DEREV

Derev combines old-school metal and progressive rock with Arab-Armenian sounds. "Buried Voice" opens with a dark alternative, a melody that changes tempo, the vocals flirting with the sounds of Katatonia and Antimatter. The immaculate softness is accentuated by the bass, with Adel amplifying it; a synth break from The Who takes hold, the sound takes off again, captivating, between gray autumn skies and the plains of Kazakhstan. "Cyclone" begins with a cyclical riff, the redundant note both hypnotic and languorous. A classic evolution through the instrumentation bringing musical tension, the lyrics about imposter syndrome. Between doubt and regret, a velvety, melancholic guitar solo to crush any feeling of rebellion. A beautiful progressive exercise, the final fade-out with "Crawl Space" links the cinematic moment filled with a feeling of melancholy, violin, and latent atmosphere. The piano comes from a stressful spatial limbo. "Room 9" explodes, dark prog metal, raw energy, punchy rhythms, a captivating atmosphere with this machine-gun drumming. The riff ticks by, the velvety synth, Armando's sharp guitar solo on a Balkan air; a heavy outro to nod along to.

"Paracusia" with a porcupine riff, velvety synth, and chatty bass, a proven funky instrumental. A true auditory hallucination bringing the guitar to a dynamite jazzy-progressive side. "Tides of Time" is an alternative melancholic ballad with a time signature shifting from 7/8 to 4/4 and a sound reminiscent of the desperate melodic hard rock of the 90s. The guitar solo disarms with its captivating spleen. "Darker Self" with an oriental drum pad, a disarming riff, acoustic with a cajon, everything to send you into a musical trance. A track reminiscent of Soundgarden, Spock's Beard, Rush, and the Von Hertzen Brothers, very varied. The staccato, captivating tune, a sublime guitar solo, further enhances the intoxicating atmosphere. "Trace Within" is ethereal with its Floydian keyboard and gravelly vocals; an atmospheric piece with its airy guitar, a languid vocal duet worthy of Anathema with Hiske as a guest, supported by bursts of piano and a warm darbuka.

Introspective retro prog with a captivating, innovative melancholy. A charming, contemplative, progressive, melodic, and alternative opus, a stunning album oozing with a progressive vibe; a new sound that refers solely to their ideas and pushes back the prog trend. An avant-garde album to keep an eye on. Originally released on Progcensor.

When I realised this was the debut EP from a Canadian prog metal trio I was somewhat confused, as I was convinced they came from an Arabian background while the singer also reminded me of Serj Tankian in the way her performed some of the songs. So when I discovered that Armando Bablanian (guitar) is of Italian/Armenian background and drummer Michel Karakch is of Syrian/Armenian background and they met while at school in Kuwait, it started to make some sort of sense. Armando emigrated to Canada and immersed himself in the scene there, and he was followed by Michel, after which they joined forces with bassist Liam Horrigan to form Derev. The songs came from jam sessions from the two childhood friends, but somewhat strangely the vocals were recorded by a guest, Adel Saflou (Ambrotype, originally from Syria) in his home studio in Amsterdam which probably means the opportunity for live gigs to be somewhat limited.

The backgrounds of the main players is important as it has a major impact on the way this music is performed, as it has many middle eastern influences and stylings. These are blended in to the more Western themes so one immediately thinks of the likes of Orphaned Land or System of a Down, yet more melodic, more progressive. One never knows what to expect as while the percussion could be a standard drum kit, it could also be something very different indeed. Adel is a major focus throughout, which is why it is such a surprise they are not a "working band" as such, as the way the quartet work together is incredible. This is a very strong introduction to the band. It may be less than 30 minutes in length but it is a great introduction to this middle east progressive crossover which will surely be of interest to many.