THE AUDIO GUIDE TO HAPPINESS - PART 1

This Audio Guide to Happiness Part 1, despite having a similar style to their debut album mixing alternative rock with tons of prog elements, jazz, cabaret and metal, is much better written and coherent. Here the message of this band is clear, and the devisable promise of the first record is finally here. The original and excellent vocals of Anadale are better integrated in the music, the songs are catchy and very varied and the rhythmic section just outstanding.

The only complain that I have with this album is a pair of subpar moments. Songs like the cabaret oriented Pretty Darlin are cool, but boring in the long term just like Dorothy's Lament. Nevertheless, the album can be perfectly heard from beginning to end, being this weak moment easily forgettable when we taste prog bombs like Ends Where it Starts, Joy or The Pattern.

Best Tracks: Ends Where it Starts (a song which defines perfectly the style of this band), Joy (original, personal and different), The Pattern (incredible guitars and a great instrumental section, one of the best tracks of the band!) and Still a Dream (I especially like the heavy second section of the song)

Conclusion: The Audio Guide to Happiness Part 1 is not a flawless record, because it contains a pair of subpar tracks and the comparison between the incredible hard parts and the weaker mellower ones is very evident. Nevertheless, it was a very satisfactory improvement since their 2009 debut called Forty-Six Minutes, Twelve Seconds of Music which finally confirmed the great potential that this band always had.

Specially recommended for fans the first albums of Muse, and other acts like Riverside and Porcupine Tree!

My rating: ***

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