FLOATING ON ASCENDING PLAINS

Wow... this one was a real find kids... MYRIAD are a band all their own and very much progressive in their fresh new approach. Musically these guys are ontop of the world with some exceptional guitar, keyboard and percussive moments. MYRIAD blend the robustness of the CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO with heavy KING CRIMSON and PORCUPINE TREE breakouts and synth charm of vintage 70's bands.

The band is really the genius of Matthew Heindorff (guitars, bass, vocals, synths and organ) and Darren Finch (drums, cymbals, djembe and congas). Mood swings are just the order of the day on this album and songs move from very serene to heavy guitar-laden breakouts. Lovers of PORCUPINE TREE will without a doubt love this little album. Symphonic and Majestic yet impulsive and dark. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I feel very fortunate to have legit copies of both of MYRIAD's albums, they are almost impossible to find. MYRIAD are an Australian band who play a psychedelic brand of music and are led by multi-instrumentalist Matthew Heindorff. It took 2 years in the studio to finish this record and unlike the debut from five years earlier we get some heaviness although not a lot. It kind of reminds me of when PORCUPINE TREE decided to add heaviness on the "In Absentia" album, but here there is far, far less of that. When you open up the cd you see these words: "The earth rolls upon her wings the sun givith his light by day the moon givith her light by night and the stars also give their light as they roll upon their wings in their glory in the midst of the power of God."

"Stepping Stones To Monastic Overview" opens with sparse sounds that echo and pulse. "Visions Of Sinai (First Canto)" opens with spacey winds then it kicks in abruptly and heavily. Love the chunky bass here. It settles back 1 1/2 minutes in with synths, bass and drums standing out.Vocals 2 minutes in. What a great sounding tune. It kicks back in briefly before 6 1/2 minutes then a spacey calm takes over to end it. "Flood Of Understanding" opens with strummed guitar and another guitar playing over top. It all stops 3 1/2 minutes in as a spacey atmosphere rolls in. Strummed guitar after 6 minutes then the organ joins in.The guitar stops as it turns spacey again then it kicks in before 10 1/2 minutes to end it.

"Visions Of Sinai (Second, Third and Fourth Cantos)" builds and we get some huge bass as the guitar starts to solo around 2 minutes. Amazing ! It kicks in with vocals at 3 minutes. It turns spacey before 6 1/2 minutes but the drums still pound away.The drums stop a minute later and we get some relaxed guitar melodies as reserved vocals join in.The vocals stop 9 minutes in as drums, deep bass and guitar take over. Incredible sound. "Forever Fading Days" features laid back guitar and vocals. We get some keys late that really remind me of BAUER. It's spacey to end it.

I'm such a fan of this band and their style. I still like the debut better but both are "must haves" in my opinion.

Australia is not exactly known as a hotbed of progressive rock activity, so it's even more satisfying that a band of the high quality of Brisbane's Myriad represents my home country so well. They sit perfectly alongside Sebastian Hardie/Windchase, Unitopia and Ben Craven as superb local examples of progressive rock.

`Floating On Ascending Plains' is a natural step onwards from Myriad's previous release `Sea of The Sinking Sun'. Everything on this album sounds much more developed and truly progressed forwards from the first EP. Much of the playing is more technical, Matthew Heindorff's lyrics are more abstract and complex (reminds me in places of Jon Anderson at his new age finest!). The production has a much richer and fuller sound, but it never sounds cluttered or over-busy. There's still a very strong emphasis on acoustic guitar, which was one of the things I always loved about the first EP.

I was a little shocked at first by the heavier sound on the two part track `Visions Of Sinai'! The harder sections sound more like Rush, especially with the bass and drums combo, or even maybe 80's Eloy, with hard rock riffs and spacey keyboards. It features wonderful melodic electric guitar solos, with the bass grumbling away in the background, in addition to killer keyboard solo runs! The second half features a very David Gilmour/Pink Floyd inspired soaring guitar solo, as well as a relentless neo-prog sounding keyboard solo! Epic track, with so many interesting ideas. I do wonder why it was decided to split this track in two, as opposed to keeping it the one single big prog epic, though?

`Flood Of Understanding' is a nice collection of atmospheric pieces, alternating between electronic ambient textures and warm reflective acoustic passages. The second section is a drifting icey soundscape worthy of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze or Adeldert Von Deyen. I would love to see the band really implement this direction on future releases. It's followed by a more somber piece similar to final section of Floyd's `Saucerful Of Secrets' with the mournful organs, or even something off the `Staircase Infinities' album by Porcupine Tree. The mood is brought back up again with a nice reprise of the opening acoustic section to wrap up the track, with additional keyboards to back it up. This is my favorite track of the album, and I would gladly listen to the band release an entire album in this style. It really takes you on a reflective and spiritual journey.

I assume the shorter final track `Forever Fading Days' was perhaps from the first album recordings. The production and style of the track makes me think it might have been recorded at the same time or was an outtake from `Sea Of The Sinking Sun'? Nice track to finish the album on.

Matthew Heindorff is an extremely talented musician. Not only is his guitar playing exemplary throughout the album, be it on the many expressive acoustic tracks or the grand, epic electric solos, but his bass playing is extremely impressive as well. Its always mixed very upfront and prominent, the way it should always be in progressive rock bands! Very tasteful and varied in his use of keyboard sounds as well. He is also a very competent vocalist with a warm and genuine voice. Darren Finch on drums/percussion also makes an impression, showing a lot of variety and technical ability.

With so many of our prog acts more closely aligned to metal, it's very satisfying to hear an Australian prog band play classic, epic and grand symphonic rock, that takes elements from the legends of the 70's and adds a thoroughly original and modern spin on it. Myriad's music gets a total recommendation from me, well worth looking into, and I look forward to more from them in the future.

An easy four stars!