitamined TOTO with a minimalist keyboard, which means that the group is well beyond these famous drawers; space break then Steve's frenzied solo.

"The Assayer" in the same line with double or triple pedal, nervous and synthetic riff, as the ROGUE MALE did so well in their time; the guitar sound makes me think of SAGA, yes it goes well in every way; break hovering over the aerial bass before launching the melodic-progressive solo, with latent atmosphere, which remains in the lead before the agreed finale. "Once in a Lifetime" well the title that RUSH could have created of course, the voice is different, but the atmosphere, the riff, the drums, the moments... everything is there and there and then we go back to a quality ersatz eyeing TOTO, interesting.

"Laws of Nature Dialogue I: Fly to the Sun" and the beginning of the almost 20-minute triptych for a melodic journey on the laws of nature; it is to be listened to for the melting pot of found notes, the ears make the memory work, to avoid Alzheimer's I think in this way? RUSH, TOTO, ENCHANT as a high point and SAGA for this magical, crystalline, shivering guitar solo . "Laws of Nature Dialogue II: God Only Knows" well separated, a bit my regret for a title in the new wave rock movement of the 80's, I'm thinking of the CARS, for this dancing synthetic sound; the break comes back to punchy prog rock criteria with guitar, rhythmic piano; "Laws of Nature Dialogue III: This Pendulum Swings" begins hovering, jazzy cool, the bass and drums arrive heavy, the piano, TOTO with its marvelous intro in the background; it's beautiful, tacky but so effective this piano setting the rhythm in a monolithic way; a regret to have this impression that we return to the 1st part with the heady chorus; the good side is also the slow musical elaboration in orchestration which diminishes this fact; note the end in chorus. Finally "Theory of Tides" eponymous title, beautiful intro then consensual title with the warm voice of Ben accompanying the air, yet another nervous, colorful, fruity guitar solo which is a pleasure to hear in the line of a COMPASS here.

COMPASS makes melodic prog metal rock, mixing influences from various periods, intensifying the musical images towards space rock for a while. An album following the 'Our Time On Earth' which had intrigued me with this freshness of composition and diverse and subtle reminiscences. COMPASS manages to create a metal- progressive mental universe where sounds go hand in hand with mountain landscapes filled with lush valleys with relaxing waterfalls... An album that smells good of the aforementioned groups but which stands out with its typical rhythmic base.

 Our Time on Earth by COMPASS album cover Studio Album, 2020
3.78 | 9 ratings

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Our Time on Earth
Compass Progressive Metal

Review by CygnusX-2112

4 stars Debut release of Compass by UK guitarist and singer-songwriter Steve Newman. A full 4-piece band with Ben Green - vocals, Steve Newman - guitar and keyboards, Dave Bartlett - bass, backing vocals and Toni Lakush - drums. I love this album, the style is influenced by some of my favorite bands; catchy melodies like Saga, solid guitar/drum rhythms like in Dream Theater and above all a very nice melodic voice by Ben Green. The end result is a nice mixture of progressive artrock and AOR, in my opinion. I like strong rock with vocalists who actually can sing a melody line. The vocals and guitars also reminded me of the almost-perfect albums I and II from Evership with Beau West (v) and James Atkinson (g). It seems there will be another album from Compass soon, so that's manageble. Favorite tracks: Skies of Fire, Our Time on Earth Pt. 1, A Warning from History and Another LIfe Suicide. Not 5/5 for me, not strictly essential, but very very promising.
Thanks to necroncommander for the artist addition.

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