BEYOND EXPRESSION

Just as the title...

Finch is one of the best Dutch symphonic prog bands, thought hey didn't have a lot of attention at the time they played. Their combination of heavyness/speed , fusion-elements, symphonic and instrumental prog has become quite legendary for it's no-nonsense approach. Guitarist Joop van Nimwegen can compote with the best of guitarst, Peter Vink actually is one of the best bass players, drummer Beer Klaasse can keep up with them and key player Cleem Determeijer did his symphonic homework very well.

On the the debut of Finch, Glory of the Inner Force, Finch had four ten minute tracks, completely instrumental. This concept worked very well, though the music was a bit to intense and non-directional for my taste to be named a masterpiece. As if this act of extreme progrock wasn't enough, Finch tried to get even more heavy on Beyond Expression. The first side is filled by A Passion Condensed. Great ideas after great ideas, technical superior to about everyone active in their field, this track just doesn't work for me. There is no form, there seems to be no direction in the track, to much noodling, to less comfortable melodies. The solo's are however great and the ideas are on itself great, the conceptual compostion is just not good enough. The recording of the quality of the record doesn't help at all by having a bad bass and a messy sound. On side two we have Scars On The Ego and Beyond the Bizarre. Both tracks have the exactly the same problem as A Passion Condensed. They sound motivated, technical bizarre, but they have no soul at all. Like this could be seen as the Dream Theater of the seventies.

Yes, though I don't like to admit it, being proud of this highly technical Dutch progband (I'm from Holland myself), the title of this album tells us exactly what is wrong with it: It's BEYOND expression.. a few steps to far, to extreme, naive. Still this is highly rewarding for proggers who like greatly inventive but intensive symphonic/jazz prog. The avarage symphoprogger might nog get into this. Three stars, but with a feeling of discontent: This could have been that perfect progrecord. Just by adding some form to the songs, some vocals would have been nice and a ballad/downtemp song could have made this a very nice experience.

Share this FINCH review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to friso
• Report this review (#248619)
• Buy FINCH music online with PA partners
• Show all FINCH MP3/Stream
• Go to FINCH page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Beyond Expression page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for FINCH related discussions