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Bolus - Delayed Reaction CD (album) cover

DELAYED REACTION

Bolus

 

Neo-Prog

3.53 | 23 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

adargath
4 stars In the quest to find progressive rock bands that have a more commercial approach but retain integrity in their compositions and technique, is good to find groups that do not try to change the game or be the next Dream Theater. Just a band that want's to play their music and show it to the world.

Bolus and Their Delayed Reaction album fit the definition described above.

And in truth I am very happy to have found this band, because it was one of the best discoveries I made in 2010

First things first, Who are Bolus? Where did they come from? Fortunately there are answers to these questions.

Bolus is a Canadian band, that I must say just took me by surprise because I knew nothing about them. I just knew that this was their second album and they had released their first album in 2005.

Most surprising was the age at which they produced and recorded the album. Approximately 20-23 years of age. Now that's amazing.

I didn't know what to expect to hear, but certainly not the quality and maturity in compositions that are generally reserved for older ages. But in some songs the lyrics do tend to show that this is a young band. Not juvenile, just whimsical.

This band plays with such an irresistible energy that it is impossible not to feel hopeful about what they can achieve with more time and experience. Here's to a promising career.

Their style is a bit difficult to define precisely because they flirt with many genres, but they focus mainly on alternative rock, so I feel that categorize them in the neo prog genre is a bit bold, even a misnomer. Nick Karch has a particularly pleasant voice which can enhance the more melodic parts of some tracks. It must be said that the vocal harmonies are one of the best aspects of the band just because they are elegant and distinctly integrated in the songs making them more memorable.

Because the band consists of two people, both have to be multi-instrumentalist. And in this regard they are quite prolific. But because of this, you can not expect great solos or situations where they give in into self-indulgence. They just play the music as best as possible and while Nick tries to show off the guitar from time to time is always at the service of the song, not the ego.

All in all, the appreciation you have for the band will undoubtedly depend on your opinion of commercial music, more specifically alternative rock. But if you give it a chance, this album may surprise you and ultimately that is what this genre it's all about.

4 Stars Recommended!

adargath | 4/5 |

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