SOLITARY WITNESS

It's no surprise to me that this debut album by Landmarq was recorded with the aid of Clive Nolan and Karl Groom of Shadowland, because the two bands play in what sounds to me like a very similar style - chirpy, upbeat neo-prog which downplays the "prog" end of things and regularly traipses towards simply becoming melodic rock. Vocalist Damien Wilson clearly has a good voice on him but to my ears he never does anything interesting or unexpected with it, and the same is true of the band members and their instruments. On the whole, a competently done album, but a little cheesy and AOR-ish for my tastes.