ICE CYCLES

PLATYPUS are a super-group formed in 1997 by Dream Theater bass player John Myung. The band also featuring Derek Sherinian (ex-DREAM THEATER, PLANET X) on keyboards, Ty Tabor (KING'S X) on vocals, guitar and percussion and finally Rod Morgenstein (ex-WINGER, DIXIE DREGS) on drums. Their debut CD "When Pus Comes to Shove" was released in 1998 and now two years later they have recorded their follow-up "Ice Cycles". - It's hard to label their music as it's very diverse, and you can hear influences from the 70's, 80's and the 90's. It ranges from quiet moments to full throttled and highly technically instrumental passages. You can hear reminiscences to such different bands as ALICE IN CHAINS, The BEATLES, BLACK SABBATH, DREAM THEATER, GENTLE GIANT, KING'S X, PINK FLOYD, RUSH, SOUNDGARDEN, SPOCK'S BEARD and The URBANE. The vocal harmonies and melodies are very strong. The highlights are "Oh God", the instrumental "25", "Gone" and the instrumental +10 minutes highlight "Partial To The Bean (a tragic American quintogy)" that is built up of seven shorter tracks. I don't think that any DREAM THEATER related bands could make a bad album. This album however doesn't sound much like DREAM THEATER, and it's much heavier and straightforward than any DT's release. Highly recommended!