CTVRTA POLNICE

Definitely an album to bring to people's attention as something a little different in 2019. This band from the Czech Republic keep the lyrics in their native tongue which I don't speak a word of - but that doesn't really matter, normally I'd rather not understand the lyrics and just appreciate the flow, rather than them translating poorly into English and it appearing 'clunky' as many people do.

Listed as crossover prog, this is absolutely true, mostly a fairly dark almost post metal sound, interspersed with breaks that hit both Jazz and heavy genres.... which is exactly what makes this album interesting. Every track blends brilliantly between light and funky, and dark and brooding. The best 'mainstream' comparison I can make with my limited musical repertoire is it being like if Radiohead did an occasional bit of jazz.

The opener is a great jazz/heavy mix while the second track Zjeveni is possibly the best example of the more brooding style. Pulnocni Zachvat starts off with very minimalist vocals a la Thom Yorke before breaking in to a heavy dark guitar riff towards the end. Kov o kov brings in a microtonal guitar which is pretty interesting, and i particularly like the fast paced instrumental break towards the end of Bozi syn.

All those tracks are a prog standard 5-7 minutes long, but then we get a 14 minuter in Druha Obet. Its a slow builder with a methodical and heavy guitar riff to start, dropping into minimalist soft guitar and vocals which drop in and out between heavier sections. There's then room for an almost early-Pink-Floyd-like spacey section before we're back to heavier and more complex time signatures. A really great track. The album then finishes with a five minute atmospheric track to round things off nicely.

Definitely recommended as what is currently a pretty unknown album from 2019.