CHUPACABRAS

Excellent in almost every regard, "Chupacabras" is a fantastic blend of moods, styles, and themes, superbly composed and finely honed with a classically progressive sound which will instantly appeal to fans of the genre.

The title track is undeniably the star of the show, being a memorable display of stylish songwriting. While most of Phideaux's compositions are comparatively simple, they are undeniably beautiful, with sweeping dynamics and sounds, and "Chupacabras" is a perfect example. Melodies are powerful, yet retain an understated feel due to their simple elegance; instead, the biggest impression one will have is with the overall piece, with its many layers of synth, vocals, laid-back guitar, and efffects creating a very enjoyable listen. The mix of vocal performances is perfect, and the song's vocals educe a fun mixture of silly and poignancy. A textbook example of first-rate symphonic rock.

The supporting songs are almost as good, with the deceptively silly "Party" standing out to me due to its camp and breadth of sound. "Fortress of Sands" is an excellently dreamy instrumental, but the Ruffian Suite (consisting of three mid-length songs) is somewhat crass and uninteresting musically. Luckily, the closer "Titan" leaves the listener very satisfied, ending the album on a beautifully melodic, classy display of modern prog-rock.

Highly recommended!

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 4 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4