METROPOLIS

The sole live album by our Brighton Prog-Math band, I remember when this was released and it was the first time in a while where I was intrigued to check out a live release (since some friends of mine got on Audiotree Live... and, like, for the latest official Holdsworth release). I'm a big believer in the superiority of studio recordings (maybe 95% of the time). What I didn't know when it was released was that this is the first time we hear newer addition to the band, saxophonist Miles Spilsbury (who made their debut on Death Sequence, 2019), on a number of tracks (anything that's not from the Death Sequence EP, so most of it). As the name of this live album implies, this was recorded at Metropolis Studios in London.

As from the start, with "Death Sequence I", this is a natural showcase of the ability of this band. Strong performance, with Spilsbury at the helm. All in full-stride around minute 2. "Calpyso" is a straight-ahead number. Then it's onto "Death Sequence II", I feel it nice to have had these first two parts separated. Low and slow till the backend. The sax and the drums (of course, in my experience) are absolutely the highlight. "Death Sequence III" closes out this showcase of their newest chapter, a spacy, more electronic, synthy, feeling song. It's pretty good.

Onto two of their career highlights from Mercury Fountain (my personal favorite release thus far), an extended (like doubled in length) version of "Holy Caves" into "Surrogate Head". There's something Floyd-esque in this minimal (also apparently extended) intro (like Umma Gumma?). These two tracks together are more of a modern Space jam. I feel like it's weirdly a weaker show of them here... Then an even more notable number but from their earliest effort, "ObeliskMonolith", this one actually shortened when compared to the original, perhaps faster (I'm fairly confident, yes)? This is a glowing track, with blazing speed and with the excellent addition of sax. The rhythm section is, of course, fire. Awesome. The certain album highlight for me.

The remainder of this release is entirely from Mercury Fountain, in fact the final 4 tracks are the final 4 of that album, performed in order. Not too surprising, given its strong song cycle structure. "Obidant" starts things off low, slow and creeping, then in its second half loud and boisterous. Nice, quick guitar solo here at the end. "Impolex" starts off immediately and with immediacy, with brutal, incessant bass, distant saxings and synthy glimmers. Compositionally minimal, but in your face. All falls away on "The Astral Wave", with soft, clean guitar and what sounds like acoustic piano. An immediate build around the midpoint gives way to a feeling guitar solo over a sweet groove. Here it is a gradual build, with underlying synths and growing rhythm section, culminating to beefy guitar riffage and a sax solo. Finally, it's "Mobius Stripp II", the album closer twice now. Very spacy, even minimal, and then booming. A wicked and sudden burst to conclude it all.

True Rate: 3.75/5.00

I think this would be a solid introduction to this band's discography. I think they've had more success in the studio, but still a shining show of their potential.