SURFACE TENSION

Progressive Metal is a genre where there is so much excellent music left undiscovered. Often times, this somewhat undiscovered music maybe be from a band that sadly disbanded after one or two albums.

Such is the case of Clockwork. Clockwork, released one album titled Surface Tension. There is so much to enjoy on this album, and as treated as Progressive Metal fans are with this album, they are deprived that this is the only work of the talented and creative band.

What can a listener expect from this release? Lush keyboards, cretive vocal melodies and rythmns, and soaring guitar melodies.

Chris Pignatelli demonstrates the lush keyboards right off the bat with the introduction to the openting track, "Secrets of Centuries".

All throughout the albums you can expect great guitar melodies from M. Thomas Gammarino, who's work is highly influenced by that of Steve Howe and John Petrucci. The production is a little brittle regarding that of his guitar, but this is easily overcome by the lushness of all the other instruments including very diverse basses of both the fretted and frettless variety.

The vocals are one of the main selling points of this album. "If These Walls Could Talk" is a short track which showcases just how creative this band get can with Douglas Joseph Matthew Gillin's vocal arrangements in just a short song.

"Design of Enlightment" is the condensed twelve minute epic of this album, and showcases the band at their very best and most creative. Clockwork is a very expressive band that manages to combine the best elements of Progressive Metal and Symphonic Progressive Rock. The production of the album may be a little brittle, but it's very difficult for something like that to effect how much a listener can enjoy an album.

This is a four star album, it's kind of like a diamond in the rough. It's hard to believe how good it is without listening to it extensively.