TRUEWAVES

ZIO is the group taken from an original idea of its drummer Jimmy PALLAGROSI in love with video games, hence its previous prog album; supported by Olivier on keyboards on a prog sympho metal side à la AYREON. On this last a lot of voices in guests including John, Hayley of KARNATAKA like him after an eviction as often in this group, Eric or Gabriel to continue on the line. Let's see if the prog-pop-metal orientation continues on this new opus, Jimmy claiming to be influenced by TOTO, DREAM THEATER, RADIOHEAD and GENESIS in general, more recently by HAKEN and TOWNSEND.

"Truewaves" begins S-F and video games, we are of course on the sequel to 'Flower Torania' we will see, in any case John is already showing his talent; waves that are flooding lately. "Untenable" ooh there no it goes up a gear, a frenzied prog metal; the vocals provided by Eric and Hayley give spice to this track eyeing Frost*, modern prog metal with an interesting DREAM THEATER riff. "Amused" for Hayley's voice, beautiful, sublime, an interlude between piano and voice high in musical color. "Space Heater" picks up on the recent sound with synth forward, Eric's voice and those of Magda & Miranda in choirs giving an airy musical reflection; piece which is worth by the energetic instrumental variation in the second time. "Living Behind" comes as a song-rhyme on a bucolic mid- tempo, an operetta with violins and the metronomic drums of Jimmy in the distance. "Above the Wheels" dolphin in the distance; storm, mounted with a hard riff, the slamming drums, one of the most beautiful intros of the album; John's raspy voice draws on that of the archangel, warm, engaging and overwhelming; the hard riff picks up and launches the instrumental break with a very nice synth solo from Olivier, its sound reminding me of LONELY ROBOT. "Lonely Diamond Pt. 1" for the floydian interlude finally yours to listen to, a space that calls for a de facto act 2; the rise with drums and angry guitar, all accented and the piece that makes me vibrate the most so much it seems simple to put one note after another. "Close" arrives, piano arpeggio quickly completed by Hayley's voice, highlighted; bewitching voice and melancholic ballad on a positive note then a nervous break with AYREON in the background which is a pleasure to hear; the aerial guitar solo is the key word of this album boosting the finale. "I Hear Them Whistling" with Gabriel on the front and an Irish, oriental and medieval folk sound; the piece of more than 9 minutes which will stretch, turn, convulse to release the prog metal of tomorrow; the sound starts on Neal MORSE BAND, well you know why in view of the guests; when it's over it sometimes starts again in a grandiloquent way; return to the intro tune with piano and vocal duet, a few notes from GENESIS all at once that make you shiver and question; but why only one title of this ilk in this album? "Endwave" yes the end with the return of the S-F air and video games, as if we had just made a part of it.

ZIO releases this opus with the memory of the waves flooding our space since the pandemic; unimaginable moments in good and often in negative; a musical space translating this by mixing everything; pure, punchy prog metal, ballads, melodies, metal with revealing riffs; innovative yes, hilarious yes, too short yes. Initially quite conventional, later this sweet colorful musical madness begins to bear fruit and precisely creates the lack.(3.5 points)