THE ANCESTRY PROGRAM

Here we have the third album from German neo-prog outfit The Ancestry Program, and as can be seen from the title this is the second part of a concept (interestingly, and somewhat unusually, the album cover is a direct continuation of the last one). This was originally planned to be released in Autumn of 2022, but decisions were made to undertake further work on the arrangements and production and to bring in additional instrumentation, all of which meant the release was delayed to July 2023. There have been some slight changes in the group as well, with the departure of bassist Frank Thumbach (replaced by Marco Osmajic) and the arrival of an additional guitarist in Mike Vogimeier, with the rest of the line-up still Andy Lind (drums, backing vocals), Mani Gruber (guitar, backing vocals), Ben Knabe (lead vocals, lap steel guitar) and Thomas Burlefinger (keyboards, backing vocals). The loose concept of the album is that a baleen whale decides he needs to save the planet as no other species seems willing to do so, which is an interesting twist (I personally always thought it would be the dolphins).

Musically this is incredibly complex, with considerable layers, and it is certainly helpful to have the lyrics available in the booklet which comes with this nice double digipak. The music is quite theatrical in that one never knows what is going to happen next, bringing in elements from many different sub genres, but always being truly progressive. Consequently they never really sound like anyone else in the scene, although due to their nature one could argue that Gandalf's Fist have had an impact, and the same with Clive Nolan. Ben has a wonderful vocal style, oozing confidence in his performance, but he is not credited as composer on any of the songs which have been written mostly by Andy Lind or Thomas Burlefinger with none of them indicated as being group compositions. The use of saxophone and cello on some songs provides additional depth while the arrangements are hugely complex and complicated, and I do find myself wondering how this compares to the first half this story.

This is an album which does take time to listen to, as there is a great deal going on and it is not as immediate as some with the danger that some of the elements could pass the listener by. I actually didn't hear the snippet of Churchill dialogue the first time through, as one needs to get inside the music to fully understand everything which is going on and that can take some time. It definitely needs to be listened to on headphones so all the little nuances and flourishes can be heard, and even if one has not heard the first part of this set (like me), there is still a great deal here to enjoy.

The Ancestry Program neo-prog group with a melting pot sound brewing sublime symphonic prog; a 2nd guitarist and a horn section provided for their 3rd album, the story of the planet-saving whales.

"Mysticeti Ambassadors?" the mysterious intro, dark atmosphere of the abyss! "Path of Inspiration" with its fat riff and sax on the menu; typical, monotone voice, imposing drums which set off in a jazzy-prog atmosphere; the guitar solo on Saga: the brassy finale on EWF, hilarious and original. "Pangreta's Box" powerful with Ben surfing with his suave voice then growling; a cello break and the variation on neo-Floydian lands. "War Is Over" goes further; Kansas-style violin, blues, a warm Hammond organ, a Latin sound and an airy, enterprising piano, prog voice-overs with the eternal 'Never Surrender'; the space ending which introduces "Maria's Smile" with the abysmal intro, on a 'Grand Bleu' of spaces with flooding keyboards and guitars; the psychedelic side of Pink Floyd, airy melodic, a ballad exploring the black forest, a marshmallow solo, a symphonic climb with moving choirs.

"Ancestors" for the slap, return to neo prog metal, expressive with Ben mixing his melodic organ-death growl vocals; a thunderous mix on IQ. "Star to Follow" and a drum roll in the intro; guitar solo in Toto, saga, superb; new wave synth layers confuse the issue, the soft melody on Talk Talk flowing, the airy voice, a proggy riff and the vintage 80s keyboard, acoustic ballad on the guitar finale, Ayreon with melting synths. "Paranoid Structures" electro intro; bam an air worthy of a resurrected Zappa, jazzy then the neo takes over, bold, melodic and nervous; catch-all and distracting; softness of voice and fiery riff; final Steve Howe-style guitar arpeggio and "Create Our Sins" follows, a limpid piano and sax ballad that I had forgotten; funky lands where the piano and the jazzy trumpet break disconcert for a singular fusion; final hard rhythmic riff. "...of Silent Mammalia" ends this disconcerting album with a country, folk ballad to be taken as an outro.

The Ancestry Program sequel, less surprising because I know; more varied, melodic, prog, metal, jazzy, groovy, neo metal: disconcerting, perhaps too much for purists; a greasy sound, variations of imposing musical layers, a bit like this world-saving whale, an innovative album teeming with progressive reminiscences, that's the important thing. (3.5)

The second prolific album produced within a relatively short period by this band that is coming from the Munich region. Yet again with a total length of more than 70 minutes! And then the album title makes further promises. Yep, Part 2 is already scheduled for the end of the year 2022. What an ambitious workload! Concerning the line up they've expanded a bit, bassist Frank Thumbach has been added to the fold. And additional guitarist Wolfgang Zenk (ex-Sieges Even) also appears on two songs. Probably important to know, especially drummer Andy Lind turns out to be a busy musician and composer, best known for recording top-notch music on solo paths too, but also in collaboration with the likes of Panzerballett and Schizofrantik. Just let me assure that this album has matured on all fronts, also regarding the songwriting.

While dealing with gusty ghosts, tiny monsters and other enemies, they are offering prog pearls which are overly heavy loaded, highly melodic and definitely well produced. THE ANCESTRY PROGRAM, or oftenly shortened to TAP, are starting with the extended Dark To Overcome, just making it to a suite. Yep, to develop attractive compositions with more than 10 minutes playing time are not a problem for them. What immediately strikes is the punchy bass and the strong lead vocals contributed by Ben Knabe. Lovely Lies bears contrasting moods, soaring space guitars, ambient synth patterns, also some smooth Beatles pop appeal in between. When considering the last two tracks, including the preferred My Enemy, this is even provided with a bunch of metal guitar riffs, getting close to bands like Opeth, Pain Of Salvation. Or Sieges Even of course, obviously coming from influences due to some personal transition. This album is a must have concerning your comprehensive prog collection.

THE ANCESTRY PROGRAM is a German neo-prog group at first; founded very recently as a quartet by Andy, Thomas, Mani and Ben, to which Frank, touring bassist from RPWL, came to assist recently. A slap, that of the end of the year for this album, a slap with young blood for these musicians whose existence I did not know there is still a month, misery. A sound with sounds of TALK TALK, DREAM THEATER, SUBSIGNAL, HAKEN, ARENA, a melting-pot sound that left me speechless.

"Dark to Overcome" begins long (17 minutes) to give the sound bases of the group between the sweetness of the 70's and the delicious brutality of the 2000's of HAKEN; it goes everywhere and it's very melodic, bordering on dancing like TEARS FOR FEARS and TALK TALK; the voice is melodic, the musical digression with a synth eyeing the side of BANKS for a moment; there is a moment of bluesy distraction then it starts halfway on the best ARENA, it's nervous, more prog metal than neo-prog; a crazy vocal crazy break à la SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM or at TOWNSEND occurs at the end. "Gusty Ghost" for a conventional neo prog track then mixed with an electronic touch; a bit of acoustic guitar which connects on a melodic and monolithic ambient title due to the importance of the keyboards. "Lovely Lies" or the symphonic, progressive and atmospheric title as we still dream of it; a sound board where the voices are honored, it twirls everywhere. The melodic rhythm at the start gradually swells between vintage keyboards, electronic percussion, classical wind instruments with violin and cello, aerial pads and vocoder; on ARENA, AYREON, SIEGES EVEN, PINK FLOYD period 'Animals'. The finale with cataclysmic drum roll on a spatial sound makes me melt and take advantage of the power of my speakers, I find the MANFRED MANN then again PINK FLOYD, and this riff, this riff very much in the prog metal movement.

"Tiny Monsters" with this drums still highlighted bringing an ethereal voice like pop-rock TALK TALK, art-rock for these musical games with synths and other keyboards, on dancing symphonic new wave with a thunderous air on the keyboard, a must; an explosive solo in a pleasurable break on an electrified AYREON, nervous on an electronic break from the most beautiful era of TANGERINE DREAM; soaring, dreamlike with Andy highlighted; it seems conventional but inventive and varied. "Carry On (The Lyricist)" on K2000, yes this crazy series with the car followed by a maddening riff; an intro with percussions and choirs, the madness of QUEEN for a time with the baroque rock spirit, a bit of SHADOW GALLERY and other SAVATAGE with the charismatic madness of Peter GABRIEL and IQ. Rising sequence, voice à la Sid VICIOUS which disorients at 8 minutes with the piano which reverberates, the voice on GENESIS, on the 'Love Is All' then it starts again on the best progressive SAGA of 'Generation 13' and UNITOPIA by the same occasion. Good a pearl all the way to the sensual song, to the delicious atmosphere. "My Enemy" continues which will therefore sit you down for over 20 minutes non-stop; clarinet, sax, drums but what do I like, a supercharged soft 70's title; a bluesy-ballad variation on the piano that sets the tempo; thunderous break with metronomic pads on SYLVAN, vocals and this riff that comes back; final leaving on the crazy musical wanderings of a Devin TOWNSEND with soothing clarinet at the end. "Diamond Ring" ends this album on an ARK sound, yes you remember this group with Jorn on vocals; here it's soft-djent as a genre, on HAKEN again more symphonic; a passage with death voice becomes unhealthy as the air continues to rise with this intoxicating drum roll, end of course.

THE ANCESTRY PROGRAM has just released a concept album, the titles being chained and setting out a high quality musical framework. An immense album which does not invent a new genre but which synthesizes almost perfectly all the trends from the 80s, 90s to the 2010s and today. A truly unclassifiable, fresh and bewitching album that I listen to with avidity, knowing that a part 2 should be released this fall, in short I am waiting for it this time.

Heavy Neo Prog perhaps in the vein of countrymates SYLVAN but, to these ears, more like now-defunct Aussie proggers, UNITOPIA and some of Arjun Lucassen's AYREON albums. This year's satisfier of my need for djenty guitars with beautiful atmospheric synth-washed melodies and GREAT vocals.

1. "Intro" (1:16) 2. "Silver Laughter" (8:46) wonderfully engaging music and vocals bouncing from melodic symphonic sounds to heavy guitar riffs, this is Neo Prog at its best--like UNITOPIA taken to the A Level. I love the multiple ways the engineering staff chooses to treat and locate lead singer Ben Knabe's voice throughout. (18.5/20)

3. "Pun Intended" (7:24) opens with some funny-punny lyrics and music. There's a little QUEEN-meets-THE CLASH feel to this until it turns into a nice DEVIN TOWNSEND piece with the chorus. The clavinet-supported Jeff-Beck-like instrumental guitar section in the fourth minute is unexpected--as is the death metal screams that follow. Even Yes and KANSAS' "Carry on Your Wayward Son" are conjured up several times in this complex, convoluted song. Interesting, refreshing, and, ultimately, entertaining if not thoroughly engaging. (13/15)

4. "Another Way To Fly" (6:27) opens with some great bass-grounded Neo Prog sound like Nick Beggs or IQ before synth-support and treated vocal enters in the second half of the second minute. In fact, there is quite a little similarity to the sound of LIFESIGNS' debut album on this song. Great chorus (that I can't stop humming long after the album has finished). (9/10)

5. "Easy For Us" (10:01) more UNITOPIA sounds in the one minute intro. I love the delicately fingered electric guitar! Great bass with multi-layered guitar soundscape over which another awesome Ben Knabe vocal performance occurs. There's even a little DOVES sound here (in the chorus) just before the song goes (briefly) screamin' heavy. The instrumental section that follows has some very nice understated guitar and synth soli. I also love the gentle and prolonged end section. (18.5/20)

6. "More To This" (9:27) solid but lacking in development (too lyric-dependent for me) and having a poor chorus. (15.34/20)

7. "Tomorrow" (11:12) opens like a DOVES song, gorgeous multi-vocal weave over organ until at lead vocal pops up right in front of us at 1:12. Chunky intermittent bass riffs appear as synths washes fill the background until guitar arpeggi at 2:11 signal an amping up--which occurs big time ten seconds later. Powerful though the vocal melodies are not engaging to me (nor are they quite fitting with the music). Perhaps the mix of the instrumentation is too big, too forward, making the vocals seem really small and distant. (17/20)

Total Time 43:21

Four stars; a very nice Neo Prog contribution to the Prog catalogue. It's as if UNITOPIA went on break and came back better than ever!