TR3NITY

This album would be an ambitious undertaking for an established band, let alone a debut. This is the first album by Tr3nity, a four-piece from the UK, and they have started their career with a concept album that is dealing with the hard subject of child abuse and neglect, and the consequences of that. The character, Cathy, gets involved in the drug scene and has children of her own and promises to get herself sorted out but attempts suicide before finding a final solution. Lyrically this is a very strong album, although I did find that I got more out of the album by reading the story that was provided with it (perhaps some of that could have gone into the booklet?), but that is available on the excellent web site at www.tr3nity.com.

The music combines elements of Pendragon with Pink Floyd and can be extremely dramatic and powerful indeed (such as at the end of "Into The Dark"), while the interplay between keyboards and guitar on "Which Way?" is impressive. The music can be very uplifting at times, which initially caused me to have an issue with the album as a whole. How can a subject as dark as this have music that is powerful and bright? But if this were a drone, a drudge to listen to, would anyone play it? The answer to that is no, and Tr3nity have managed to combine the dark storyline with music that is interesting and lyrics that are compelling. Chris Campbell's vocals are very clear, and fit the music well, which can be dramatic yet quiet, atmospheric yet in your face (listen to the epic 'The Exposure Suite' and hear the 'Wish You Were Here' influences shine through).

This is an album that has to be played a great deal, so that the layers of the onion can be peeled away. There are great depths and emotions that come with this work and on the basis of this the band have a great future ahead of them.

Originally appeared in Feedback #69, Aug 02

TR3NITY are a Neo-Prog band out of the UK and this is their second and most recent release from 2004. It's interesting that i'm the first collaborator to give this 3 stars as the rest have given 2 or 4 stars respectively. I really enjoyed parts of this album as I listened to it all of last week, and while it does have it's moments,overall I think 3 stars is fair from my standpoint. We get five long tracks over 68 1/2 minutes.

"Livin A Lie" opens with atmosphere as the guitar soars.The guitar stops before 2 1/2 minutes but the atmosphere continues. Faint spoken words can be heard in the background. Drums and bass before 4 minutes.The guitar comes to the fore after 5 1/2 minutes.Vocals for the first time 7 minutes in. Some nice bass after 9 minutes and the tempo picks up suddenly before 13 minutes and synths join in. "Run Before You Walk" opens with piano as vocals join in. A fuller sound 1 1/2 minutes in which sounds excellent. A calm with piano once again 3 minutes in then it rebuilds.The guitar leads 5 1/2 minutes in and vocals are back a minute later. A guitar solo starts before 8 minutes but it's brief.

"From Afar" has a light intro and reserved vocals join in. Drums then some prominant bass after 4 minutes.Vocals are back before 8 minutes. A pleasant track. "More Than I Deserve" opens with piano and fragile vocals.The vocals stop after 3 minutes and don't return until before 9 minutes. In between we get some good instrumental work that builds before 4 minutes then levels out. "The Last Great Climb" is the over 20 minute closer. Atmosphere to start and vocals come in around a minute. Piano, drums and bass kick in after 2 minutes. A tasteful guitar solo before 8 minutes. A couple of prolonged instrumental passages come and go before this one ends.

A good album that Neo-Prog fans should check out.

A UK-based modern progressive rock band,TR3NITY were formed in 1998 by musicians Rob Davenport (guitars,bass) and Paul Gath (keyboards,piano).They started TR3NITY as a project,but as the time went by they transformed into a full band with the addition of full-time musicians.Signed by Cyclops Label,they released their debut ''The cold light of darkness'' in 2002.

With such a haunting title,you can expect nothing more than an album strongly based on atmosphere and deep emotions.It tells a story about Cathy,a young girl who have been abused as a child and her life is the main subject of the album.Influenced by the likes of GENESIS,PINK FLOYD as well as neo prog acts like PENDRAGON,''The cold light of darkness'' stays away from complex themes or abstract interplays and leans towards melody and harmony.Three are the main elements of this album:the soaring guitars and the GILMOUR-inspired solos of Davenport,the strong synth work and the ambient-like passages of Gath and the massive vocal attack of the ultra-sensitive voice of Chris Campbell.No interplays,no changing tempos...the album follows a slow/mid-tempo,which allows the listener to enter the story even better.Definitely a grower,''The cold light of darkness'' should be labeled under the most sensitive works of easy-listening prog rock of 2002 and should certainly appeal to a great mass of neo/symphonic/melodic rock fans.

I know we, and then especially the prog reviewers, are not allowed to refer to other reviews and reviewers basically because you have to write your own thing and that has nothing to do with what the others are saying about it. I usually stick to the rule and I agree with it but this time I will have to write a little story about it because this is too interesting to ignore. It's a story of 4 prog reviewers (actually 4,5 but we'll leave Chessman out of it) who have been reviewing the two albums by Tr3nity. Two of them (hdfisch and Zowieziggy) gave two stars in both occasions and two others (Tarcisio Maura and yours truly) gave 4 stars for the same albums. And because one of the reasons the prog reviewers are here on this site and the main job they do is to inform readers and visitors about the quality and significance of the bands and albums, this is actually becoming an interesting situation. For if you are a visitor and read these 8 reviews what will have to be your decision ? I mean, four 4 star reviews and four 2 star opinions will leave such a visitor puzzled. I will explain in this review how this all is possible.

Tr3nity happens to be a typical neo progressive band and we all know by now that a band like that is not everybody's favourite ball game so to speak. And that's in a nut shell what the whole thing is about. Those who happen to know more of my reviews will know by now that I'm a true neo progfan and I honestly believe Tr3nity is a high class act in this subgenre. Well, also mr Chessman doesn't hate neo prog and not even mr Zowieziggy so I have to admit I'm quite surprised they disqualify albums by Tr3nity. Am I being too generous with this English band ? I can answer this with a resolute NO ! The only thing I am willing to admit to the 2 starraters is that both albums are no masterpieces and also that Tr3nity is not the very best neo band in history. But still, they are very skilled and they can write great compositions. And if you read the 2 star reviews there is no denial about these facts, even with them. Their major problem with Tr3nity is the lack of originality and significance for prog history. I keep saying: if those are the criterions, we can stop reviewing half of the bands on PA because most of the 4000 bands are not really original and are usually inspired by predecessors.

Now some things about the album: If I compare this debut to the successor I must say this one is more versatile than Precious Seconds. And this is not necessarily a positive thing. I like PS all along, think it's a very consistent album on a high level. This debut on the other hand is an album with two "faces"'. The first half of the album is truly great and even magnificent. The two epical tracks are brilliant with a significant remark about Which Way that appears an odd song for Tr3nity because it's very jazzy whilst all their other songs (incl Precious Seconds) are symphonical neoprog. Another brilliant song amongst the first 4 is the almost 10 minute track Into the Dark. This song is equal to the first epic, Eyes of a Child, a song with a good first vocal part followed by tremendous instrumental stuff in the second half of the songs by both keyboards and guitar. Tr3nity is absolutely excellent with these kind of songs.

On the other hand there's also the second half of the album (The Exposure Suite as they call it) that is slightly disappointing to me. It consists of mainly shorter, ballad like songs, and I have to say this is not the best feature of Tr3nity.

But the first 4 tracks are that great that it's not possible for me anymore to ruin the rating and I think that's also fair because measured in time we are talking of 2/3 of the album.

Very nice debut album from this fine and interesting neo prog band from England. Tr3nity´s music sounds deceptively simple, bland and repetitive on the first hearings, which is quite deceiving. But if you listen to it a few more times, you´re hooked. Unlike some opinions here on PA I find this album to grow on each listening. The more I hear the more I like it and find - just like their second efford - many subtle details that escape the casual listener.

The songs are very melodic, with some great guitar solos (much in the vein of Camel´s Andrew Latimer and Floyd´s David Gilmour), good keyboards (again deceptively simple on first sight) and some nice, emotional vocals. The theme they chose is quite disturbing (child abuse and its consequences), but it is well done in my opinion. Ok, the concept may not always work (the Exposure Suite is a good example), but still the musical side of it is worth, going from good to excellent.

There are some surprising elements and styles changes here and there, like the funky rhythms of Which Way or the bluesy guitar solo in the end, but after some spins I felt they fit in ok and ended up liking them too. There are no sudden and obvious, bombastic, shifting moods or changes, but they are there, and this is part of their charm: you have to pay atention, and then you´ll be rewarded in the end with one of the most interesting and gratifying neo prog albums I heard in the new millenium.

This is not really a masterpiece but it is also excellent. So my rating is 4 stars. The Cold Light Of Darkness is not as refined as their second CD, but the basic formula is here. If you like melodic, subtle, emotional music with some fine keyboards sounds and great guitar a la Camel, you should listen to Tr3nity. Well done, boys! I´m looking forward to hear their next work as soon as it is out. Great find in PA!

I have to agree with Progrules when he talks about this album. My goodness! It´s beautiful! But it took me some time to really enjoy it in its full potential, but when it did, I was hooked. I heard it nonstop all this weekend and I still want more. The music may sound a bit too simple and popish on the surface sometimes, but then you discover many suble details that reveal the truly great progressive work Precious Seconds is inside. With obvious influences of other great bands like Pink Floyd, Camel, Pendragon and the like, they did produce a fantastic sound of their own.

Rob Davenport´s guitar playing is great, reminding me of Andre Latimer sometimes, although they way he plays the acoustic parts is very different. Keyboards could be a little more upfront, but are very good anyway. Bassist Graham Lane does also a fine job (his fretless licks in the beginning of the Last Great Climb is great). Vocalist Chris Campbell has a fine voice and I liked his emotional, sincere delivering.

All the five, long tracks are good. Highlights for me are the opener Livin A Lie (great instrumental 6 minute intro, much in the vein of Camel´s The SnowGoose before the vocals come kickin´ in), the ballad From Afar and the 20 minute epic The Last Great Climb (with its shifting moods and atmospheres).

I´m looking forward to hear their future works. Very promising. I recommend this album to anyone who likes symphonic neo prog in the vein of Camel and Pendragon. Four solid stars.

After re-visiting Precious seconds, I realised that I had bought BUT NEVER LISTENED TO, The Cold Light of Darkness (Thats what you get when you order dozens of CD's in a period, and get hooked on a specific few, you just forget some purchases). Anyway, I listened tonight and was very pleasantly suprised, this is a hidden gem, a neat exercise in progressive rock, with long tracks and lucious and varied synth sounds. Excellent guitar solos and one VERY FLOYDIAN track (Track 4, which way). I reckon you'll either hate the vocals or like them, I like em, but I think this CD is a very good addition to any collector who is into YES,GENESIS and FLOYD, the band are obviously very influenced by the three giants of symphonic progressive rock, and I reckon this CD stands alongside a lot of contemporary bands trying to produce quality into the the new millennia. I am going to give this a FIVE, too even things up againm it deserves a FOUR anyway....

Just given this a spin, whilst chilling out on a Friday night, while the Mrs watches Emmerdale and Corrie. I bought this CD a while ago and gave it a few listens, then as I bought more and more, this sort of got lost, so I thought I would give it an ear, and I was pleasantly suprised. After my recent Glass Hammer a thon and then Abel Ganz, Flower kings and then the little known Sunchild (Antony Kalugin), this had a lot to live up to! However, this CD provides four good length tracks with an EPIC at the end, and though the production isn't great this CD is definately PROG and eben the vocals don't degrade from it that much for me. The tracks are thoughtfully crafted and their are plenty of instrumental passages of nice complexity and length. It's hard to place the influences, but possibly pink floyd and Genesis, especially Hackett. I really like the bass guitar playing at the end of the epic, and I genuinely like this CD, it has had a few appalling reviews but that is in the ear of the beholder. I don't like the five star rating system as there is nowhere enough granularity to quantify the truly great from the truly awful (5 to 1????) and all the nuances in between. I am going with a FIVE, yep because this CD needs a bit of TLC, it clearly isn't on a par with Close to the Edge or Selling England, but IF Dark Side of the Moon GETS A FIVE (when it TRULY is not prog) then this CD is a least 3 stars better.

This second album from "T3nity" starts as their first one ("Eyes Of A Child").

A long and fully Floydian instrumental part is bringing you back to the likes of "SOYCD". But it is not the first time that neo-prog bands use this fantastic song as their source of inspiration.

But still, it is rather pleasant. This song is fortunately almost instrumental, because the vocal parts are flirting again with the funky / soul mood as during the painful "Which Way" from "The Cold Light Of Darkness Back". It is really strange that this band who offers some pleasant music can turn into such pitiful masquerade (no link at all with the great "Pendragon" album of course).

During this album, the musical passages are good to very good but I have to agree that vocals are difficult to bear and are definitely weakening the whole work. But during "Run Before You Walk", neither of them are memorable; better said it is a weak number. Press next.

You'll reach "From Afar" which is a light song with a nice piano intro. The relation with "Pendragon" is very obvious. It's the situation of a neo-prog band emulating another one. Not quite original but the melodies (piano and guitar) do have this little extra of emotion and beauty that makes me like it very much. Not complex but enjoyable. Especially those superb guitar breaks. The finale is a brilliant explosion of symphonic sounds. The best song from this album, but some other reviewer think it is the worst, so make up your own mind and SHARE it, please.

"More Than I Deserve" has a very similar structure but the smooth intro which is leading to the inevitable guitar solo is a bit longish and repetitive (dull?). It takes about eight minutes to listen to the first captivating notes. But not for long since a minute later the vocals come in .Not convincing at all. Pretty boring actually.

The epic of the album starts almost starts like the opening number. Fully atmospheric and spacey. But only for a minute or so. This song falls quickly flat. It lacks in charismatic moments (but which such a lead vocalist, it would have been difficult), and true and melodic solo are too scarce to be blown away even if, fortunately, Rob Davenport gratifies the listener with some good guitar work. But even these will be so short and too few that it is almost not necessary to mention them.

If you reach the middle of this song, some "Marillion" flavour will probably draw your attention. Vaguely inspired by "Market Square Heroes", the rhythm is picking up joyfully. "Tr3nity" was also deceiving with their epic and closing number on their previous recording. To be honest, I have to say that "The Last Great Climb" is slightly better but when I am confronted to a twenty minute song, I always expect something great of it. And this one just doesn't fulfil my requirements.

Actually, without being so harsh with this album as some of my colleagues, I will conclude with the same rating. Two stars even if five out of ten would be more appropriate. I really hope that this type of rating (half star) will soon be available on PA. That would be a wonderful present. Think about it Max!

The first time I listened to the wonderful intro of "Eyes Of A Child" I was really blown away. Such nice and atmospheric keyboards brought me back to the seventies. And time after time, the same feeling prevails. Great harmony, good and deep vocals convey such a peaceful feeling.

Obvious influences are Floyd (for the intro) and "Genesis" of course for the big chunk of this long song (over fifteen minutes). Not extremely original maybe, but so pleasant.

The acoustic opening part of "The Mask" could have been a "Pendragon" one. Chris Campbell's voice is on the soft mood. A bit similar to Martin Wilson (from "Grey Lady Down"). But the comparison can go beyond the voice only.

There won't be any yelling during this album. Delicate vocal harmonies, at times on the mellowish side like for "Into The Dark" which is probably not the best song from "The Cold Light Of Darkness". But Nick Barrett's shadow is very much present behind the great guitar solo and emotion makes intrinsically part of this song.

Of course these references are not on the complex side of the musical scope available amongst all the bands featured on PA; but they have their fans and utility. The one to release joyful music even if the "déjà vu" feeling can't be ignored.

The first blunder from this album is the funky/soul (!) oriented "Which Way". Rather incomprehensible in the midst of so much symphony. These funky beats are rather inappropriate (as the poor backing vocals). This was completely unexpected to be honest. This song is heading nowhere while the most Floydian and subtle guitar break will highlight this number. But why the hell combining these great and aerial sounds with this awful main theme ??? A mystery.The band should only have kept this part (still clocking at almost seven minutes) since this album is almost seventy minutes long.

The third long song of this album is a suite divided into four sections. Starting with a mostly acoustic opening ("The Film") which will only deviate for some soft electric guitar notes to magnify it. Forgotten these awful vocals from "Which Way". The band has reverted to its melodic style again and the music is slightly better while they perform like this even if, again, the music might sound too mellow. Because the second part "Help Me" is somewhat dull and I am not sure that it was really needed (even if it is a concept album and that there are often parts which are not really strong in these works). But still, over four minutes of this excessively soft ballad is too much.

I must say that the third section "Is There A Paradise" is made of the same mould. This time, vocals are only backed up by some sweet piano notes but some variety would have been needed by now. Almost forteen minutes is way too much and pretty boring unfortunately.

Now, the second blunder. The fourth section of "The Exposure". Gosh! It sounds as bad as "Which Way". I just can't understand that a band releases such a long song with of so little interest.

My conclusion is that half this album is very good while the other half is just poor. Two stars.