AMPLIFIER

With a release limited to just 500, this album, which is a real gem in an already pretty wonderful catalogue of releases, isn't going to be finding its way into many peoples record collections and that is a big shame, because this really is an exceptional mini-album. Issued as a thank you to the fans who have stuck with the band for the last 10 years, it features 6 tracks recorded early in the band's life and, for some unknown reason, never intended for release. There is a distinct prog feel to some of the tracks, but also some post rock; the influences are pretty obvious - there's some Soundgarden, Foo Fighters and yet a real feel for understatement, which the two bands mentioned were or are not famous for. There's Floyd, Killing Joke and Levitation also evident and yet it sounds totally unique. Amplifier could easily have taken the wrong turn in deciding to follow their wall of sound space rock epics, because this shows that there are 3 superb musicians in there with the ability to do subtle. The stand out tracks are The Ways of Amplifier, which is deep, moody, soulful and gritty; My Corrosion which I feel is a true rock classic; Departure Lounge and Number One Son are both quality songs, combining all manner of styles and genres. The album leaves you wondering why on Earth the band thought these tracks were not suitable? Early previews of the forthcoming The Octopus suggests the band have returned to this dark and moody period, despite the album being about a race of super-octopuses who breed humans for their psychic energy! The mini-album comes with an amplifier plectrum, a letter from the band and lots of personalised scribbling over the case and CD. If you haven't got it now, you're unlikely to have the original unless you pay through the nose for it. Which is a shame, because this really has been one of the highlights of 2009.

Considering there really are no bad tracks on this, it's a surprise that nothing were originally planned for release. Even more surprising that these demos and early recordings actually are better than any of AMPLIFIER:s first two studio albums.

Rocking really good, "Amplifier 99" kickstart the EP while "Area 51" and "Departure Lounge" brings some freakish lyrics. "The Ways Of Amplifier" and "Number One Son" may be a bit more anonymous but far from bad, the latter providing a fine closing number.

My absolute favourite in this EP though, is "My Corrosion". With the use of samplings and what sounds like a drum machine this is closer to Electronica than AMPLIFIER:s usual bled of Space Rock and Heavy Metal. Really unexpected and really good!

Speaking of Heavy Metal, I don't consider myself a real fan of the genre since I can't stand listening to whole albums of it. Clocking in at just half an hour, this release fits my Heavy Metal preferences perfectly so there's no complaints from me whatsoever.

This limited fan site release is a real eye-opener. It's composed of tracks from the early days. When I heard this I was hesitant but hopeful. This is more prog: this is great.

Amplified 99 kicks off the album with a rip-roaring blast. If U2 did prog they'd probably sound like this. This will also appeal to those who like the heavier side of amplifier. Area 51 opens with distorted guitar (hints of the feel of Airbone) and develops into the relaxed and eerie feel that is unmistakably Amplifier.

The Ways of Amplifier is personal favourite. It ahs a mesmeric sliding & gliding bass pulsing throughout. It may divide opinion as there is not the complexity in other songs, but for me the feel is perfect.

My Corrosion is entirely different. Electronic drums, synth. A hazy lazy Floydian vibe. Tremendous. Departure Lounge shows a major Floydian influence. Vocals are much more Floyd, and the lyrics almost psychedelic. There's no great crescendo, the gentle, spaced mood is retained. Number One Son continues the mood.. There's even a bit of a bluesy wah-wah break.

This is amplifier but not as we know it.

If you own one amplifier album & you can get your hands on this one: don't hesitate - it's a gem. It is more authentically prog than the "later" albums.

I totally love this. It absolutely rocks but whilst also taking you into space at the same time, and not many bands can achieve this.

This is their best effort so far (although don't get me wrong - I DO really like HAL and Insider). I did own HAL and Insider before this, and I got this as an afterthought to complete my collection as it were. But what an afterthought! I can totally rock out to this (when you in that sort of mood). There's a lot of very heavy stuff on this - but so so so much better than a lot of metal these days that is totally taken over with growling vocals and hideous machine-gun style double bass pedalling - it's so good to hear metal with that taken out - it's so much better.

Then mix in SPACE - Sel Balamir uses his talent in creating other-worldly sounds with the guitar to his very best in this album, and where it seems a little broken up on Insider on this album it fuses beautifully and extends into the heavy stuff with brilliant continuance. This is particularly so on the brilliant tracks Airborne (this track has an amazing intense ending), Old Movies, Post Acid Youth, One Great Summer, UFO's and Glory Electricity (on the bonus disc but actually includes a solo from normally a rhythm dominated sound). All the tracks are excellent - I wouldn't rate any less than 8 out of 10 - whilst 6 or 7 of the tracks I would rate as 9 or 10 out of ten.

(PS - Good decision to relegate Half Life to the bonus material on the SPV version, this was definitely the worst track, whilst on the other hand Glory Electricity is superb - one of the best b-sides ever!)

And the melodies... wow - they are lush, and mixed with a really nice voice - mixed in with the heavyweight sound and immensely good riffs lead to a tremendous mix of power and beauty.

They make a lot of noise for a three-piece (remember Rush?)

CAREFUL! Classic prog lovers may not like this - it doesn't have 10 minute+ tracks or lengthy synthesisor pieces or straight guitar solos (although Sel's superb riffs - including lovely lead riffs that he should always use - make up for that). Sure, it's not Prog in the classic sense of the word - but isn't space rock always like that? Yes, this is more rock and roll, but who cares - let yourself go!

However, if you like it heavy, melodic (and hate growling vocals and nasty over-the-top double bass pedalling), and if you like recent Porcupine Tree, Oceansize etc - Then this is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I think they are a cornerstone of how modern heavy SPACE ROCK should sound - with the track UFO's leading the way. ( PS - Please more tracks like the hidden Scarecrows on the HAL EP.)

This rocks! Superb! I can't wait til the release of The Octopus! I sincerely hope they build further on this sound

I have thought long and hard about the rating - I have decided that this is a masterpiece of modern heavy space rock and a pig-headed push against the norm of Indie and classic Prog but the same influenced by both. It's not a masterpiece of Classic Prog, but it's so good I cannot help but give it maximum points.

Amplifier really are a very good band and well worth the listen - they have great melodies (nice vocals - not those hateful growling vocals that too many metal bands use these days), great effects (very interesting as they are all done on the guitar - though I wish they would do more than they do), and sound quite different than anything else out there. They are compared with Oceansize (great friends apparently), but I feel you should listen to them in their own right and not compare.

I really like this album, and would recommend to those who aren't Prog purists but rather to those who like alternative rock with a Spacey/ proggy feel.

If I was reviewing this in an alternative rock website I would give it 4 stars, the 3 stars is purely in terms of this website. I'm glad there are still in the Psychedelic/ Space rock section - partly because I think too many bands have been taken out of this, and also for those in this category it's always questionable whether it is true/ pure Prog - an argument which is great fun.....

Amplifier are in this unfathomable category

There are a few tracks (particularly in the middle of the album) which are OK/ fairly average - they sound like a kind of punk metal and I hope they don't stay down this path in future albums - Mongrel's Anthem, RIP, Elysian Gold and What is Music? (although this latter track has a nice Spacey start it loses it and doesn't regain it) are all moderate rock songs with a punky feel and I would rate them as 5 or 6 out of 10.

Where Amplifier excel is in their more Spacey tracks where they use more picked rhythms with occasional heavyweight thrashes + good melodies - O Fortuna, Insider, Strange Seas of Thought (although this track could do with being a minute or two shorter - a bit of a surprise statement for someone who loves lengthy tracks) are in this mould and are really good - 8 or 9 out of 10.

Also, they should add in more acousticy tracks with great melodies - the hidden track Scarecrows in the EP Astronaut Dismantles HAL was SUPERB! - Please more like this.

However, the album finishes with a bang! The last two tracks are amazingly good, an dif the whole album consisted of tracks like these then I would be considering 5 stars.

I would highly recommend getting this purely for the last 2 tracks Hymn of the Aten and Map of an Imaginary Place - if this is the future of Amplifier, then I am really excited.

SO, if you are reading - more Scarecrows amd Hymn of the Aten PLEASE!!

Amplifier - 'Insider' 2.5 stars

More or less the same.

After the remotely interesting EP prior to this album, I personally thought it would give this band some hope. All it did was make the band sound more polished, but still has the same useless grit regarding compositions. The space element is more abundant on this one but it really isn't actually integrated into the music, rather just thrown in the beginning and end of some songs, truly unappealing.

The worst is certainly not over there. With some truly retro sounds that remind me of Metallica, a band of the past, I hear a song in the style of...Greenday. Yes, Greenday, as low as a prog band can get pretty much. The lyrics on this album are also some of the worst I have heard in a long time in just about any genre, but rap of course.

This is a band that I have given a chance and probably one that I will completely forget about given time. Speaking of time, this band has been a complete waste of it. They do not merit any mention alongside bands like Porcupine Tree, Dredg or Oceansize.

First of all i don't think this is nearly as good as their debut.Having said that i love the sound these guys create,all that bottom end with that dark mood.I also like the singers vocals a lot, which simply means when you add it all up this one's a winner regardless of how much better the debut is.Some feel that this band isn't very progressive.I honestly could care less about that. If they're on this site i rate them by how much i like the music,not by how proggy it is.I'm not smart enough to rate music that way. "Gustav's Arrival" is one of the better tracks and a great way to start the album.It's actually only one of two instrumentals,so give them credit for making this the first song on here.It starts off spacey followed by some feedback then a full sound.The bass rocks in this one.Very powerful track. "O Fortuna" is faster paced but not as heavy to open.It's heavy now.Haha.Vocals a minute in.The drumming is fantastic! This one kicks hard. "Insider" is my favourite song on the album.It opens with a nice guitar line before the power comes in.Vocals join in.Amazing sound,i love the bass. "Mongrel's Anthem" features some really crushing guitar passages.The drummer is beating the hell out of his drumkit.The vocals are especially good here. "R.I.P." is a good tune but seems to lack something. "Strange Seas Of Thought" has this wonderful guitar intro as vocals and drums join in to great affect.That guitar melody returns 2 minutes in as drums pound.He cries out "Is there anybody out there!" I like this one alot "Procedures" opens with samples of someone doing things and then they start typing as the guitar comes in and mimics the typing.Very cool sound.Riffs follow and vocals join in.Such a catchy track. "Elysian Gold" has some meaningful lyrics while the drumming dominates.Great vocals and a powerful ending. "Oort" is really a 1 1/2 minute intro for the next track.We get heavy,spacey soundscapes that end with a beat as it blends into "What Is Music?".Vocals arrive a minute in.Nice heavy sound. "Hymn Of The Aten" opens with a brief spacey section then TOOL-like drumming comes in.This is dark and heavy as vocals arrive.Crushing sound before 2 minutes.Excellent tune. "Map Of An Imaginary Place" has this incredible low end sound,lots of bottom end.Vocals are reserved,and it settles down when he sings.Nice contrast.Nice album.

Amplifier - 'The Astronaut Dismantles Hal' 3 stars

A step in the right direction.

I was very angsty about the debut for not really being anything different from a typical grunge/alternative album. This album protests my statement a little bit. Amplifier seems to have a better sound, but really doesn't break the mold of the genre they are in. The space rock tag is a little more appealing on this EP then the debut album, but it really doesn't have the atmosphere and trippy feel or any of the like.

The Black Sabbath and Toolish riffs are just as abundant, the vocals are a bit more tolerable and recognizable. None of the songs really stand out from each other which is a bit of a bugger, the exception would ironically be the hidden track of the end of the album. Not much else to describe about this band or its music. Proceed with caution.

Amplifier - 'Amplifier' 2 stars

Prog?

At least with this album, I see no progressive tendencies so far with this band. The songs might be longer than normal rock standards, but they get their idea across in each song just as shortly, or even shorter. The psychedelic/space rock tag is also completely wrong, as this seems to be alternative metal, sometimes, just plain metal.

The one band to compare Amplifier to would be fellow hometown musicians Oceansize, who even make an appearance on backing vocals on this album. They share some similarities in sound, but I find Oceansize to be the praised older brother, while Amplifier is the reject of the family. Oceansize seems to be hitting all the right buttons to eventually become a promising act next decade while Amplifier is just regressing into oblivion.

This album doesn't have many original things going for it. A seasoned listener can hear lots of riffs that have been heard before, and a too similar vibe from the already mentioned Oceansize, Porcupine Tree, Dredg and dare I say some 90's Metallica.

The songs have littler variation of them; a track-by-track analysis would be completely ludicrous. The basis of the songs seems to be guitar oriented jams that just stay repetitive and then are polished with many overdubs. There is also little do discover upon multiple listens.

This is not something a listener will look forward too after hearing some of the brilliant alternative prog bands like Oceansize, Dredg and Mew. Dredg seems to be the band that really captured a real artistic form with their album 'El Cielo' and Oceansize continues to push the right buttons with their latest 'Frames' to be truly outstanding. Amplifier's debut was a struggle to create anything that can be considered new, but regressive to just common alternative music, maybe some dated 80's-90's metal and even the blackest depths of grunge music. Not recommended to anyone unless they just want some simple alternative music in their library.

It doesn't get much better than this for my musical tastes.Heavy,melodic,powerful and dark.This is a trio? And i thought RUSH could make a lot of noise for a trio. I have had their EP "The Astronaut Dismantles Hal" for some time now and enjoy it a lot,but this absolutely blows it out of the water with the sheer intensity and wall of sound they create.It does bring to mind some of the nineties alternative bands i used to listen to as well. "Motorhead" opens with some scorching feedback as drums come pounding in followed by powerful doom-like wall of sound.When vocals come in the sound lightens.Check out the drumming when he's singing.It gets so heavy and chaotic 5 minutes in. "Airborne" is dark with some atmosphere.Drums arrive after a minute.The guitar starts to light it up.Vocals 2 1/2 minutes in.Love when he sings "It's time to fly" after 4 1/2 minutes,very powerful.The drumming is incredible.It's hard to believe, but it kicks into an even higher gear 6 minutes in.My God! Talk about being overwelmed.Awesome tune. "Panzer" offers up to us more punishingly heavy music.Vocals are aggressive and emotional.Thunderous bass before 4 minutes followed by the best part of the song after 5 minutes when the guitar starts to rip it up. "Old Movies" is slower to begin with as drums and guitar that echo create a lot of atmosphere.Vocals a minute in.It kicks in before 2 1/2 minutes.Killer sound! This contrast continues. "Post Acid Youth" opens with some nice deep bass as drums slowly pound, and a soundscape is created by the guitar.A very alternative sounding tune.I like it! "Neon" opens with a simple guitar line as it becomes fuller sounding rather quickly.A calm when the vocals come in.This contrast continues. "On/Off" opens with a gentle guitar melody as light drums join in.Reserved vocals follow.The chorus is so uplifting.They turn up the power before 4 minutes.Nice.The rest of the song is fantastic.Blistering guitar 5 1/2 minutes in. "The Consultancy" has such an amazing sound to it.The drumming is great. "One Great Summer" may be my favourite.There are so many good songs though.1 1/2 minutes in the song becomes so crushing and moving. "UFOs" is very dark to open.Tons of atmosphere.Vocals before 2 minutes.What a change before 2 1/2 minutes as it brightens and breaks me.It happens again a minute later.Love the mood 4 1/2 minutes in that is similar to the intro.A minute later a wall of guitar hits us hard.Another dark atmosphere follows. This sounds so good turned up really loud.I'm not surprised with all the high praises throughout the music world that i read in the bio here at ProgArchives after hearing this for myself.