AUSTRALIS

3.5 stars. I like this instrumental album but not enough to give it 4 stars. I felt all last week listening to it that something was missing but I was never sure what it was. I do love the way these guys play, because they are great musicians, and I was even reminded of RUSH a couple of times which is always a plus for me.The synths although prominant, are usually in the background the way i like them. I didn't feel there was much in the way of variety, it all sort of blends together with subtle differences usually(not always).

The guitar tone ended up being the thing that I disliked the most. Not that it's bad, it's just not the way I like it. It was when I started to do this review that I saw that the guitarist on this album is the same guitarist for the band ENTRANCE. I couldn't get into that band either. I like AUSTRALIS better than them.

So it's all a matter of taste isn't it ? It just never gets that heavy, and not even close to being dark.

Capturing the ethereal aura and spacey textures of synth-driven art rock, on one hand, and the power of complex heavy prog rock (clearly bordering on prog metal in many moments), on the other hand, Australis manages to create a well integrated amalgam of progressive sounds in which melodies and ambiences intertwine fluidly and naturally. The band's sound bears an obviously contemporary feel, while retaining a solid respect for the standard demands of skilfull soloing and interplaying all over the place. If you can imagine a marriage between Ozric Tentacles at their rockiest and Planet-X, then how would their son turn out to be after being mentally nurtured by Allan Holdsworth and Tribal Tech members as teachers, then this very creature is Australis. More than a band, this is a side project maintained by musicians from other bands (Entrance, Octopus, etc.), plus a fifth member providing multimedia sound and vision effects to the global mix. After the heavily cinbernetic intro accurately titled 'Intro', filled with trance-like atmospheres within a concise frame, comes the explosive 'Andrómeda', a perfect example of heavy rock that can be catchy and complex at the same time. Its 6+ minute span seems to pass so fast as the track goes on toward its end, just because its basic lines and progressions are irresistible attractive. The guitar is the main lead instrument, but that is not a barrier against the surfacing of personality by the synth when it's time ofr its own solo - meanwhile, the rhythm duo is solid as a rock, and so the group's overall sound rocks really hard. This track is not only an effective second opener, but also a testimony of the main virtues of the band: well-constructed dynamics in the compositional bases and well-balanced energy all throughout the instrumental deliveries. 'Aquaris' goes to slightly more introspective places, while 'Ganímedes' seems to stand firmly in a mid point between the previous two track's ambiences. Regarding the latter track, I must give a special mention to the clever use of syncopated dynamics by the rhythm section, including an amazing Brualio Aspés bass solo befor Pilnik's final guitar lead. Tracks 2 and 4 are specific highlights of the album, but not the only ones, since track 5, titled 'Astro Rey' finds the band taking and taming the most complex aspects of their compositional and arranging skills. This piece sounds pretty much like an effective (and somehow weird) mixture of modern Camel, 80s Holdsworth and 1992-era Dream Theater: the tempo shifts are managed naturally and convincingly, as if trying to disguise a bit of the inner dexterity with a soft veil of subtlety. Tracks 2, 4 and 5 really make it for the album as a whole, but it wouldn't be fair to dismiss the other pieces. In fact, the album works very well as a cohesive musical journey. 'Tribal', in may ways, retakes the general atmosphere of 'Andrómeda', catchy and punchy in the vein of CAB-meets-Planet X, while 'Big Bang' and 'Eclipse' display a particular emphasis on the trend of melodic jazz-rock. Of course, the synth layers help to keep things cosmic to some degree. The closer 'Ciberlatin' brings a lighter mood, in this way offering a sign of vivacity that feels very appropriate as a farewell. Obviously, Pilnik is the main hero in this project's repertoire, managing to momentarily leave the Entrance mold in order to explore his own leanings toward Holdsworth and MacAlpine. But the fairiest thing to say is that the band seems preferentially concerned about working as a unit, with drummer Rodrigo Sánchez assuming the role as the frontal complement to Pilnik, with the remaining instruments delivering their inputs in the middle field, so to speak. This album is nice, moving, catchy, full of rich musical ideas: hopefully, the people of Australis will find time to conceive a follow-up. The empathetic listener will be left wanting more, no doubt about it.