IOEARTH

Birmingham-based UK outfit, initially started as a studio project by multi-instrumentalists Dave Cureton and Adam Cough.They met each other at school and became friends, worked on several projects over the years, but their goal was always to produce something different with their own identity.Thus, IOEarth came in life in 2007 and the Cureton/Cough duo started working on their ideas, eventually coming up with a self-released self-titled debut in 2009, having the help of Richard Cureton on drums, Christian Nokes on bass and several vocalists.

The high ambitions of the British duo are made clear already from the first few pieces as well as from the length of this double-CD album clocking at almost a hundred minutes.And the truth is they did some fantastic job on this debut.Superb arrangements with plenty of orchestral moods as well as Ethnic tendencies, reminding a bit of HOSTSONATEN's more diverse works, and having a style ranging from Piano Rock to Heavy Symphonic Rock.All tracks are perfectly tightened, resulting to a work of both dreamy and passionate soundscapes, alternating between a wide spectrum of different atmospheres.There are plenty of synth/piano-based orchestrations with a few sax and horns here and there, creating a Lounge but always artistic and intricate climate of a folky approach.Others are close to the atmospheric and lyrical Prog of MOSTLY AUTUMN or KARNATAKA, featuring excellent female voices and melodic themes with some intricate changes and even some lovely acoustic passages.But their sound reaches its peak with the heavy and grandiose sound of the duo's guitars under symphonic and almost cinematic keyboards.Excellent riffs, tremendous solos and an overall beautiful orchestral atmosphere with a few great melodies added for good measure.

A debut to remember.I really do not know if this music is deeply personal, but the overall blending of these different moods works pretty well.Not to mention the extremely well-crafted arrangements as individual pieces.Great stuff and highly recommended.