MERGING CLUSTER

With dozens, if not hundreds, of new prog bands emerging each year, it can be difficult to make a mark: to be noticed. Some opt to pander to the prog of old, while some seemingly get lost in trying new things that render their music nearly un- listenable. Italian proggers Merging Cluster are a band that falls somewhere in the middle. Trying new things, they still bring the nostalgia factor. Interestingly, being Italian, I excepted some RPI influence within their music, but that is not the case at all.

Merging Factor's first EP is self-titled, and for good reason. It merges two types of prog rather well: classic prog and psychedelic. With groovy twists, atmospheric vocals, airy keys, and raging guitars, the band gives us the best of the old and the new. Incredible guitar solos and deliciously bassy moments abound along with an overall sense that the band knows how to compose tight, meaningful passages. "Peak of Ephemeral Light" is a perfect example of all this. Yet, then the track "The Shadow Line" takes a different approach. Searing edges and a psychological factor make this track very different, but somehow also a natural progression: a kind of journey from light into darkness.

The EP does have one weakness. While the vocalist, Gabriele Marconcini, has a tasteful voice and he delivers a wonderful performance, I do feel that the vocal lines feel a bit squeezed into the music. Yes, the vocals and music are very tightly composed separately, but sometimes they feel a bit smashed together, or as if they don't mix well. Of course, the lyrics themselves are written with complexity and meaning, which is how I like them.

That being said, "Merging Cluster" is a strong debut for the band. I see big things for Merging Cluster as they bring groove and modernity to classic prog. There is an immediate "wow" factor to hearing their music, and I hope they can continue that with a full length release.