MPD

Proage is a Neo-prog band from Poland that was originally founded way back in 1985. However, is a band really a band if it doesn't release any material? The story goes that they disbanded in 1990 and then reformed in 2008, finally releasing an album in 2017. After this kick start, the band has released their 2nd full length album this time only waiting 2 years. This album, released in July of 2019, is called MPD which stands for Multiple Personalities Disorder, which is the disorder the main character of this concept album has, 24 personalities to be exact.

MPD has a total of 13 tracks that range from 15 seconds to over 10 minutes. The total run-time is 66 minutes. The band is comprised of 5 core members: Mariusz Filsek on vocals (there is both an English and Polish version of this album by the way), Slawomir Jelonek on guitar, Krzysztof Walczyk on piano, Roman Siminski on bass, and Ark Grybek on drums. There are also 2 guest musicians credited on the flute and clarinet.

"Homecoming" starts everything off with an 8 minute track. Beginning with a short introduction with a melodic guitar line, the track soon gets quite upbeat and moves into a fast section featuring heavy guitars and a swirling synth melody. The beat moves to a more moderate rhythm when the vocals start supported by a bright synth heavy accompaniment. The vocals are good enough, but the accent on the English version is quite heavy, but that is mostly expected. The music moves into a heavier section as it continues, once again changing meter, tempo and rhythm to a more driving and solid style. The organ becomes supportive as the guitars pump out a rollicking solo which later gets replaced by synths. Later, the main melody returns with the last vocal verse. This track pretty much establishes the Neo-prog sound of the band which goes through a variety of sounds and styles as it goes along. But, being a Neo-prog band, the overall sound seems to stay close to a more 80's sounding prog, but with a heavy Eurpoean sound.

"Stolen Time" is a very short, transitory track, pretty much unnecessary. "Multiple Personality Disorder" comes next, and pretty much stays with a moderate beat and a simple sound, again with a heavy synth sound, but a mellow guitar solo during the instrumental break. The vocals don't really change in dynamic from the first track however, so you get a sound that sounds too much like the first track. "Is It In My Mind" begins with a more jazzy style led mostly by piano and some synth. The vocals begin and again you get that same vocal style which stays safely in it's short range and not enough dynamic or emotion. The somewhat repetitive lyrics get a little annoying, and so far, the music is lyric heavy meaning that it relies too much on the vocals which definitely need some work in order to bring more life to the music. The dated 80's style neo prog sound also persists, and as this track continues, it becomes more annoying. Finally, in the last few minutes of the track, there is a badly needed guitar solo followed by a synth solo that helps to bring a bit more life to the music for a while, but the steam seems to get lost before it ends. Another short track "Shadows Guide" follows which is a nice piano solo.

"Entrapment" is the longest track at over 10 minutes. The previous track just sort of stumbles into this more upbeat track, but by now, the amateurish style of the music gives everything a forced feel. After a vocal melody, the organ takes over, but barely gives off enough steam to merit a decent solo before the poorly mixed vocals come in again much too loud. The sound of the track tries for a dark atmosphere, but ends up sounding a bit ridiculous and false. The lyrics are not that great either. Repeating the words "Black Swan" doesn't make for a believable dark track. There are some good instrumental breaks that create the progressive sound, but the vocals always come in too often just as you are getting into the instrumental performance.

The album continues in this way, feeling clumsy with its flow between sections. The vocals don't help and the mix of the entire album just doesn't make anything believable or enjoyable. Unfortunately, there isn't that much here that saves the album. It would have been better with better mixing, less vocals and more instrumental sections, but overall, the feel you get here is a chopped up and amateur sound and style. This all makes for a difficult listen that is hard to take seriously.

Polish band Proage can trace it's roots back to 1985, and a then short-lived venture called Czwarty Wymiar that disbanded in 1990. Come 2008 and the band decided to have another go, and two years later they renamed themselves as Proage. Following a couple of EPs they released their debut album in 2017. "MPD" is their second full length albums, and was released by Polish label Lynx Music at the start of 2019.

Proage is a very good and well developed neo-progressive band on many levels, with strong compositions and competent musicians managing to get the best and the most out of the material they are exploring. Perhaps not innovative as such, but in general a strong band exploring quality material on a solid album. The lead vocals are a fairly major detrimental feature however, and due to that aspect of the album this is one that merits a check prior to buying it. Still, those who have a general fascination with well developed neo-progressive rock and can tolerate the lead vocals should find this album to be a really enjoyable affair.

ProAge trace their roots back to 1985 when drummer and Arek Grybek and singer Mariusz Filosek were in a band called Czwarty Wymiar. That band lasted until 1990, but then broke up without releasing anything. Fast forward to 2007 and the guys decided to form a new band under the name ProAge, since when there has been a fairly fluid line-up. They released their debut album, 'A Different State of Reality', in 2017 and followed it up with this in 2019. Here they have been joined by Sławomir Jelonek (guitar), Krzysztof Walczyk (piano) and Roman Simiński (bass) [;us a couple of guests in Małgorzata Łydka (flute) and Grzegorz Hankus (clarinet).

This is a concept album based around a person suffering from multiple personality disorder, and all the lyrics (at least for the one I have, I believe there may also be a Polish edition) are in English. This is neo-prog straight down the middle, yet with little in the way of the charm and naivety which made the movement so important in the Nineties. It all feels rather laboured, and at times almost formulaic, with little in the way of string ideas. Just when one feels a passage has promise with nice swathes of keyboards and some pleasant guitar it is ruined by the vocals, which are definitely the weak point for me. They just don't fit with the music, and I wonder if in concert they are more direct and rocky as Mariusz may well be a powerful frontman, but when singing in a more reflective and gentle manner he is definitely suffering. Not one to which I will be often returning.