THE SKY IS FALLING

Thanks to the addition of the "Official Review Our Music Board" in the PA forums, I have had the great pleasure of discovering a few generally unknown modern prog acts. One of these acts is Days Before Tomorrow, a band which clearly has a very bright future ahead of them. It's rare that I come across such a professional sounding debut album, which can only make me wonder where this band will be in a few years. Though I'm no fortune teller, I have a hint that Days Before Tomorrow will be doing great things.

The Sky Is Falling is Days Before Tomorrow's first album, but second release if you count their debut self-titled EP. I haven't heard the EP, but all three of the songs on it are contained on The Sky Is Falling. The band contains five core members, but features two guests on piano and keyboards. It's pretty interesting that Days Before Tomorrow doesn't have a full-time keyboard player, considering how important the instrument is in the neo-prog genre. This doesn't affect the quality of the music in any way, though. Keyboards are never overused (which is a good thing), and they really add a lot of depth to the sections where they are present. This is honestly a positive thing, considering all of the synth-drenched Marillion clones out there. I think the guitar-focused sound of DBT gives them their own identity in the crowded prog rock genre.

The sound on The Sky Is Falling is original and fresh. Don't expect anything extremely groundbreaking, but Days Before Tomorrow's blend of AOR and neo-prog coated with a fresh modern sound gives this band a true sense of direction. To me, Days Before Tomorrow sounds like a blend of U2, Spock's Beard, Marillion (during the Hogarth-era especially), and Porcupine Tree (especially on their albums Deadwing and In Absentia). The result is a fantastic modern prog album, well worth hearing for fans of Spock's Beard, Echolyn, and Marillion.

I was given this album from Scott Kahn in an MP3 format, so I am missing out on the 24-page booklet. I've heard that the artwork is fantastic and that the booklet further explains the concept, so it is probably worth getting. I can't comment on this topic though.

The production is professional-sounding, which should be expected considering it was produced by Ron Nevison (The Who, The Rolling Stones, Chicago, Led Zeppelin, Meat Loaf, etc.) and engineered by Grammy-Award winning Earl Cohen. All of the instruments sound perfect, and Eric Scott Klein's vocals are produced perfectly. I can hear all of the instruments clearly, and there's not a blemish in sight. This is how a modern prog album should always sound!

The musicians are fantastic on The Sky Is Falling. Lead singer Eric Scott Klein deserves a special mention. What a fantastic singer! He has such a powerful and diverse voice, and really makes listening to this album a pleasure. The vocal harmonies are excellent as well, and add another dimension to the music. The music on The Sky Is Falling is mostly guitar-driven, and both Derek Davodowich and Scott Kahn do a fantastic job. They are both very tight and precise, but deliver some very emotional solos when they need to. The two guitarists really compliment each other well. Rob Maziekien Jr. is a solid bassist with some great basslines throughout the course of the album. Jason Gianni is a tight drummer whose style fits this type of music perfectly. He's not sloppy at all, yet not a technical monster either. Jason plays very tastefully and has some fantastic fills. The two guest musicians on keys (Jason Buchwald and Huub Douma) obviously don't stand out as much as the other five members, but they get the keyboard jobs done.

The Sky Is Falling is a 14-track concept album, lasting 61:56. Some albums that last over an hour get boring and repetitive by the end, but that isn't at all the case here. Every song is memorable and unique in its own way. I would say that the highlights are Wasted Years II:Sleepwalking, Wasted Years III: The Silence Is Deafening, The Sky Is Falling, Lighters, and You're Not The One, but all of the songs are extremely well-crafted. I honestly can't think of a single weak track. Kudos to DBT for making a filler-free album! It's rare I come across an album without even a moment of filler!

Conclusion:

The Sky Is Falling is an excellent debut album from Days Before Tomorrow, and I really hope that they build on their already developed sound on future releases. If you're at all interested in modern prog rock, The Sky Is Falling should already be in your collection. This is one of the best prog albums of 2009, and I really wish that I would have heard it earlier. I'm going to be conservative with my rating, and go with a big 4 star rating. I really hope to be giving this band a 5 star review sometime in the future, because they really deserve it. If you are into bands like Marillion, Spock's Beard, Echolyn, U2, and Transatlantic, this is an essential purchase!

4 stars.

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