THE KOLIOS PROJECT

It is interesting that at time of writing, a visit to the band's official website reveals that they are actively seeking a lead singer who can sing " with a pretty high range. . aggressive vocals, a la James Labrie from Dream Theater". This is with a view to realising their first official album which is nearing completion.

What we have here are a further four instrumental demo tracks from this internet based project. In the way of modern bands such as Kino and the late "Transatlantic", the music is recorded separately by each member or guest and brought together later. Thus while the music is largely improvisational, it does not result from jams as such.

Since the tracks here are without vocals, except for some brief narrative on "Forsaken", we must take them for what they are. On that basis, there is a substantial improvement here from the "Demo 2003" release, these tracks stand up much better as instrumental pieces, not merely backing tracks. The Dream Theater/Metallica etc. influences are clear from the outset, with heavy base lines and speedy guitar. There is however more of a variety here, with "Floating" featuring some tasteful keyboard accompaniment, and "The Imponderable Land" switching pleasantly between softer acoustic sections and heavy bass driven riffs.

The final track, "Black sail" has the basis for a good prog metal epic. All it needs are some vocal sections perhaps. A fine closer though.

Certainly not one for the Symphonic Prog brigade, but those who feel that Explosions in the Sky would benefit from some virtuoso lead guitar should enjoy this immensely.

All the tracks are available for download or listening to on the band's official website, or from links contained therein.

This is the first of two short demos released by The Kolios Project, an internet based band of international members. Frustrated at the lack of buy-in from his university colleagues, founder Ryan Denzer-King used internet forums to track down "like minded" individuals beyond his native USA. This led to something of a revolving door in terms of band membership, and this first demo is effectively a King solo project. The sound is very much from the metal camp, the compositions being complex enough to warrant a prog metal tag.

The fact that Kolios Project's music is currently entirely instrumental leaves this "demo" sounding rather like a backing track for a Dream Theater outtakes album. Guitarist and main-man Ryan Denzer-King is clearly a competent musician, and those who join him on either a temporary or permanent basis are also evidently capable too. On the face of this brief offering, where they do need to develop is in the song-writing department. It is all very well releasing instrumental demos which may or may not be intended as backing tracks, but such demos should in themselves be interesting. Both of the tracks here, which run for a total of about 14 minutes, are well performed, but dull and without a clear direction.

We should of course bearing kind that these tracks are "demos". However, if you make such demos generally available, you must be prepared to be judged by them.

Both of these tracks are available for download of the band's official website, linked to from the band page on this site.