THE KING OF NUMBER 33

I am glad my sights finally landed on this sophomore release amid a few initial bumble bee buzzes that produced no honey, then taking the leap to pursue and purchase this lovely disc after listening to the live 'Memo' clip on their website. This clicker was the presence of Henry Rogers, a stupendous drummer who first caught my attention with fellow British band Touchstone. This guy plays meaty, beefy fills that hint at past greats like Bonham and Taylor, propelling the harder-edged music with great aplomb, a very manly approach to the drums in a style that immediately grabs one's attention.

'Me and My Downfall' kicks this one right into immediate overdrive, no quarter asked or given. Stubborn, swift and solid like some of the recent PTree material where sweeping keys and menacing guitar snarls, booming bass and the Rogers steamroller elevate the tune to glorious heights, with dejected RPWL's Yogi Lang-like vocals providing the brisk doom and gloom. The dead simple mid-section has the burnt smell of oily turbo charged riffs that can only induce a smile from the most jaded listener. This rocks and rocks well. What an opening salvo!

'Maybe September' is dripping in opaque synth and cello-driven melancholia, intensely autumnal and desolately beautiful. Upon repeated listens, this piece really exudes an incredible emotional intensity, a trembling Tony Wright vocal full of pain and delicate agony with Marillion's Mark Kelly providing that special classic touch. Take notice of the synth work here, a pure ivory blitzkrieg that is only overtaken by a thrilling axe solo from Ditchfield. Rogers batters this whole into a massive orgasmic oblivion. Phew!

Jude Kelly (Mark's little daughter?) introduces this monster highlight, with initial techno-like keys evolving into a crunch-guitar riff that explodes into this unreal main melody. Some kind of instrumental multi-tasking on the sensational 'Marty and the Magic Goose' from the supremely talented Andy Ditchfield who supplies all the swirling guitar, sinuous bass and whopping keys while Rogers keeps the rock steady. The atmosphere is chaotically controlled within a tight sonic context and its just plain superb.

The bulk of this stupendous album relies on the multi-part epic suite that gives us the title, a colossal adventure that scans the entire spectrum of modern prog, littered with achingly beautiful melodies, deadly choruses, scintillating solos and tremendous vocal work from Tony and Steve Wright, together with Ditchfield all give the arrangements a profound sense of accomplishment. Needless to say once again, Rogers pummels with unabashed gusto, confirming his obvious sense of propulsion.

The classic 'Memo' finishes this one off with utter gusto, a brilliant and memorable tune that sticks in your mind long after consumption. Rogers ripples intensely, the bass burping along, content while the melody just dredges intensely into the psyche. A perfect example of why Henry Rogers is such a kick-ass drummer, just check out and contemplate in awe his work , a shivering experience to say the least! Real drumming! Moving impeccably from hard-driving to even more majestic propulsion , maintaining that solid foundation of sound is a voice to be heard on your speakers. Play it loud?. Astonishingly, the once famed pop singer Nik Kershaw handles the vocal (the man always had a definite prog tendency) and this majestic and memorable track puts an end to an entirely satisfying sonic adventure. Fans of melodic and concussive prog such as Porcupine Tree, Haken, Galahad, RPWL, Sylvan, Silhouette, Mystery, Nine Stones Close etc...will lap this stuff up with utter glee.

A do-not-miss 2012 release.

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