ELECTRIC SKIES

EVENT is a very talented four-piece band from USA, influenced by IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRYCHE, STEVE VAI, DREAM THEATER, LED ZEPPELIN, YES, RUSH and Billy JOEL? and that about says all about their sound and music. Their music comes fairly close to their influences. Maybe you could add a little bit of EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, Allan HOLDSWOTH, KANSAS, STRAVINSKY and UK together with some jazz-fusion to the description too. They might as well be the next big group beside those big names, even though they only been around since 1996. They started under the name MYSTIC FISHOOK, and the cover of this CD also says MYSTIC FISHOOK, with a sticker on it saying "EVENT Formerly MYSTIC FISHOOK". Nowadays the CD has been reissued with the same CD cover saying EVENT instead. The music is a combination between progressive metal and techno, with many technically demanding finesses. The techno side of it comes from the programmed keyboards. The guitar solo sections are very influenced by John PETRUCCI of DREAM THEATER. The singer is very skilled and he's singing is very passionate and heavy with a touch of Bruce DICKINSON. They can be very happy with such a great singer. Overall the music contains very complex arrangements with many intricate rhythms. An explanation to this could be that the band was formed at Berklee Collage of music. But EVENT's music is very melodic too, with some catchy choruses. Another amazing thing is the clearness of the production. The sound is very crisp with very detailed separation between the instruments. This is very advantageous to let the music come to its full rights. The best songs are "Electric Skies", "Muddy Water", "Aimless", "Tundra", "Weatherman" and "Full of Stars". Yeah, that's right! It's almost every track on this CD. EVENT is one of the better bands coming out of the 90:s; they have taken the progressive music a step forward. Get this CD as soon as possible.

After this 1st CD Event changed direction in a big way, going for a more mainstream King's' x, Spock's Beard sort of style............... Anyway, this is without a doubt my favorite CD of theirs. But that's because I like Dream Theater more than the Beatles. And that's exactly the difference between this Event debut CD and their next 2 CDs. This CD is progressive metal. The only unusual thing about these songs is their length--1 six minute song. All the rest between 3 and 4 min.). Not that song length is a determination that a song is good or not, it's just that most prog. bands have at least one "epic" and a couple of these song's, I personally would have liked to see stretch out longer. The songs are just that. Songs. (except for the mind boggling instrumental "Full of Star's) there's not a lot of wankerin' going on here. And I really like 7 out of the 10 songs. Perfect Illusion, Tundra and Walk On being at my top of the heap. These guy's are super technical and precise but really have the song writing down. (during the next 2 CDs they lose the tech. edge but turn up the song writing a notch. A move that I did not care for personally but can't complain with the results). For me this particular Event CD is an outstanding recording all around. Great production, Good emotional vocals, precise drumming, highly charged guitar and great song melodies that actually stick in your head and might find yourself humming. (A rarity in Prog. Metal). I give it a 4 out 5 star rating and hope they return to their beginnings in the future.

A one off event?

Boston band Event recorded this their debut album in 1997. The four piece line up focuses on the vocal talents of Dave Deluco and the guitar and keyboard playing of Shaun Michaud. While classified here as crossover prog, this album has more in common with prog metal, the tracks being very much rooted in the heavy end of the prog spectrum.

Right from the opening "Perfect illusion", it is clear that the band have ambitions which push well beyond simply being another heavy rock band. They are quite at ease blending rhythmic keyboard sounds with incisive guitar riffs and rough, bluesy vocals. At times, the complex arrangements are highly progressive in nature, while on other occasions the songs are far more simplistic. I am hesitant to mention other bands by way of comparison, as Event have succeeded well in developing their own style. There are though suggestions of bands such as Queensryche, a bit of Dream Theater perhaps, a hint of Deep Purple and some nuances of Neal Morse's many guises.

In terms of the song writing, the results are adequate but tend to be cut from the same template. It is probably fair to say that the band make a good go at developing the compositions beyond their underlying quality. The sole exception to the pattern is the instrumental "Full of stars", but even this could form the backing track for one of the album tracks.

In summary, "Electric skies" is an album which is more likely to appeal to those with a bent for prog metal. In some ways, the apparent complexities of the generally short songs here flatter to deceive, the basic material actually being adequate but no more.