QUANDARY

"Out Of Time" is spacey to start then it kicks in before settling back again. It picks up before 1 1/2 minutes with vocals. Not a fan of the vocals here or the double bass drumming. "Illusion Of Progress" has a good heavy sound to start then it settles with vocals before 1 1/2 minutes. Some nice instrumental work after 5 minutes. I like it ! Vocals are back before 7 1/2 minutes. "Umbra" is just a fantastic instrumental. More please. "Ready To Fail" is laid back as the vocals join in. Piano only 2 minutes in to end this short track. "Waiting For Change" is drums, guitar and synth led then it settles with vocals before a minute. It kicks back in as contrasts continue. It's an okay track.

"Penumbra" is excellent as the guitar starts to solo before a minute then the keyboards take over. Guitar is back then some heaviness. Great sound after 3 minutes, bass follows. "Disconnect" is also very impressive especially when it kicks into gear. Vocals follow then it picks up before 4 minutes. A calm and then a different soundscape after 7 1/2 minutes. "Cloud Shapes" is spacey with piano then some heaviness. A nice heavy sound before 2 minutes then it settles back again. Double bass drumming after 4 minutes. It settles some after 9 minutes. "Stepping Stones" is the over 20 minute closer. It works for the most part.It slowly developes. We do get vocals and some piano early and later on.The tempo shifts often as well.

I'm just trying to imagine this band with a better singer or playing all-instrumental. I'm thinking they would create quite the buzz. I still think Metal fans should check this out as there's lots to like.

Quandary is a relatively new band from Australia, and Ready to Fail is the inapt title of their debut album. Boasting terrific musicianship and great compositional talent, I can confidently say that Quandary has released one of the better progressive metal albums to come out in 2010. Although there is still some work that could be done with their sound, these guys have started on a great note. This is a promising and highly enjoyable debut album.

Quandary plays a style style of traditional progressive metal with a heavy Liquid Tension Experiment/Dream Theater flavor. Don't mistake Quandary for a clone band, though - these guys still have their own sound. There is a high-level of technicality, however, that would remind me of Liquid Tension Experiment especially. A lot of this album is instrumental, though there are also some vocal parts. Unfortunately, the vocals are usually a mixed bag. Sometimes they are really strong, and sometimes they are really weak. In the first track, Out of Time, the vocals are on the weaker side, whereas the vocals in Waiting for Change are great. The vocals rarely drag down my experience, but the few weak sections are worth noting. Despite the few vocal shortcomings, Quandary is an incredibly tight, highly impressive unit. These guys are simply a joy to listen to.

The production is pretty good. It's a bit too raw at times, but it generally sounds great.

Conclusion:

Ready to Fail is a highly impressive and mature work from these young Australian lads. If you like technical prog metal, this is an album worth checking out. If Quandary could develop a slightly more unique and distinct style in the future, I could see them getting a large fanbase. They definitely have the chops to succeed in the crowded prog metal world. A 3.5 star rating is well-earned for this mature and promising beginning. It'll be interesting to see where these guys go in the future.

From first intro track that presents us band's music range (Rock, dark themed Prog Metal, Melodic Metal, Heavy parts), we'll get a preview of how this album will be like. Fortunately, intro is handled well, in similar fashion as full song, as which some may take it. Especially when piano plays, that's my favourite moment. Fast forward to more Prog Rock toned ballads like Waiting For a Change or part operatic, part melancholic, full calm title track Ready To Fail. And then two epics of epics, with particulary interesting second epic (because it's different), which starts very slowly, setting in PM mode after long 6 minutes. It really ends on a high note.

Melody is very difficult beast to tame. However guys from Q. handled it well (and it's not easy job, because everyone can sound cheesy, but to sound interesting and more or less original, it's hard these days). However, beauty of this album strikes me so much that I hesitate how to rate quite a lot. Still, the result is

5(-) because for how it was conceived, produced (nothing "professional", yet perfect sound quality - check band's homepage), for how it sets charming atmosphere and how "fresh" it sounds.