ONES & ZEROS - VOLUME 1

. . . in my not so humble opinion.

This is one of the most frighteningly dark guerrilla concept albums that I've had the pleasure of listening to.

3rdegree is back with the follow up to their politically poignant 2012 release "The Long Division". I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the CD from the band and it does not disappoint. While "The Long Division" explored the current political landscape, "Ones & Zeros: vol. 1" takes us a few years into the future. Not a science fiction of aliens and interstellar travel, but five or ten years from now. What happens when the current trend of consistently upgrading one's personal electronics extends beyond the simple phone and watch, what happens when technology starts to mend with biology? It's a world where upgrades include your glasses, your clothes and even your mind. It's a compelling story, with appropriately intricate music to accompany it.

'Hello World' sets the stage by introducing us to Valhalla Biotech. While this is only a fifteen second intro, it shows a new level of sophistication and immersion in recording and atmosphere for the band. The jingly high tech commercial only sounds slightly ominous. 'The Gravity' immediately sheds the ominous sound with a rolling rock beat as singer George Dobbs chimes in about the 'extraordinary times' that we are experiencing, quickly supported by the quartet of backup singers, also known as 'the rest of the band'. While the band does not focus on twenty minute epic pieces, they cram a ton of music and ideas into the eight minutes of this song. The vocal call and answer at the six minute mark utilizes the voices of all five singers to great effect. Just in case that wasn't enough, the funky rhythm section of Aaron Nobel and Robert James Pashman are locked in behind the vocal gymnastics. Nobel does some of his best work here.

'This is the Future' is mostly an upbeat vehicle to push the story further along. Notable to this song is the beginning of the central figure's story as a new set of upgrades are installed. Easily overlooked during the call from Valhalla is Pashman's utter disregard for order as he provides the sick background for the call. 'Life' is a soft introspective piece that lets Pat Kliesch set the atmosphere with a nice acoustic bit allowing Dobbs to show his range with a gorgeous showpiece. 'Life' is a nice set up for the closer, 'More Life' with a few musical nods that adds to the continuity of the album.

The Best & Brightest is really one of my favorite songs on the cd. The song gives Pashman a chance to really set the atmosphere with the keyboards, not to mention Dobbs' tasteful piano work throughout. The band gets into a slick groove for newcomer Bryan Zeigler to solo over towards the half way point of the song. Again, the keyboards really set the groove while Pashman's bass growls underneath. It should be pointed out; the harmonies throughout the entire CD are both intricate and tight with 'The Best & Brightest' being a perfect example of their acumen. 'Circuit Court' is another favorite, with a Steely Dan feel as Dobbs and company happily bemoan the lack of privacy in the internet age. We do get a nice Tony Banks solo from Dobbs followed by an example of what Zeigler brings to the table. This song is another one not to be missed.

"Life at Any Cost' is another example of the wonderful songwriting these guys are known for. What starts as a rolling piece changes to a beautifully atmospheric, and somewhat ominous electric piano at the three minute mark, headphones recommended here! After the keyboard sets the tone, the riff is punctuated by a series of hits and growls before guitarist Eric Pseja crashes in with an crunchy lick that adds an angry, dark feel to the piece. This sets up another beautifully melodic solo by singer / keyboardist George Dobbs. After the angry sections we're treated to Bryan Zeigler's melodic soloing once again.

The last three songs are all fantastic as well, I'm not going to delve into the details other than lyrically it leads to a strong conclusion to the story and features so much more of what I've mentioned above. Fantastic five part harmonies in unexpected places, tasteful solos by the army of guitarists, beautiful keyboards by Dobbs and Pashman, an incredibly tight rhythm section and several more great solos.

Seriously, this album easily deserves all five stars; if I have a complaint it's that the cd is too short. My personal preference would be to hear longer solos because the grooves that these guys put behind them deserve to be given a longer life. The upside of this is that it leaves you wanting more. At no point do I get tired of listening to this album. Every time you think that they're going to get complacent the time signature shifts and the band is off in a different direction. Once you start to get used to the new direction, the five part acapella hits you out of nowhere. I said it before, this band puts so much into every song, there really is no wasted space on the entire CD.

This is on my short list for albums of the year and comes highly recommended.

One of the things I had to get used to in this album is the 'scantly clad' music presented here: there are very few added layers or fluffy fills and incidentals in these songs. Each song feels rather stripped down, bare, and naked. And clean. The drums feel live. The vocals feel live. The acoustic guitars feel live. Like the recently released CORVUS STONE surprise, Unscrewed, 3RDegree seems to have gravitated to a pre-computerized recording/engineering style--which I love! Every sound is crystal clear and feeling as if you are in the room with it-- as if the band is playing live, in the same room, with each other. Other than ECHOLYN, STEELY DAN, early DAVID BOWIE, or the occasional flash of CARAVAN or PETER MURPHY, I can't find myself feeling many immediate associations with the music on Ones & Zeros. It's just good, unusual, fresh and original music--on the pop side of prog. Lyrically, once again 3RDegree comes through with a masterfully cogent presentation of one of the current 'pink elephants' in the room of human civilization. They get you thinking about some of the many signs of increasingly imminent decay and death, get you asking 'How should we behave, how should we think? What should we do?' The fake adverts used to tie each song together are more focused on the ludicrous, hollow and double-edged promises of science and technology, like the 'advances' of bioengineering and medicine. It is obvious that the band wants us to think. I love it! They remind me of the Lacuna Corporation ads in the 2004 film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Like STEVEN WILSON, 3RDegree seems brave enough to be willing to point a mirror on some of the most sensitive, touchy subjects of our modern 'civilized' lives and world. Bravo! and kudos to them! Like their previous album, 2012's The Long Division, 3RDegree have produced an album that has totally taken me by surprise. And, also like The Long Division, I find Ones & Zeros growing on me with each listen. Wonderful stuff! Check it out!

Favorite songs: They're all wonderful but personally I like: the mostly instrumental 9. 'We Regret to Inform You' (5:23); the piercing indictments of 6. 'Circuit Court' (5:19), 7. 'Life at Any Cost' (8:49), and 8. 'What It Means to Be Human' (5:31); 2. 'The Gravity' (7:51); 4. 'Life' (3:08), 5. 'The Best & Brightest' (4:06), and the tongue-in-cheek anthem, 10. 'More Life' (5:33).

Though this is definitely the poppier side of prog (and thus the "crossover" designation), the cleverness of the lyrics and the charming, upbeat sophistication of the music make this, in my humble opinion, a masterpiece of progressive rock music.

Concept albums have typically been a mixed blessing for me as a listener. While I usually applaud the effort and ambition it takes to even attempt to write one, I always listen with the trepidation one bears on a first date, wondering exactly how many minutes will elapse before the whole thing starts to disappoint and unravel. With hindsight, my personal favorites seem to be those with more abstract or surreal storylines, like 70s Genesis classic The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and recent skull scrambler Theman Simpulse by the British duo Those Men. For in the realm of progressive rock, there is no more defining test of your artistic mettle and compositional prowess than whether or not you can tell a compelling tale in song across an entire release. Do it without a linear structure based in reality? Even more impressive.

3rDegree are the latest band of note to take on the challenge with Ones And Zeroes Volume I. Multiple listens in, well, here are my thoughts and impressions...

This record begins innocently enough - you have no idea of the mind threshing you're willingly queuing up to submit yourself to when it starts. The band sounds just like itself on the first song, the first minute or so, but then, hey, there's an odd twist. And before you know it, the sonic turns, trap doors and scene changes keep coming and you can't even brace yourself. The chaotic narcotic scat thinking you're riding for dear life has no intention of applying brakes. Soon I don't even recognize the band. While these are all too real performances and stellar ones at that, each player seems to have been digitized alive, essence captured as they sparkle like sonic holograms in my mind's eye through the maelstrom, the story coming to pass before my very ears. In this bizarre "where ARE"-scape, Robert Pashman's bass sounds like a 7 foot assassin with attitude, fierce and tactile; Aaron Nobel's drums roar and crack, gouging a groove atop the furies unleashed with power and precision; and George Dobbs' vocals bring to mind the great Miles Davis: completely unlike anything he's done before and recklessly out on the splintering ice. It's like he's pushing all career accolades out of his way in an instant for a daring, determined dash to discover new timbres for his voice. Successfully.

And the guitars? What can I possibly say to do justice to the nano-surgical strikes the three string slingers make to these songs? They should be celebrated on the cover of Guitarchitectural Digest. Unpredictable (in this music, that's no small feat!), they are delicate, brutal, tapestrially textural, adolescently snotty and sensationally stirring. Patrick Kliesch, Eric Pseja, Bryan Ziegler, theirs is a musical ballet of pristine and perfect contributions. With sublime subtlety and taste, they rage in the power of their ideas. And the songs? Are these, in fact, songs? In all but a couple places, not like any I've ever heard. From the subject matter to the scar-spangled hooks, this nightmare of a grave new world puts all the emphasis on new. New forms, new subjects, new thoughts, all yield new chills. The few familiar signposts and eerie background vocals serve only to show how far away you've been carried from normal music.

In closing, allow me to make two statements. First, each and every time I hear this record it's a new and different experience. How is that even possible? The great Adrian Belew's groundbreaking app FLUX achieves this with cutting edge technology; these guys did it with compositional skill and imagination alone. Second, by fearlessly eschewing the familiar sound of their band for new horizons, 3rDegree have not only struck oil but have forever metamorphisized from progressive musicians into quintessential artists. Whatever the passage of time and hindsight do to this album, it will never, ever be boring. I declare this a tear in the how, what and where; listen, and you'll know why. Like Comment Share

I never found Forrest Gump's mother's words about a box of chocolates to be true in relation to 3RDegree. "I always know what I'm going to get" to a great degree (no pun intended) with them-a reverence to Prog's past while exploring new avenues, a reliance on hook-laden music first followed by prog noodling and all that-you know the drill. But who could expect they'd go and make a concept album and well...nail it?! Is it a rock opera with characters like Rael or Tommy or whoever? No, not by name per se, but you do get the feeling you're a character caught in the maelstrom of the Moody Blues-y front cover making his or her way through the trials and tribulations found in the songs.

As it is a volume 1, you do get a feeling of completion as the themes from "Life" and "Life At Any Cost" sort of come to a conclusion in the album ender "More Life" but a volume 2 is promised so you wonder where they go from here. The album-at the usual length of 50 minutes for an album these days-never overstays its welcome and never milks the concept album for too long with reoccurring themes or too many interjections of non-musical items like the running Valhalla Biotech "device" used throughout and even the spoken word segments within the songs really do help flesh out the story.

If you want to just listen to this album like any other 3RDegree album-for it's songcraft and musical performances (Dobbs' lead vocals are always a standout-no different here) go right ahead but if you want to delve into the first half of a 2 album concept suite dealing with futurism, The Singularity, privacy (or lack thereof) in the internet age, the ultra A.I. (?), ability enhancement and "living forever"-the water is warm. Jump in!

3RDegree's previous release, The Long Division, was a risky but deeply rewarding endeavor that found them celebrating the diverse range of political belief within the band. Now, with the first volume of Ones & Zeros, this adventurous sextet takes several bold steps further to explore transhumanism and the Singularity. The result? A glorious sonic feast that both nourishes listeners and leaves them ravenous for the promised second course.

The "concept album" can be a tricky undertaking. It's often the case that artists who have been evolving musically over time will tackle such a project, only to lose focus on the actual music in their somewhat single-minded quest to tell us a story. Fortunately, 3RDegree has avoided this pitfall. While the lyrics indeed cohere into the first half of a logical narrative, the sounds and instruments and song structures are also pushed into broader territory than ever before.

A star of this show's premiere act is its vocal ensemble. The harmonies that paint gorgeous splashes of color all over the music never do so with blunt or predictable brush strokes. What set these arrangements apart are their fascinating chordal and rhythmic relationships, their nuanced layers, and the fact that, in many places, the harmony somehow becomes the melody. The singers also manage to surprise listeners more than once by cutting away to four- and five-part vocal movements that are mostly a cappella; one such movement then explodes into an equally surprising techno section at the end of a standout track. Other enjoyable surprises include mini-monologues from Valhalla Biotech (with accompanying commercial jingles) and even a functioning website for this imaginary corporate sponsor of alleged immortality.

Through it all, 3RDegree brilliantly demonstrates one of its greatest strengths: efficiency. No matter how far these talented musicians and composers stretch their boundaries, they never meander without purpose. Every moment of this cautionary tale feels like it belongs there, and none overstays its welcome. It's a true testament to the caliber of this band that such a large-scale effort has been executed so tightly, concisely, and tastefully.

If I were forced to say anything negative, it would merely be my personal wish that the complete album were released at once, rather than split in two. Yet this doesn't detract from a work that stands solidly on its own -- and keeps us wanting more. So far, Ones & Zeros is a stellar achievement from beginning to intermission.

The first time I heard Ones and Zeros by 3rDegree, I liked it. I was in my car. I thought it was good, and despite the distractions of being on the road I even found myself recalling good musical hooks and hummable melodies. However, it wasn't until I actually put on a good pair of headphones and sat down for 50 uninterrupted minutes with the lyrics (in a well-lit room -- those suckers are small on the CD) that the beauty of the album became clear.

Anyone who hears the album will not be hard pressed to find a common thread among the songs that touches on things like the quantifiable nature of consciousness as computer data, the quality of life improvements afforded by technology, the drive for life extension, and the incredible innovations of science. Or, if you're looking at it from a different viewpoint, the futility of trying to replicate the human soul, the greedy capitalism of unchecked biotech research, and the selfishness of those who would live forever on the backs of those who can not afford the necessary technology. In short, this music will have you pondering some pretty deep stuff.

Speaking of the music directly -- this album is a very engaging (challenging?) amalgam of art rock, traditional prog, power pop, and jazz fusion with notes of math rock and even electronica. This keeps everything flowing from song to song without dwelling too long on any one texture, and serves up curve balls that keep the listener engaged. One other thing that was interesting to me was that upon subsequent listens I was able to pick out subtleties I hadn't noticed previously, which made it even more interesting. This album is certainly one that grows on you.

Since this is Volume 1, I assume Volulme 2 will be forthcoming, and I'm looking forward to that one as well. I'm curious about what other topics will be covered, and I hope it will be an extension of the excellent vibe captured on this first one.

Intelligent music played by intelligent players for an intelligent audience. What a novel idea! Prog has two current leading candidates for 'darling' status, the multi-national Corvus Stone and the fine US group 3rd Degree. Both really push the boundaries of creativity and musical intelligence but 3rd Degree is quickly drawing a massive cascade of critical praise, an American progressive band that has both a message (the last album "the Long Division" was about the huge political divide in the USA), as well as technical know-how, featuring some brilliant playing by all instrumentalists. They are smart, profoundly introspective as well as world weary, totally uninhibited in their at times snarling rhetoric. Where so many prog bands concentrate on sci-fi, folk or fantasy and a few on the human condition (Porcupine Tree, S. Wilson, Fish) , we finally have a group that delves into the darker sensibilities of current or impending issues such as the Internet, privacy, artificial intelligence and social disarray. Therefore, we have reflective material that is looking at the future with a keen eye on reality and omitting all the technological razzle dazzle we are enslaved to love, obey and, of course, purchase.

There is a wide variety of American influences, such as a sense of Zappa-styled sarcasm, slight hints of humor much like the Tubes, a little Todd Rundgren's Utopia, a drizzle of Sparks and lots of classy arrangements. The songs are all interconnected, like any valid concept album worthy of its name, and not a second is wasted on droning atmospherics or needless fluff (though I do like both in moderate and creative amounts). Being a big bass guitar fan, I am immediately drawn to Robert James Pashman's brooding rumble, anchoring George Dodds' swiveling voice that can intone the oddest emotions such as 'hope' on the thrilling second track "The Gravity". Whistling synths and acoustic guitar meld together like pearls in wine, boom-boom drumming rhythms and wailing voice combine to push the envelope to lick stage and seal the deal. Knock you right off your feet from the beginning! A sensational toe dip into their musical pool.

Twisting and turning into the immediate horizon and the latest technological gadgetry, "This is the Future" evokes a contrasting collision between chaos and sanity, endless digital multi-tasking, focusing on nothing but texting everywhere and everyone, torrential tidbits of bio-transistor sentiments, a few Gbs here and a couple of Zip files there. Hold on to the re charger and please, plug it in! Ohh that felt sooooo good! So while the device juices back up to full power, a gentle but reflective ballad comes in to soothe the frayed and tattered nerves, appropriately titled "Life"!

'Aging is no longer a disease' intones the wily infomercial, the ultimate intro to a nerd anthem par excellence, "The Best and Brightest "conveys both rash cyber-imbecility and an endless tribute to the latest 'device' of the industrial boom, before 'we fall behind the Chinese' and get torpedoed, albeit temporarily , by the latest Trojan techno condom that leaks (Hello Julian and Edward). They used to be called G-men once, now its C-men everywhere! Kraftwerk was 'korrekt' with Computer Love, a few decades ago! Ach du!

Zappa-esque sarcasm appears on the slickly titled 'Circuit Court', where the divining judge is some virtual and well-pixeled geek playing a delightful synthesizer and a Ziegler guitar solo that has a definite Steely Dan meets the Tubes kind of mood. Loads of harmony vocals and a roller-coaster delivery makes this a real scorcher to be appreciated for its originality. The epic, nearly 9 minute "Life at Any Cost" is a towering masterpiece, musically, vocally and lyrically. Smooth as silk, brooding yet exalted, with a slight sense of wasteland. Loads of keyboards, guitars, solid bass and Aaron Nobel's tectonic drumming really turn the lights on. The slick e-piano does create a modern, urban sheen, the ideal foreplay for a wicked instrumental section that showcases the talents of each player. The twirling guitar solo and George's incredible vocals are true specimens of genius, not to be outdone by the rest of the crew who do this piece utter justice.

"What it means to Be Human" is borderline weird, with bizarroid vocals, plodding beats and an iron-fisted synthesizer solo, something really out of worldly. George howls angrily, high-pitched like Jeff Lynne of ELO on helium, shockingly abstract yet accessible. This segues into the magnificent "We Regret to Inform You", a subtle depiction of the 'who, what, where and when' but no time for 'why'! Quarantine, seclusion, apartheid, call it what you will! We have become techno hermits, addicted to hallucinatory bytes and in sensual intercourse with our matrix mouse. Lifecycle is just 'accept or delete', Goodbye, father! Valhalla Bio Tech will now take over your soul. Thank you for your business and have a transcendent day!

"More Life" is a sweeping finale, protecting your computer and hence your existence. No active threats have been detected, you may resume your download. The orchestral symphonics are purposefully grandiose, 'life is meaning' but meaning what, one might precisely ask? The final acoustic guitar and synthesized rivulets are simply sublime.

While so much prog is anchored in the past or the sci-fi future, here is an ingenious band that looks only a few years ahead, with a certain dread. Their craft is truly intelligent and we should all be thankful to our modems for accessing the 3rd Degree. A thrilling cover and slick artwork complete the well-formatted folder.

5 Google that, web surfers!

At first you think all the things you like 3RDegree for (irreverence toward prog conventions like concept albums, science fiction themes, overblown pretentiousness) are out the window and the band has joined the fray in pro's well charted waters but then you realize they've bent things their way taking a genre and f*cking with it and making it their bitch. The cover and the interjection of commercials and lecture speak let you know you're on a ride but the songsmithing make it a smooth ride if you don't buy in entirely to the themes of the album which are many-digitizing of life itself, advancements in science that make ethics front and center, loss of privacy, and more really thought-provoking fodder for people who want that from their music-no worries. The band takes things up a notch from 2012's THE LONG DIVISION in recording quality, production, vocal arrangements and guitar heroucs-maybe due to the addition of guitarist Bryan Zeigler? Whatever the case, 3RDegree's ONES & ZEROS: vol. 1 is worthy of your attention and dollar...or Euros and Pounds should you see them on tour this year in Europe!

Our emotions are really just a series of ones and zeros" sings the ensemble of 3rdegree singers in the ambitious track "What It Means To Be Human" a song wondering just that alongside its Cocteau Twins-like wall of guitars. Leading up to it, you hear the voice of Valhalla Biotech's representative/guide helping you through your physical body being discarded in exchange for a digital one while she asks you to consider an upgrade to "mind plus". 3rdegree poses many ethical questions from many angles on this new release that comes completely out of left field after 2012's The Long Division. It's almost like the band meticulously plans out an album's themes and sets its members loose to flesh it out. Big words abound, you never feel the band gets "too cool for school" on you because while it does take some participation on your part to really understand it 100%, it's enjoyable. I admit it does make you want to read up on the subjects of the singularity, ability enhancement and other technological breakthroughs that are on the horizon.

Despite all said, the band deliver a truly delectable progressive rock album first and foremost that many will gush over-yours truly included. You get melodies that will stick in your head, time signature changes galore, musicianship in true service of the song, gifted vocal leads and harmonies of true Wilsonian majesty. In the hands of a lesser band, this subject matter would probably be delivered with less wit (a la Tubes or Zappa), and possibly too much mood, sound effects and faux drama but with 3rdegree's skill level-now 5 albums in-they meet this subject with a masterful balance of humor and attention to detail to keep you in its world.

The main character seems to be trying to keep his digitized father "alive" while at the same time seeing what options are out there for himself to become more advanced and to keep living via technology with a few asides into other issues that could become part of our collective futures. Along the way, a news report gives away his name and the unique death he witnesses. The grand finale seems to reiterate a few reoccurring melodies and lyrics about our search for "more life". Vol. 2 is forthcoming so the exposition is not over and I suppose the band has more to say on these transecting subjects. We can only hope they continue keeping things this interesting!

3rdegree are worth a listen. Their music is for the people who like their prog with a generous dollop of Jellyfish, King's X, XTC, Todd Rundgren, Kevin Gilbert/Toy Matinee, Tears For Fears, Steely Dan, Prefab Sprout, City Boy, Supertramp and Ambrosia.

I thought this was a wonderful concept album! The music is challenging but yet highly melodic, and the lyrics are intelligent with a dash of sarcasm thrown in for good measure. There are Beatle-esque harmonies sprinkled in throughout the album - honestly some of the best I've heard from the band. Favorite songs on the album are the "Life Trilogy" - Life, Life at any Cost, and More Life. Also, the running concept of Valhalla Biotech throughout the album is alternatingly amusing and terrifying. Have a Transcendant Day indeed!

In my opinion, this is a band that has really just started to hit it's stride. One of my favorites of 2015 so far!

Once again, I can thank PA for introducing me to what is fast becoming one of my favorite bands. I was introduced to them after getting a copy of their previous album, The Long Division, and immediately knew I was in for something special, and I was right. So I didn't hesitate in obtaining a copy of their latest offering, Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1. It's music that just grabs the listener, and gets better and better with each subsequent spin. And although it's Pop Prog at its finest, with all the catchy hooks that you find yourself humming when you least expect it, it is also very intelligent, musically and lyrically, with luscious harmonic twists that show off their musicianship and songwriting prowess. All of the musicians are top notch, but the combination of George Dobbs' outstanding lead vocals and original founding member Robert James Pashman's grinding bass lines highlights their talent. And if you love lush multi-part vocal harmonies, you will absolutely love this album...a masterpiece of music, easily 5 stars.

If a recent to time of writing poll on the PA forum is any indication, usually cheerfully sung songs from major prog bands that are thinly veiling dark/terrifying subject matter (e.g. Yes with "South Side of The Sky" - it's about polar explorers freezing to death) don't connect like the artists clearly think they should. Perhaps, I now think, the fault lies with those artists, because there is no finer or more fully connecting piece of intentionally dissonant mainline prog then this surprise masterpiece.

I'll admit, being used to the more overtly dark musics of Throbbing Gristle, Nurse With Wound, and Swans, this concept album didn't chill my spine, but, and this is a further testament to 3RDegree's greatness, it instead engendered in me several smirks and laughs. This record is so clearly off and dystopian in theme, and the way the band went about it is so uniquely fine-tuned, that it's as likely to make a listener take humour in the dark subject matter as it is to make another listener freeze in their tracks in horror as they get up to get a frosty beverage from the fridge. The whole spiel about ageing being an obsolete disease is perfect on two counts, and the moment when I realised that this was a special album, reminding me of the "Barco AM PM" slice from "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven" in the best way.

Oh, and the music! Beautiful and excellent modern cross. I think that this record achieves a great modernisation of the classic symph sonic pallet, achieving such in part by way of mixing in some juicy influences otherwise not inherent to that specific idiom, and bringing a poppy edge to parts of it in a good way. Perhaps 3RDegree is something like the second coming of Supertramp. The playing is stellar and the production is a great throwback to the analog age. Altogether, this is probably the best piece of mainline prog in a long time, one of the most successful concept albums for a longer time, and an album of the year candidate.

This is a concept album about the future of the world and how human deal with technology. It's not the first time the band deal with that with their ironic view. We can hear throughout the album a robotic voice to link every songs together and keep the concept intact. But with the music now... After the "Long Division" album, which i stop listening realizing that he was not very progressive, the band was supposed to have done their most progressive album. From the start of the album, i can only say that i recognize the same 80's influence with so much vocals, (which are very good), that the music seems to support the vocals. The song structures are simple, there is many catchy hooks and some more unusual twists. We have to wait for the song "the Best & The Brightest to hear some heavier parts with some nice break, some spacey keyboards. "Circuit Court" is a weak track, where nothing seems to work together. "Life at any Cost" is starting to be interesting with the nice break that brings some faster tempo, heavy and darker parts with the first and probably the last memorable guitar solo. "What it means to be Human" is another complex song that show some nice work with the vocals and nice musicianship. "We Regret to Inform You" is another nice track with a long instrumental section and some nice bass playing. The last song is the return to some more simple structure type of song, some jazzy parts. In conclusion, the cd improve halfway through, but i can't say i share the same enthusiasm as many reviewers here, so this is not a masterpiece, but only the best 3rdegree album.

Since roaring back to life with 2008's Narrow-Caster, 3rDegree has gone from strength to strength. Their 2012 effort, The Long Division, is one of my favorite albums. Does Ones and Zeroes: Volume 1 measure up and keep pushing the band forward? It's too early to tell, but it keeps revealing great things on every listen.

The Long Division had a strong theme running through lots of it, but Ones and Zeroes goes a step further by being a full on concept album (part one of at least two, if I remember correctly). The concept revolves around a shady corporation, Valhalla Biotech, that sells a variety of life extension technology. As set forth in the band's press release, the album 'isn't so much science fiction as it is a futurist album, expounding upon current trends in technology and leading them to their logical conclusion.' As regular readers know, just saying something isn't science fiction doesn't make it so. Ones and Zeroes is as sci-fi as they come, using advances in technology to explore our own humanity.

On the album that deals mostly with the question of what it means to be human? More particularly, what does it mean to be alive? If, as we hear over and over again, 'life is needing more,' then the ultimate goal is to extend life forever. Along the way Valhalla goes from stocking 'elixir centers' that extend 'expiration dates' to realizing the dream of Ray Kurzweil ' the uploading of the human mind into a computer where it could, theoretically, live forever.

Along the way, the band explores the various issues that would arise in this situation. There's concern that this expensive tech will further class divides (there's a voice over about the world's oldest man watching his son die of old age) along with the idea that this might all be allowed under the theory that somebody will get there eventually (the Chinese, most likely), so 'we' (whoever 'we' are) might as well get there first. Most hilariously, the idea of a megacorp in charge of all this leads to the fact that, in 'Life at All Cost,' the company tries to sell upgrades while peeling apart and scanning a client's brain.

All in all, I get a strong Blade Runner vibe from Ones and Zeroes. Valhalla reminds me a bit of the Tyrell Corporation, whose motto, after all, was 'More Human Than Human.' Is that where we are at the end of Volume 1? Seems that way. In addition, the need for more life echoes the demand of replicant Roy Batty that he 'wants more life' as he kills his creator. So the concept has a lot of areas to explore and I'm sure I haven't touched them all (I'm notoriously bad at sussing out album concepts).

But this is an album after all and none of that matters if the music is subpar.

Good thing that the music is up to 3rDegree's usual high standards. The band has always walked a fine line between melodic accessibility and prog complexity, a mixture they've refined over the years. The result is a group of tunes that are instantly appealing but reveal depth and interesting details upon further listens. Believe me, once you've heard 'This Is the Future' it will stick in your head (I dare you not to sing the backup vocals in the chorus!). Not to mention it makes the cheery yet disturbing voice overs of 'We Regret to Inform You' go down easy!

If you look at the credits you'll see no fewer than three guitarists were involved on this album. Lest you fear it's an onslaught of power chords and shredding six strings, they're actually fairly restrained. In fact, I'm not sure all three of them are brought to bear on any one track. There are some nice acoustic spots and George Dobbs gets plenty of room to lay out some nice synth solos.

There's nothing on Ones and Zeroes that jumps out at me the way a few tracks did on The Long Division. But it works better as a whole, as befits a concept album. It's a mess of awfully good music wrapped around an interesting idea. And the best thing? It's only the first part!

A lot has been said in previous reviews of this brand new album about the concept and merit of the music among other things. I'd rather point out how deceptive the music of 3RDegree is-especially on this new disk Ones & Zeros: vol. 1. Knowing Prog as a sub-genre of rock as intimately as we do at PA, I think it's important to realize how difficult it is for music to be firmly within the confines of what we consider Prog while also showing a sophistication in the songwriting-the melodies, harmonies, etc.- to attract people on a first listen as well. I'm not talking about music made by progressive rock artists that is accessible. Nope. That would be Asia. What I'm talking about is the stock and trade of 3RDegree that sets them apart from almost any other band old or new. So while a lover of the most complex and rat-a-tat-tat Prog may not give props to 3RDegree, someone who can recognize how hard it is-just in a different way-to do what 3RDegree does on Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 must point this out.

Unravel the onion that keeps giving your ears something new to focus on every time you return. You can begin at their 10Trecords.com page or at 3RDegree.bandcamp.com. 

Normally, I don't write many reviews and I never wrote a bad (in terms of rating) review about an album.

But this one here just sounds in my ears like it deserves it. I usually like concept albums, but I dislike noises and voices to create atmosphere. It doesn't work for me and in this case it really annoys me. I gave the album a fair amount of spins and I can see the the musical quality many poeple seem to be attracted to. Besides a little innovativeness it has nothing to offer but annoyance: the vocals sound forced and cheesy, the artificial voicesamples bored and angered me the second time I heard them and the whole album sounds like a shallow movie soundtrack for a really dumb teenie-film. Don't get me wrong, this effort has it's moments but I'm trying to describe just the overall feeling this album gives me. Seldom that I really dislike an album that much, almost to the point it makes me as angry as listening to the local radio.

Sorry, not for me guys!

This first appeared on AmericanProg.com and has been edited slightly.

Whilst 3rdegree may have passed under the radar for a few of you, then thankfully things started to change for them three years or so back with the release of their 4th album, The Long Division. The band was formed by Robert James Pashman back in the 90s (remember them?) and they released the excellent Human Interest Story in 1996. I had bought their 2008 album Narrow-Caster based on a review by Ron Faulkner, who gave the album a resounding 9 out of 10, drawing parallels with the work of echolyn and Izz. Ron had this to say: 'Try to imagine a grown-up 10cc, with the pop and quirky elements dialed down a good few notches, and with a hybrid of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Roger Taylor (of Queen fame) on vocals, and you're part-way to imagining the sound of this band. Sprinkle in some funk and soul, and a little late night smoky blues bar, and you're getting even closer'. New record Ones & Zeros vol.1 maintains of course that funky, bluesy vibe courtesy of the amazing George Dobbs' vocals, but adds a whole other layer of progressive rock goodness courtesy of, amongst other things, the bona-fide epics and my 'Track of the Year' contenders 'The Gravity' and the 'Life' suite (Life, Life At Any Cost and More Life). As far as I can tell the new album is garnering universal praise on the interweb. And having listened to not much else for the past month or so I can see why. Much has been made of it as a 'concept' album but before you run off thinking of wizards and floating mountains all that means is that it is a record that demands to be played all the way through, in the order that the artists intended. None of this shuffle nonsense. I played quite a few tracks on the AmericanProg radio show over on progzilla.com and excellent as the songs are, in hindsight I feel that something was lost in terms of the flow and the overall 'feel' of the material. There are some superb narrative segues interspersed throughout, charting the all-encompassing and insidious reach of Valhalla Biotech in the dystopian, cyber-future posited by the album's overarching concept. In fact I think that this has got some of the smartest lyrics you'll ever hear but what will ensure it vies for attention come the year-end cavalcade of 'Album of the Year' lists is the combination with the music that ties it all together. I spoke with guitarist Pat Kliesch a while back and he gave me a little insight into the track 'We Regret To Inform You'. He and I both love the album 'Gangs' by And So I Watch You From Afar (it was he who recommended it to me in fact) and he advised that the song almost started out as an homage to their style. It subsequrently morphed, however, with lots of extra layers and spoken VO. Such is the musical petri-dish the band delves into. Now as much as I loved 'The Long Division' and I did after all rate it 9/10, when I reviewed it for a website back in the day with this album I think that 3rdegree have released a genre-defining piece of work. Up there with some of the seminal American progressive rock releases of this or any other decade. And there's a second part coming too. Which according to Pat should be out late next year, and which includes an epic 15-20 minute long piece to end the album. Starting with the production (which is full, rich and hugely rounded), the song writing, the concept, the lyrics and the playing I find this so much more fulfilling. Which is saying a lot, given how good TLD was and which has me salivating for 2016's vol.2

If the overtly political message of TLD was perhaps lost on you then the message of Ones & Zeros vol.1 will be much more accessible and I venture that you will be hard-pressed to listen to a better record all year. It is masterfully melodic, symphonic in places but angular and more urgent when it needs to be. There are no show-off solos but check out the keyboards and guitar in 'Circuit Court'. Musically the sound is all 3rdegree but if you held a gun to my head I'd say that you can hear First-Wave of Prog things on the album that will quite easily appeal immensely if you are a fan of Rush, Genesis and King Crimson. Be in no doubt though that this is a 21st Century progressive rock album. The best bands don't sound like anyone else but respectfully pay homage here and there. So it is with 3rdegree. The standout track for me is 'More Life' but I prefer to think of it as Part 3 of the 'Life' Suite. As I've touched on already George Dobbs' voice is wonderfully evocative but when combined with the harmonic backing vocals and string arrangements it's an incredibly cinematic piece, and a crowd-pleaser when they play it live to be sure. The opening becomes the close. The end is the beginning.

I definitely think that it is an album to be listened to on headphones. Get the highest quality download you can, or better still the CD and with the right kit you'll be amazed at the sonic quality. Whatever format you listen to it on, though, you'll be blown away. Not one filler track ensures it is one of the most 'complete' albums you will have in your collection. The CD package is pretty cool, too. With art by Aleksandr V. Kouznetsov. Eric did the design and layout.

Fans are going to get a chance to see them in the States and in Europe soon and I strongly urge you to try and get along to a show. I'll see you at Leicester and Summer's End. I may or may not be wearing a hat.

I heard about this album from a friend of a friend of a friend. These guys are not well known but this album is outstanding. I pretty much liked every song on the album but a couple stand outs are "Hello World", "This is the Future" , and "The Best and the Brightest" I really enjoyed it and look forward to checking out some of their older stuff and possibly seeing a live show. From what I understand their live shows are mostly East coast and Europe. I hope they get out to California sometime soon. I highly recommend checking this album out.

3RDEGREE have truly out-done themselves with their latest "Ones & Zeros: vol. 1". This is a concept album that looks into the future in a very detailed, dark and yet humerous way. I can't even begin to imagine the time and energy that went into not only the clever lyrics but outstanding instrumental work. I'm not even into concept albums yet here I am giving this recording 5 stars without any hesitation. These Americans have created a record that is sophisticated and complex yet very melodic and accessible. Not an easy thing to do. This is the third straight studio album I have received by this band and each one has out-done the other.

"Hello World!" is a 17 second futuristic ad for Valhalla Biotech the company that this album revolves around. It blends into "The Gravity" which is a top three track for me. It's catchy with harmonies that really add a lot to my enjoyment of it. The vocals are the focus until it settles down before 2 minutes and becomes spacey. Great sound! A pleasant synth/ guitar section arrives 3 minutes in as reserved vocals join in. A relaxed guitar solo follows then back to that earlier theme where vocals are the focus. How good is this 6 minutes in?! Oh my! My head is banging and I adore the passionate vocals. So good!

"This Is The Future" has a nice intro with some excellent guitar before the vocals kick in. Catchy stuff. This song reminds me of the previous album somewhat. Great sound here. The drummer is busy and we get those futuristic words that come and go throughout the album helping to keep us up with the story line, then back to the music. "Life" features strummed guitar and liquid sounding keys as the reserved vocals join in. It's beautiful when the backing vocals come in. Such a feel good tune. "The Best & Brightest" is also a top three track for me. These guys have so many great ideas including the way this starts in that spacey manner with vocals before it picks up with a repetitive vocal line then it kicks into gear. All i'm feeling right now is emotion, it's been a while.

"Circuit Court" has a STEELY DAN vibe until the chorus arrives. The organ is a nice touch here. This is smooth and sophisticated. I like the instrumental break before 3 1/2 minutes to almost 4 minutes. Such an enjoyable song. "Life At Any Cost" is another catchy and intelligent track with those killer vocals. This all changes before 3 1/2 minutes when it turns heavy and all instrumental. The guitar reminds me of GARDEN WALL here and I love the synths over top. The guitar then starts to soar and this continues for some time. The vocals are back 5 minutes in. Man I don't how this didn't make my top three.

"What It Means To Be Human" is powerful yet restrained until it picks up before 2 minutes but then we get another change with lots of vocal melodies. So cool as the drums support. Synths to the fore before 3 1/2 minutes after the vocals have stopped. It's brief though as the vocals and that powerful sound return. "We Regret To Inform You" is my other top three song. The intro reminds me of a good place for some reason. We get heavy and distorted guitar with prominent bass as lighter sounds come in over top. Man I love the sound here. Emotion. Those futuristic words come and go. This song blows me away, vocals come in after 3 minutes. "More Life" is another catchy, vocal led tune. Check out the backing vocals 1 1/2 minutes in followed by some great keyboard sounds, huge bass lines then a guitar solo. Nice. Those backing vocals are back. So freaking good!

Without question this will be a very serious contender for my album of the year.

This is New Jersey-based band 3RDegree's fifth album, and each of their albums outdoes the previous effort. As it stands, Ones & Zeros: Vol.1 is their crowning achievement to date. On their last album, 2012's The Long Division, 3RDegree created a pseudo-concept album with political themes running throughout. It was apropos for the 2012 election year, and it still holds up as a fantastic album today. However, make no mistake with Ones & Zeros ? this is a full on concept album, dealing with weighty and complex moral issues such as life extension, the Ultra A.I., and the singularity. The band cleverly weaves the storyline by creating Valhalla Biotech, an all-encompassing mega-conglomorate. Think Apple merged with Google, who then merged with Facebook and Microsoft. Valhalla Biotech presents itself through a cheery, if not detached, computerized customer service rep, at times stating "We regret to inform you that your father has been deleted." It's as if the band has taken the inanity of today's ever increasing lack of human interaction, and notched it up a level in this dystopian future. Musically speaking, the band has always straddled the line between melodic, hook laden pop and prog complexity, and it seems as though they are doing it better than they ever have on Ones & Zeros. Now a 6 piece, 3RDegree sound fuller, more complete, and more mature than any of their previous releases. Lead singer George Dobbs is the finest amalgamation of Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Donald Fagan, and a host of other world-class singers. Underneath him are the multilayered vocal harmonies reminiscent of Queen, The Beatles, and Yes, and they have never sounded so good. What makes the rather disturbing scenario on this CD so palatable is that it is all disguised by their characteristic sunny melodies. The band has done a fantastic job telling a cautionaly tale (to quote a song title of theirs) and they do it with their signature tongue-in-cheek wit. And the best part of it is that this is only Volume 1, with Volume 2 set to be released in 2016. Thanks, guys, for finally not making me wait 4 years until your next release ;) Ones & Zeros Vol. 1 is firmly on my "Best of 2015" list. This is an excellent CD and highly recommended.

Back in 2012, an election year here in the U.S., 3RDegree released one of the finest albums of that year, "The Long Division", a scathing critique of the political system, and the way the corporate news outlets portray the process. The album blew me away in it's concept and execution. I really had might doubts that any band could improve upon such an effort. But with "Ones & Zeros: Volume 1", they have accomplished that task.

The concept here is a not too distant, nor unthinkable future, where our present obsession with immortalization through our many electronic gadgets has led to the ability to (if you can afford it) digitize your consciousness, ensuring virtual immortality. This process is overseen by a corporate entity called "Valhalla", that controls these "people" with a mechanical logic. I don't want to give much away, but the story is told with a clever and sophisticated humor, reminding me more than a little of the wordplay of 10CC or XTC. Just the images from the song title [i]Circuit Court[/i] in this context should give a taste of this.

The music itself could best be describes as the vocal tonality of 10CC, with the inventive instrumentation of that same band, except with an underlying complexity reminiscent of Echolyn, with the hooks and power of Spock's Beard. But the mix of those styles brought together, makes the sound truly original 3RDegree music.

I received the album some weeks ago, yet still, every time I listen to it, I hear more and more inside each song. I cannot find anything at all to knock this down from a perfect rating.

Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 is the fifth studio album by the New Jersey based 3RDegree. This release served as my introduction to the band after I heard The Best & Brightest on The Gagliarchives radio show. Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 is a concept album that focuses on the problematic nature of unchecked technologic development that is currently surfacing and what lies ahead in the future. It is the job of philosophers and artists to issue caution as mankind continues to progress and evolve. 3RDegree does an excellent job of filling those roles and telling the stories of what can happen when technology surpasses our abilities to grasp and contain it.

Despite the darker and cynical overtones of Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1, the music and vocal harmonies are rather pleasant sounding. This is the true strength of this release. 3RDegree seamlessly blend progressive rock and catchy hooks into a conceptual masterpiece. To be recognized by the progressive rock fan masses, a band must be able to create catchy melodies but also have elements that define progressive rock ? different musical textures, a variety in time signatures, technical proficiency, and perhaps the occasional mellotron or Moog synthesizer part. Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 has all of these elements and nicely harmonized vocal melodies to further strengthen the album. The effortless flow of the album suggests that it should be listened to as a whole piece (and indeed, that is how I prefer to listen to it), however the tracks The Best & Brightest, Life at any Cost and Circuit Court can stand on their own and serve as singles or as an introduction to 3RDegree. Fantastic lyrics are what elevate Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 to a masterpiece level. The philosophical and questioning nature of the lyrical content is the general theme. "There are no more secrets in the modern world" and "Try keeping a secret in the age of the diode" from Circuit Court address a concern we already have and will likely only worsen. "The smartest kids in the room have done something very dumb" or "Let's just hope he's nice." from The Best & Brightest cynically points out the potential for a Terminator scenario with artificial intelligence. "Life is needing more life." from Life and the final track (More Life) underscores the concept of the album that we are always going to want or need more.

Stylistically, 3RDegree are difficult to pin down. Certainly they have their own sound, and much like Steven Wilson, they are musical chameleons where it is difficult to point out any dominating influence. Fans of Echolyn, Steely Dan, Spock's Beard, Marillion, Yes, and perhaps Caravan and The Moody Blues should take note. However, I recommend Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1 to any fan of catchy melodies and vocal harmonies but also require substance, musical chops, and an interesting concept (that is relevant to us all).

In a year where many of my favorite artists released brilliant albums, I feel fortunate to have found 3RDegree and this masterpiece, Ones & Zeros: Vol. 1. This is the best of the best for the year 2015.

One of my pet peeves with prog is a lot of it floats in blissful oblivion of the times we live in. And while I do appreciate the merits of musical escapism to transport listeners temporarily from everyday strife, it doesn't help the cause of a genre that is increasingly disconnected from the mainstream of music culture. It's no coincidence that both Radiohead with OK Computer/Kid A as well as Muse with Absolution (or for that matter, Porcupine Tree with In Absentia), bands which enjoy /enjoyed a good deal of popularity, had something more relevant, more contemporary to say.

Which is why 3RDegree's concept album Ones and Zeros is a welcome departure from the norm. I will not get deeply into the lyrics here, as Roland113's review has done ample justice to that. But the issue of technology getting, indeed, embedded into our lives to the point where it might one day control us is a pertinent one. So, while the device used is of dystopian sci-fi along the lines of a Brave New World or Childhood's End, the subject matter hits closer home as some of what is described in the album is already being felt. Are we indeed heading towards a digitised version of the Utopia that Huxley had conceived and will it indeed take a virus breakdown to preserve what is human about ourselves? I am a bit of a fence-sitter as far as this debate goes. But it is an engaging topic and, thanks to 3RDegree's smart execution, results in an album that is hard edged and packs a punch.

Speaking of which, brevity is of essence here. At just over 50 minutes, the album clocks in a good deal shorter than certain extravaganzas which may not have seen the light of day but for the CD age. 3RDegree is classified under Crossover Prog, but as far as this specific album goes, the style as well as approach is more evocative of 80s Rush, maybe some of the neo prog of the time too. Genesis influence comes with the territory as well. They do not leap too far out of the basket of known prog influences/elements and as such the music sounds like something made in the 80s but with excellent production and, especially, unobtrusive drums.

That is my one minor complaint with the album - that the music is not as contemporary as the lyrics. But it's not a big deal; there are nice twists and turns in the music that I enjoyed. 3RDegree are able to put together complex tracks that do not involve much, if any, noodling; the songwriting is tight as hell. At the same time, they nicely manage the change-ups between electric distorted guitar riffs and lush acoustic, so that the album never feels like an oppressive wall of sound. In saying that, however, it is also not frightfully dynamic. As I noted earlier, more 80s Rush/neo than 70s Genesis/Yes. The flipside is most of the tracks groove nicely and are both pretty accessible and infectious.

Yes, 3RDegree pull off the trickiest part of a concept album exceedingly well - integrating the music with the lyrical concept. The songs are entertaining to listen to by themselves without one being aware of the concept. And yet if you were clued into the concept, you would observe how subtly the mood shifts from optimism to doubt to even despair as the assurances of a bright digital future get weaker and ring more and more hollow. My favourite would have to be Circuit Court with The Gravity being not far behind; but the songs as such are hard to dislike.

Four stars for a solid, relevant and tightly executed album; knocking off one star only because it doesn't offer something strikingly new 'sonically'. I grant that that is something that has become increasingly difficult in rock but I have to respect the rating system all the same; so four stars it will be.

As I've always said, 3rd Degree is a band I'd like to see in a bar, because their music, like a bar room, can be both cozy and edgy, breezy and angry. If you are familiar with their previous work, sonically this is in between the expansiveness of its breakthrough predecessor, The Long Division, and the more compact and slightly heavier earlier releases. Its also a story-driven concept album, so, yes, there are going to be vocal samples inserted into the middle of songs. 3rd Degree's sound is melody-based and eclectic, while eschewing the extremes, but could be described as being between jazzy pop and heavy prog. On this album, I like the longer songs, because they both allow to build an enjoyable melodic theme while still throwing in a couple of surprises. But the shorter songs are also often twist-and-turny, so I guess you could call it their most ambitious work to date.

Three years after "The Long Division" ' an album that garnered its fair share of critical praise in a year noted for a slew of high-profile releases ' comes 3RDegree's fifth studio album, an ambitious opus by the title of "Ones & Zeros Volume 1". Recorded as a six-piece, with the involvement of second guitarist Bryan Ziegler (recruited in 2012 to replace Patrick Kliesch, who is currently based in California, in their live shows), the album was written by the band's core members - Kliesch, bassist Robert James Pashman, and vocalist/keyboardist George Dobbs, plus guitarist Eric Pseja.

Although "The Long Division" had an overarching theme (the increasingly polarized world of US politics), it could not be called a true concept album. , "Ones & Zeros Vol. 1", on the other hand, draws on the rich Anglo-American tradition of dystopian fiction in its rather chilling depiction of a future dominated by a Big Brother-like mega-corporation named Valhalla Biotech (a name with intentionally 'otherworldly' implications), which ' under the guise of improving life for humans ' ends up controlling every aspect of our existence. The pervasive presence of this all-encompassing entity is conveyed through jingles, lectures and announcements (provided by a cast of guest actors) that interact with the music, at first unobtrusively, then taking an increasingly larger role.

By tackling such an ambitious project, 3RDegree prove they are not afraid of taking risks, and deliver an album that - while superficially paying homage to one of prog's old chestnuts ' is quite far removed from the traditional prog modes followed by many modern artists. The song format is still at the core of the band's compositional approach, though a couple of songs reach the 8-minute mark, and display a distinctly more complex structure. The inner coherence of the story is reinforced by the use of recurring musical and lyrical themes. With George Dobbs channeling his inner Stevie Wonder, and multilayered vocal harmonies that recall Queen, Steely Dan and The Beatles as much as Yes, the band depict a rather disturbing scenario thinly disguised by their trademark bright melodies and catchy hooks.

Not surprisingly for an album dealing with such weighty issues, "Ones & Zeros Vol. 1" may need repeated listens in order to be fully appreciated. In a daring move, 3RDegree have placed the second-longest track ' the almost 8-minute 'The Gravity', a mini-epic packing many twists and turns, and not as readily accessible as 'Apophenia' or 'You're Fooling Yourselves' ' right at the opening at the album. "Ones & Zeros Vol. 1" 's tightly constructed 50 minutes shift between overtly poppy, ear-friendly items such as the sunny 'This Is the Future' or the eminently hummable 'Life', which is reprised in the lushly orchestrated ending, 'More Life', and subtly intricate centerpieces such as the Steely Dan-influenced 'Circuit Court' and the mercurial, multilayered 'Life at Any Cost', driven by Pashman's stellar performance on bass. Pashman also shines in the funky yet ominous 'We Regret to Inform You', in which the energetic, almost anthemic harmony vocals alternate with robotic announcements eventually stating that 'your father has been deleted'. 'What It Means to Be Human' initially promises to be the album's most mainstream-oriented track, but its second half veers into much heavier territory, and the deceptively upbeat tone of 'The Best & Brightest (of the Dimmest Bulbs)' is like a velvet glove hiding Valhalla Biotech's iron fist.

With thought-provoking lyrics (all included in the CD package, wrapped in brightly-coloured, semi-abstract artwork by Russian artist Sasha Kouznetsov) complementing the sophisticated, 21st-century art rock of the music, "Ones & Zeros Vol. 1" will certainly appear in many a 'Best of 2015' list - though some dyed-in-the-wool 'proggers' will still object to the poppy overtones that are such an integral part of the band's sound. It is also 3RDegree's most mature album to date: the band amply deserve kudos for having resisted the all-too-common temptation of releasing a 100-minute behemoth. 3RDegree fans will be glad to know that the release of "Ones & Zeros Volume 2 is planned for 2016".

Originally posted on my blog, "Fire of Unknown Origin", on July 22, 2015.

US band 3RDEGREE has been a more or less ongoing feature for a quarter of a century now, initially active in the first half of the '90s and then returning to activity a decade or so back following a spell of hiatus. Since their return they have released three full-length studio albums. "Ones & Zeros Vol. 1", the most recent of those, was released through the US label 10t Records in 2015.

3rDegree excels at the art of creating accessible progressive rock with plenty of intriguing details hovering beneath the surface, and in this case also managing to add a distinct and charming emphasis to the story explored by way of incorporating effects into the compositions that elevate the total experience quite nicely. Perhaps a bit more of a purebred progressive rock-oriented creation this time around when compared to their previous albums. An album worth taking a look at if you tend to enjoy accessible progressive rock, especially if well developed concept and theme albums tend to fascinate you.

I missed the live gig of 3RDegree at 't Blok in The Netherlands earlier this year, unfortunately. Would have loved to finally meet Robert James Pashman, who contacted me at ProgArchives in March 2008, asking if his band qualified for inclusion in the site. At the time, the band just released Narrow-Caster, their third album, and the first one since 1995 at the time. Since then, they released two more - The Long Division, which I missed at the time (2012) and this years Ones & Zeros: Vol. I, which is the subject of this review.

First thing I noticed when listening to this album, and refreshing my memories of the initial contact with Robert, is that the common musical interests we had at the time (Rush and Marillion for example) are not the main influence in their music. Instead, many elements from progressive rock since the early 70s till today can be heard on this album, in an original mix defined by 3RDegree. I'll leave it up to the listener to make up his mind about what comes from where. I myself spotted hints of Gabriel era Genesis (wonderful keyboard work on Circuit Court and More Life), as well as bits of Rush (the bass is not at all a copy of Geddy, but has the same impact on the music), vocal arrangements akin to those of Echolyn (and and one track (Life) that has a hint of 70s singer/songwriter material, not unlike the older works of one David Bowie.

The album, by means of advertisements in between the songs, and the very appealing voice of George Dobbs, tells the story of Valhalla Biotech, a company that promises people the way to a longer life by means of technology - the way to 'a longer you, a better you', in the not too distant future. People get biometric clothing, digital glasses, possibly even implants - and if they can't pay their regular fees, these things will be disabled for a certain amount of time (presumably until payment is made). Throughout the album, the flaws of this system, and real failure leading to death of people become apparent. With the digital, bio and gen technology developments of recent years, and the money hunger of modern multi nationals in mind, not a very far fetched scenario. A scenario that 3RDegree manages to capture in lyrics as well as music. The gloom of this future is expressed in the music, that is sometimes uplifting (reflecting Valhalla's commercial voice), to gloomy (The Best and Brightest, about the rat race between countries and companies), and culminating in the right out frightening We Regret to Inform You, which' ever darker and mostly instrumental sections are interleaved by ever more worrying computer voice messages about the status of someone's father in treatment. The closing message leaves the listener with goose bumps: 'We regret to inform you, your father has been.. deleted'.

In summary - I love the (scary) story line, the bass and drums, the keyboards (with three keyboard players on board they'd better be good), the guitar leads and the vocal arrangements. Not much to dislike there, unless you are not into (progressive) rock at all, or if you don't like occasional folk like acoustic guitar and vocal arrangements. Highly recommended.

Also published on my blog angelosrockorphanage.com

Ones & Zeros is a futuristic concept album by 3Rdegree. It's about a company named Valhalla Biotech and its development of a life extension process. The process isn't exactly clear as one point mentions that there's "an elixir station near you".

"There's no reason to delay a once inevitable expiration date."

Later on, a computer voice announces that the client might feel something akin to sleep, which is a result of the process where layers of the old brain are peeled, 3 dimensionally scanned, and then discarded.

The first song (but not first track), "The Gravity" mentions the Singularity concept, which as I understand it is when humans and technology integrate to make us first enhanced and ultimately transhuman. The song states that our bodies are just hotels for the mind. There's a math joke in there too: my thoughts are all just ones and zeros and I'm already primed.

Arguments against such a possible future are addressed in "This is the Future": "Every gadget's an extension of my motives and my ego and now that I have totally invested I'd be a fool to not upgrade." The person in the lyrics says that his credit card is built into his brain. Many today might scoff at the notion of giving up at least a portion of our biological selves to computers and machines; however, some say the Singularity is already here as we are already thoroughly dependent upon gadgets both internal and external. It's easy for us to progress to the point where we become entirely dependent on technology because we have been heading that way for a long time.

The music is a wonderful mix of progressive pop, progressive rock, and a great use of vocal arrangements plus some light jazzy bits. This is my first 3Rdegree album and the easiest comparison I can make is to Moon Safari. Though 3Rdegree have been around for quite some time (first album 1993 but I believe they disbanded and reformed around 2008), I only just found out about them while looking at the PA Top 100 Albums of 2015.

The story develops toward the darker side. In "Life at Any Cost", we hear a report about 139-year-old Roland Everlong, a leading proponent of Valhalla Biotech's life extension program, witnessing his son's death by old age. In "We Regret to Inform You" the cold non-human side manifests itself as the client receives a courtesy call from Valhalla Biotech, stating in an unsympathetic computerized voice, "Your economy level family sentience transferral process has crashed due to anomalous delta wave activity. At this point we regret to inform you that your father has been fragmented." The poor father's defragmentation process encounters a polymorphic virus and he's put into stasis quarantine. Finally, a third call announces, "Your scheduled sentience transfer was unsuccessful. Your father slipped his allocation matrix. We regret to inform you that your father has been deleted." The track concludes with the wonderfully ironic corporate catch phrase, "Valhalla Biotech and You: A Singular Relationship".

As you can probably gather from my review so far, the story has caught my imagination, especially since a few years ago I read a book by Ray Kurzweil called " The Singularity is Near". But the music is also terrific with a good variety. I'll admit that I probably wouldn't have been hooked on the music alone after a cursory listen. But now having listened to the album a few times, I can appreciate the music as much as the story and the concerns for the future presented in the lyrics and story.

3rdegree's follow-up to the 2012 album The Long Division, is Ones + Zeros volume one. This concept album centres around the concept of transhumanism where ageing is no longer a disease at the Valhalla biotech. One can imagine the type of music that can be experienced on such a conceptual album, but it constantly draws the listener in with a powerful storyline that borders on reality but is set in the not too distant future. There are some incredible moments on this such as the tracks "we regret to inform you", "circuit court", "life", "the best and brightest" and "more life". The high strangeness can be likened to Frank Zappa meets Caravan as occasionally the weirdness really overshadows the music. Throughout there are some sensational keyboard workouts from George Dobbs also adept on lead vocals. Bryan Zeigler and Patrick Kliesch are sensational on electric and acoustic guitars, and there are some moments of retro synth programming. The music is upbeat in tempo and occasionally enhanced by sound affects and dialogue that punctuate a very strong storyline. By the end of the album the listener knows they have experienced something produced with passion and with a lot of soul put into it. 3rdegree are an adventurous band and their music is compelling and quirky. This is definitely an album worth listening to and is jam packed with innovative music and surprises. Discover it for yourselves and enjoy the 3rdegree experience.

When I first came across 3rDegree some years ago, I said that they reminded me a great deal of the long-lost City Boy, and it was interesting to hear how much of an impact they had had on the band. However, Robert James Pashman (bass, keyboards, backing vocals ? and who is also responsible for getting me drinking Trappist-style beers) later informed me that none of them had heard of the band, and it was only after reading reviews mentioning them as an influence that they sought them out! Having given maximum marks to their previous three albums (I've only noticed that although I have their 1993 debut I've never reviewed it, must amend that at some point), I was looking forward to hearing this 2015 release. But, it arrived while I was working on my book, so ended up in the never-ending backlog. However, with the arrival in 2018 of the second part of the concept, it allows me to review them back to back (and thankfully the guys have been very understanding).

What we have here is a science fiction concept album, set in the fairly near future, where it is possible to live forever, or be enhanced in some ways. It is the mix between the human and the machine, the analogue and the digital, that makes the story what it is. Although all the lyrics are contained in the digipak, it is easy to understand the storyline without them due to the wonderfully clear vocals of singer George Dobbs, and the fact that they allow the story to tell itself. No need for complex analogies, let's get to it: my only complaint is that I found it quite distracting while driving, as I would rather listen to what was going on instead of paying attention to the road. We may not have many drivers down here, but our roads aren't exactly straight and wide.

Musically we are firmly back in the realms of City Boy, with an additional UK band that may surprise many, 10 CC. It took me ages to work out what the harmonies and key changes reminded me of, and then I realised it was like listening to parts of 'Deceptive Bends'. Added to this surreal pop/rock/prog mix they have added plenty of Utopia for good measure, and come up with something that is instantly 3rDegree, instantly accessible, and guaranteed to make the listener sit there with a massive smile on their face. The one song I found most interesting was "We Regret To Inform You", which includes the robotic voice of Valhalla Biotech explaining that there has been a slight issue with the recent procedure on the protagonist's father. I can't say any more than that without giving away the plot, but coming from an IT background this song really did appeal to my inner geek, and it works incredibly well. Add to that some beautifully phased and treated rock guitar and it is a total delight.

3rDegree probably isn't a name that too many people recognise from the progressive scene, but as I write this, this album is rated as being #6 on the charts for 2015 releases on ProgArchives. Looking at what is above it, all I can say is that it is in the wrong position, as it should be #1. Absolutely essential, crossover progressive rock doesn't get any better than this.