SPOKE OF SHADOWS

As the project named Spoke of Shadows comprises one-half of Texas band Herd of Instinct, who released two critically acclaimed albums between 2011 and 2013, first-time listeners might be forgiven for expecting more of the same. However, Warr guitarist Mark Cook has stated on several occasions that his collaboration with session drummer Bill Bachman has provided him with the opportunity to add new elements to his sonic palette - also thanks to the contribution of artists coming from a wide range of musical backgrounds. Indeed, while the connection to Cook's work with Herd of Instinct is clearly on display, quite a few surprises await the listener throughout the 12 relatively short, completely instrumental tracks featured on the duo's eponymous debut.

Unlike some musicians who seem to be in a hurry to distance themselves from the "prog" tag, Cook and Bachman (who, among other things, share a love of Gabriel-era Genesis) embrace the definition, as highlighted by the prominent role given to the genre's iconic instrument, the mellotron. Coupled with Cook's masterful handling of the hauntingly versatile Warr guitar (an instrument that, in many ways, symbolizes modern prog, even if it has never become truly widespread), it builds lush yet deeply mesmerizing atmospheres that surge and shimmer, conveying a wide range of moods in a subtle yet clearly recognizable way.

The skillful blend of atmospherics and aggression of opener "Dominion", with its polyphonic guitar chords offset by Bachmann's nuanced drumming, immediately brings Herd of Instinct's distinctive style to mind. "Images", however, heralds a keen change in approach - more straightforward in compositional terms, and therefore more reliant on contrasts of light and shade, Bob Fisher's expressive flute adding an almost free-form touch towards the end. The short, jazzy mood piece of "One Day" - embellished by Charlie Daniels Band's keyboardist Shannon Wickline's lovely flowing piano - introduces the razor-sharp Crimsonian workout of "Harbinger", where the haunting wail of the Warr guitar and the pastoral tone of flute and mellotron rub elbows with a "shredder" solo by Thought Chamber guitarist Michael Harris, as well as a funkier one by Tony Rohrbough (formerly of West Virginia metal band Byzantine). "Lost One" brings back a gentle pastoral mood fleshed out by lush mellotron, while the 7-minute "Pain Map" (the album's longest track) closes the album's first half on a striking modern classical note - mellotron and evocative field recordings vying with riff-heavy passages and eerily echoing guitar.

The second half's more low-key direction is ushered by "Splendid Sisters", co-written and -performed by Dave Streett, another Warr guitar enthusiast and long-time collaborator of Cook's. The wistful, elegiac piece is a tribute to talented Italian stickist Virginia Splendore (who passed away in 2011), suitably adorned by its soothing guitar and flute, understated drumming, and solemn mellotron and electric piano (courtesy of Djam Karet's Gayle Ellett). The restrained, atmospheric "Persona" and "Accord" are conceived along similar lines, while the dramatic sweep and doom-laden riffing of "Tilting at Windmills" once again suggest Herd of Instinct's cinematic vision. "Dichotomy" starts out in deceptively subdued fashion before developing into another Crimson-hued number propelled by Bachman's imperious drumming. The album is wrapped up by the heady stylistic mix of "Drama of Display", where assertive riffs coexist with ethnic-tinged drumming and a panoply of intriguing sound effects.

With its understated elegance and focused eclecticism, "Spoke of Shadows" offers an ideal complement to Herd of Instinct's two albums. As usual, the visual aspect of the cover art - a dark grey background interrupted by a row of bright orange windows (courtesy of photographer Garth Hill) - has been carefully thought out, providing a fine foil to the music within. While the album is a must-listen for devotees of the King Crimson school of instrumental progressive rock (which includes the work of Trey Gunn and Tony Levin), it also has the potential to appeal to a broader section of the prog audience - especially those who are looking for fresh approaches to the old Symphonic Prog chestnut.