LET THE TRUTH SPEAK

A group of veteran thirty-somethings hailing from New Haven, Connecticut, who astonish and delight as they "think outside the box" of conventional sound and music making. One of the secrets to the success of these musicians (aside from their tremendous skills) is in their refreshingly imaginative song constructs. Another secret is their collaborations with premier musicians (especially vocalists) from across the globe. (Who knew that a simple "want ad" on Facebook could generate so many offers and suggestions--from artists all over the planet?!)

1. "But What If We're Wrong?" (4:30) what is basically a two-chord song is transformed as if by magic by the ingenious layering of very active instruments above and around the core. It's as if the band turned something one dimensional and linear into something four-dimensional and subatomic! Awesome! (9.25/10)

2. "We Who Lament" (8:44) presenting one of those rare vocalists from the Layne Stayley, Ian Kenny, Einar Solberg class: a female vocalist named Keturah (Allyson), who is from Malawi. Here Earthside present one powerful, impactful, and refreshing song. It is a rare thing to behold to find a song that is driven so completely by the drum kit--and in a creative, melodic, and intrepidly multi-dimensional way that I am even more astounded as I listen to it each and every time! The section between 5:10 (or even 4:30) and the song's end is one of the most dynamic, creative, virtuosic sections of progressive rock music that I've ever heard! Ever! The band seems to create something that flits in and out of three, four, and, at times, five dimensions! And I absolutely love the choral shouts in the background over the awesome djent music of the final 90 seconds! Pure prog perfection! Easily the best drum performance that I've heard of all year. (Mega Kudos, Ben Shanbrom!) And bassist Ryan Griffin's djenty bottom-dwelling salvos stick with Ben all the way. Amazing synchornization! And Keturah's vocal performance is definitely one of the best on the album (and this is an album of phenomenal guest vocal performances). (20/20)

3. "Tyranny" (8:39) I love djent! the way those bass chords hit me in the chest! This song presents a little more of the piano-djent heard from France's KLONE and even Denmark's VOLA. Despite an opening motif that is perhaps a bit too drawn out, this song has excellent flow, development, shifts and (in the second half) melodic themes with impassioned play and vocals--a refreshing and nearly flawless song that gives so much more with each and every listening. I don't like the fact that it's not until the fourth minute that we, the listener, get to hear the true power and talent of freelance vocalist Pritam ("Pritzz") Adhikary. As a ballad singer, he's good, but as an enraged metallurgist, he is one of the best I've ever heard. Again the way this band mysteriously creates such engaging melodies with such a "big" and multi-dimensional sound is astonishing. There is a big shift, stylistically, at 4:40, into a gorgeously spacious, intensely atmospheric (almost Dream Pop) soundscape of guitar and bass arpeggi accompanied by Pritam's airy, floating, upper register vocalise. But then at 5:58 Pritam and the band break back into the heavy palette of the prog metallists while, somehow, retaining the conveyance of absolutely heart-wrenchingly gorgeous melodies. Miraculous! (As is Pritam's sincerely heart-felt performance in those final minutes.) Not even KARNIVOOL, VOTUM, or THE CONTORTIONIST have ever done it so fully, so perfectly, so effectively! One of the best progressive metal songs I've heard since this year's Ok Goodnight and Nw Obliviscaris albums hit my ears. (19.75/20)

4. "Pattern of Rebirth" (4:40) a more standard Prog Metal vehicle for vocalist AJ Channer (FIRE FROM THE GODS, Austin, TX). The keyboard parts are my favorite--reminding me of one of my all-time favorite Prog Metal tunes from Portland's THE MERCURY TREE, "Deep Five." I love the rap in the final 90 seconds with other voices woven over the three-range djent chords. (8.875/10)

5. "Watching the Earth Sink" (11:46) opening with some solo electric guitar play, classical guitar style like MAUDLIN OF THE WELL do. Guitarist Jamie van Dyck, one can tell, has had some serious classical guitar training (and commitment). In the third minute bass, rim play, and a second guitar track are added before Ben Shanbrom offers his toms. Tensions rise as the weave builds in the second half of the fourth minute, but then at 4:15, Ben's drums hit third gear and the rest of the band follows suite. In the sixth minute Ben's kick drum turns insistent metronome, leading the band into some awesome NEIGE/ALCEST-like walls of Shoegaze-metal with Ryan Griffin's awesome djent chord bass play right there with him. These guys are so tight! Jamie steps in with his screaming lead guitar to take us even higher before things calm down for a bit in the seventh minute while Ben and Jamie seem to "talk" to one another through their instruments. At 8:15, then, comes the real calm before the storm as Frank Sacramone's slow-playing descending Fender Rhodes arpeggi provide a wonderfully eerie pause while we wait for the ultimate dénouement (we all know it's coming)--which arrives slowly in the tenth minute, ushered in by Ben's driving tom and roto-tom play, while Jamie's guitar chords start to scream with increasing urgency. Some distant background vocals, big bass chords and low end fillers join in as chaos ensues. No lyrics or guest singer here. Just pure instrumental heaven (though not quite as creative or multi-dimensional as the opening three songs). Still, an awesome song. (22.25/25)

6. "The Lesser Evil" (10:59) vocalist Larry Bragg (TOWER OF POWER) leads this one over some excellent, layered keyboard work. Though not as Soul/R&B as one could expect with Larry's pedigree, there is definitely a completely different side of Earthside on display for the first 3:20 of this. Horn blasts and very deep chunky bass enter and (bass) take over as Larry's vocal definitely gets more R&B-familiar (not unlike a cross between Jeffery Osborne and Phillip Bailey). Incredible vocal performance. Hard to believe this is happening on a prog metal album! Amazing saxophone solo/work (and vocal) in the ninth minute! Mega kudos to these artists for not only taking a chance on this odd chemistry but for making it work! And work it does! This is one heck of a song (and Larry Bragg is one heck of a singer!) (18.75/20)

7. "Denial's Aria" (5:26) Welcome ViKKe (and, in a supproting role, Keturah) as well as harpist Dua Scorpio. With harp, keys, deep bass thrums, and infinity guitar notes, the vocalists here wow and entertain with an incredibly innovative and creative weave of theatrical storytelling. Not really a full metal song, but incredibly powerful in its entirely unique and laudatory creative delivery. Heavy and emotion-packed. Who knew Soul/R&B could mix with metal? (9.5/10)

8. "Vespers" (2:41) more excellent keyboard work painting a lush, dreamy, even jungle-like soundscape within which several voices and vocalists (including ViKKe and Russian nature-singer sensation, Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh). I love this song! (5/5)

9. "Let the Truth Speak" (10:47) Daniel Tompkins (TESSERACT, SKYHARBOR) takes the lead vocals this time with Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh playing a supporting role within this very thick walls-of-djenty KARNIVOOL-like sound. Very impressive vocal performances but the music is surprisingly "straightforward" for a djent-metal song--sounding a lot like some of LEPROUS's dirtiest songs (like "Slave" or "Coal")--no dancing string-theory multi-verse circles around the quantum core. (17.5/20)

10. "All We Knew and Ever Loved" (9:19) a cinematic prog homage to bands like GOBLIN and MIKE OLDFIELD that employs the value-added services of long-time LEPROUS drummer, Baard Kolstad. (In the video of the recording of this session, the two are seen split-screen duelling, synching, and weaving within and around one another in really entertaining ways.) Frank's heavy church organ is awesome throughout but truly essential to that magnificent crescendo at the end. (18/20)

Total Time 77:31

One of the most creative, progressive rock albums I've heard in a long time. The engineering feats achieved here alone constitute no small miracle of sound production: music that many times feels as if it goes beyond three dimensions, taking the listener beyond the confines of space and time.

A/five stars; a total masterpiece of progressive rock music in the truest sense of that which is "progressive." Definitely an album that belongs in every "prog lover's" music collection. For metal heads I should think those first three songs alone would make the price of admission worth it. All hail to these torchbearers of the progressive spirit of "progressive" rock music!