ELECTRIC SKIES

EVENT is a very talented four-piece band from USA, influenced by IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRYCHE, STEVE VAI, DREAM THEATER, LED ZEPPELIN, YES, RUSH and Billy JOEL? and that about says all about their sound and music. Their music comes fairly close to their influences. Maybe you could add a little bit of EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, Allan HOLDSWOTH, KANSAS, STRAVINSKY and UK together with some jazz-fusion to the description too. They might as well be the next big group beside those big names, even though they only been around since 1996. They started under the name MYSTIC FISHOOK, and the cover of this CD also says MYSTIC FISHOOK, with a sticker on it saying "EVENT Formerly MYSTIC FISHOOK". Nowadays the CD has been reissued with the same CD cover saying EVENT instead. The music is a combination between progressive metal and techno, with many technically demanding finesses. The techno side of it comes from the programmed keyboards. The guitar solo sections are very influenced by John PETRUCCI of DREAM THEATER. The singer is very skilled and he's singing is very passionate and heavy with a touch of Bruce DICKINSON. They can be very happy with such a great singer. Overall the music contains very complex arrangements with many intricate rhythms. An explanation to this could be that the band was formed at Berklee Collage of music. But EVENT's music is very melodic too, with some catchy choruses. Another amazing thing is the clearness of the production. The sound is very crisp with very detailed separation between the instruments. This is very advantageous to let the music come to its full rights. The best songs are "Electric Skies", "Muddy Water", "Aimless", "Tundra", "Weatherman" and "Full of Stars". Yeah, that's right! It's almost every track on this CD. EVENT is one of the better bands coming out of the 90:s; they have taken the progressive music a step forward. Get this CD as soon as possible.

A one off event?

Boston band Event recorded this their debut album in 1997. The four piece line up focuses on the vocal talents of Dave Deluco and the guitar and keyboard playing of Shaun Michaud. While classified here as crossover prog, this album has more in common with prog metal, the tracks being very much rooted in the heavy end of the prog spectrum.

Right from the opening "Perfect illusion", it is clear that the band have ambitions which push well beyond simply being another heavy rock band. They are quite at ease blending rhythmic keyboard sounds with incisive guitar riffs and rough, bluesy vocals. At times, the complex arrangements are highly progressive in nature, while on other occasions the songs are far more simplistic. I am hesitant to mention other bands by way of comparison, as Event have succeeded well in developing their own style. There are though suggestions of bands such as Queensryche, a bit of Dream Theater perhaps, a hint of Deep Purple and some nuances of Neal Morse's many guises.

In terms of the song writing, the results are adequate but tend to be cut from the same template. It is probably fair to say that the band make a good go at developing the compositions beyond their underlying quality. The sole exception to the pattern is the instrumental "Full of stars", but even this could form the backing track for one of the album tracks.

In summary, "Electric skies" is an album which is more likely to appeal to those with a bent for prog metal. In some ways, the apparent complexities of the generally short songs here flatter to deceive, the basic material actually being adequate but no more.