BOUNDLESS ETERNITY, HEREAFTER TORMENT

Unique ... I must admit this is a somewhat offbeat matter, or what other term could be used for something you are not able to nonchalantly pigeonhole? Sounds specifically unusual in some way, just trying to describe that in the further course. But please don't expect too much, I mean, when somebody is really flabbergasted? Okay, one reason, maybe it's due to Rob Poston's singing voice, which surely needs getting used to. His expression is a tad lachrymose, very melancholic. Yep, this is exemplary for the term uniqueness those four musicians are offering, also to name Paul Samber (guitars, keys), Sam Higgins (bass) and Diane Galen (drums). Since 2021 they are established as a band, not completely hiding in the dark anyhow, or what? At least residing on different continents, that said United Kingdom and the States, as for the creative process predominantly corresponding and exchanging via internet. Hence, for example, so far there's not any authentic band photo available.

'Boundless Eternity, Hereafter Torment' is a concept album in four movements = tracks. Context-wise coming with a rather philosophical approach, it '... centers around the mind's tendency to focus in on moments or events of profound significance from one's past ...'. The album title is self-explanatory, or the track order, the other way round? Clever idea, or pretty easy solved? It's your choice. We have a bit of a Rush sentiment included here and there. But this is way too multi-layered in the end, to reduce this to a heavy progressive output solely. A driving rhythm fundament is surely provided. First of all anyway Boundless invites us to follow an easygoing electronic ambient path for some minutes, equipped with an atmosphere reminding me of Rain Tree Crow or some exclusive Richard Barbieri solo stuff a bit. Just in time they are switching to a rocking behaviour then.

The flow is gaining pace furthermore when turning into the polyrhythmic Eternity, engines are running in full load now, And there's a bit of a jamming appeal to remark. The following Hereafter turns out to be a wonderful space jazz excursion, featuring acoustic guitar and some well appointed trumpet support by Adam Heaton. The second half with its distorted speech samples always drives me crazy. Man, this sounds just like arriving from the outer world, from very far away at least. A remarkable guitar mantra is initiating the last track Torment with a slight krautrock flair due to the hypnotic flow. For the sake of variety though it evolves into a metal riffing heavier episode and so on ... and so on. A multi-varianted and expressive finale for sure. It only remains for me to add that Paul Samber is the main songwriter on this occasion. Chapeau! The sophomore record is already in the making, I'm curiously waiting.

Grim, melancholic, unsettling, suspenseful, and very dark - this is the debut album 'Boundless Eternity, Hereafter Torment' by the new UK progressive rock project Prefers To Hide In The Dark, formed in 2021, and made up of songwriter Paul Samber and vocalist Rob Poston, and aided by drummer Diane Galen and bass player Sam Higgins, completing the debut album lineup. This record is a 40-minute concept album split in four movement, with the band focusing on creating large, slowly built mood pieces, very interestingly composed, definitely not following the conventional way of structuring a song, with a great emphasis on keyboards, soundscapes, and the operatic-style vocals that could only be described as causing a bit of uneasiness; in a good sense, I believe.

The first few seconds of 'Boundless', the opening track, set a haunting, eerie atmosphere, with the metallic keyboard thumping leading to the first vocal chords, after which we are gradually introduced to the rest of the musical instruments - the guitars and the drums are sparsely and intelligently used, and these grand sonic pictures that the band has crafted are really very impactful and put in a sort of trance, engulfed by the melancholy and the darkness of the record. The vocals, must be mentioned, will not please every listener - unless you are ready for this very unusual voice, you might leave with the impression that the album is quite grotesque.

Broadly, Prefers To Hide In The Dark could be described as the doomy stepbrother of Pink Floyd, definitely a strong progressive rock influence all over this moody record. There is, however, something lacking, a bit of glue, or a sixth element to stick everything together more seamlessly, but still, 'BEHT' is very good and I am eager to see what this collective has to offer in the future and how they could develop their sound further.