PAINTED PALM

Slovakia can put a pretty good hockey team on the ice but how many bands have you heard of from this country ? Me neither. The vocals are in English and are the weak link even though they aren't bad at all.The musicianship though is at a high level, and this record is very well produced.There is a lot to like on this album and i'm pulling for these guys to do well in the future. Funny, I read some good reviews, and some really negative reviews of this record. I guess my opinion is in the middle.

"Solstice Story Part 1" has this powerful orchestral-like intro before it settles with laid back guitar and vocals as drums come in.The sound stays fairly restrained yet powerful. I like the guitar line that comes in before 5 minutes as the drums pound. Nice bass too. Back to the vocals and the previous sound as this almost 14 minute opener continues. Sampled spoken words 7 1/2 minutes in with violin. Flute comes in. Some good organ before 9 minutes and even better guitar a minute later.

"Wings" opens with drums and a heavy sound before it lightens quickly with a cool guitar melody. Vocals follow with organ. Nice guitar work with piano before 2 minutes. Not a fan of the vocals in this one really. "Laments" opens with a brighter guitar melody and bass with cymbals before vocals join in. It kicks in after 1 1/2 minutes. Again this sounds really good but the vocals distract me somewhat. "Solstice Story Part 2" is the over 24 minute epic ! Keys to open as it gets fuller quickly. Nice bass after 1 1/2 minutes. Drums join in then synths. Guitar is next and it sounds amazing. Vocals are next as drums pound.This song changes tempo and moods more often than my wife changes her mind. "Few Letters On A Tomb" sounds great with the drums and piano being run over by outbursts of guitar. It kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes. Nice. Settles with piano again as vocals arrive around 2 1/2 minutes.

Good album but nothing more.

Miscellane is a forgotten progressive metal band coming from eastern Europe, more precise from Slovakia. Formed in 1993 and releasing their debute almost 10 years after at defunct label Bee & Bee Records named Painted palm from 2002. This album turns to be their swansong aswell, they disbanded a couple of years later , never heared anything about them. I must say that this release was pleasent surprise, nothing realy impressive overall, but plasent most of the time. They god pretty much complex arrangements specialy on the two epics Solstice Story , divided in 2 parts, one has 14 min and part 2 has almost 25 min, here the band realy shines. They remind me in places of Threshold, most their early albums, and here and there Pain of Salvation. Good prog metal album as I said, but nothing original, just well played, nothing more. The voice is ok for this kind of music but not great. So, I will give 3 stars, the best I can give, good but not essential in any sense of the word.