TRIOSCAPES

The element of aggressiveness. Their playing is so aggressive that easily could match an extreme metal act, still Trioscapes is a band without guitars. Most of the times they play their instruments at the very edge of being super technical and super loud at the same time. The sonic result is beyond description. You could put them in a compilation next to Meshuggah or Animals As Leaders and in another, next to the noisy moments of John Zorn, Frank Zappa or King Crimson, they would fit in the exact same way! I guess that old school fusion fans will not like this but Trioscapes is not a traditional fusion band.

The sound. Beyond the overall excellent production, all musicians use extensively a wide range of effects, distortions, reverbs, delays, echoes, synth effects, just name it. This offers a very modern aspect of a fusion trio, enriches the compositions and making many parts more interesting and boosts their creativity. I'd say that this particular use of technology provides music with a sci-fi atmosphere at some times.

''OK, three virtuosos with mechanical excellence. What about musicality?'' To be honest, at the first notes of the first track ''Digital Dream Sequence'', while I was amazed, I feared that listening to this extremity for 42 minutes would leave me with a headache. I was wrong. There are many parts that the band slows down a bit, wonderful straighter grooves here and there and melodic, atmospheric passages that help the compositions flow and breathe. About 10-15 % of their music consists of such atmospheric parts. My personal taste indicates that if this percentage could rise to 30-40 %, Trioscapes would start to approach a 5 star rating. Anyway, extraordinary technique and sound combined with really good structures and ideas create an explosive result, you will never get bored and music will keep you tight to your seat.

5 tracks, almost 42 minutes of total running time. All tracks stand about at the same level of quality. I like most the 9 minutes long ''From the earth to the moon'' as it features the most straight grooves and themes, creating very beautiful and quite spacey/trippy soundscapes. The opening track after 4 minutes of intensity presents a magnificent theme, melodic and powerful that leads the rest of the composition. ''Stab wound'' is a small sized beast with terrible claws but you'll also find ethereal flutes in it, while ''Hysteria'' has a bad temper too, delivering probably the album's heavier moment. The 15 minutes long ''The Jungle'' that closes the album sums up all Trioscapes' different faces, built upon an ecstatic tribal orgy. I would definitely need a bit more melodies on this one.

I really hope this project lasts and stands the test of time, as it may produce wonders. Trioscapes' members are highly skilled and talented and I don't see reason why not exceed their talents. A special reference to Briggs, whose bass guitar is an absolute monster, making him one of the most intriguing bassists on the planet. I encourage anyone involved with extreme prog music not to miss it. This album personally left me wondering: ''Could this be the future of technical music?''

Trioscapes just prooved that you don't have to include a guitarist in the line-up to come up with impressive, powerful and dense instrumental music.Full-front bass lines and passionate jazzy drum patterns support Fancourt's intense, scratching sax plays, while Lynch is also responsible for quite a few electronic samplers heard in the album.Influences include KING CRIMSON, RETURN TO FOREVER, MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, maybe with a more technical approach as proposed by DON CABALLERO.The music is always complex and rich with a great amount of tempo changes, but the atmosphere is not always dark and haunting as you may expect, the three guys have thrown in some more tricky and enjoyable tunes for a more balanced and consistent sound.Lots of dynamic rhythms, plenty of twists and turns and a fair dose of sax soloing lead this work with a certain piece (''Gemini's descent'') highlighted by Francourt's dreamy and elegant flute work, coming in full contrast with the power of the rhythm section and reminding a bit of a Kraut Rock act.Otherwise be sure to face an intricate and compelling trip into the world of Prog Fusion with major technical exhibitions, but also some very tight and confident executions.

Nice little surprise by a trio with no guitarist, which managed to come up with an energetic and bombastic Fusion debut.Strongly recommended, especially, if you love the more technical side of instrumental Prog Rock...3.5 stars.

Apart from these, I didn't hear much of anything else that would have made my ears prick up. I did notice lengthy passages that felt like John McLaughlin's outtakes; then there would be a few minutes of what sounded like post-Red Robert Fripp's exploits.

To sum up the experience ..

POSITIVES: No crude mistakes. An impressive wall of well-textured sound, for a trio. Adequate engineering. No irritating vocals :)

NEGATIVES: Too noisy and ear-heavy; not flamboyant enough for proper fusion. None of the musicians stands out. No real innovation, only a narrow range of recycled musical ideas from very long ago.

I'd give this album two stars only, but I must distinguish it somehow from let's say iamthemorning with its syrupy new age-y ethos and squeaky vocals (who I did give two stars). So, I will have to round it up to 3 stars.

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I was not surprised when this band was proposed for an addition to progressive metal; everything else is there, apart from the guitars! The trio of Briggs, Lynch and Fancourt deliver lessons on heavy progressive fusion based on a solid rhythm section and a talented saxophonist.

Here you can find anything from dynamic "blasts" of saxophone over an ever-changing, in tempos and moods, rhythm section (opening track), to free jazz patterns (Wazzlejazzlebof), and from mysterious atmospheres and oriental sounds (title track) to dark experimental passages a la King Crimson (Gemini's Descent). The band also take on Mahavishnu's ''Celestial Terrestrial Commuters'' and take it to another level, adding further improvisation.

The spotless, clear production adds extra points to the end result. There is a nice balance between straightforward improvisation (Fancourt on the leading role with the other two usually supporting) and more mellow and experimental passages, and this mixture makes the album more ''listenable'' and enjoyable, especially to those that are not fully trained in the arts of fusion (including myself). Worth of mention is the bass playing approach, which changes freely from ''slapping'' to heavy distortion, adding to this more ''metallic'' feeling. The influences from Rush (!) and King Crimson are those that do the trick for me, as does the use of some ''spacey'' themes here and there.

This is a great piece of musicianship and certainly among the highlights of the year; it should definitely appeal to fusion fans but also to prog metal/metal fusion (Panzerballet anyone?) followers.

The majority of the songs are made up of wild rhythm tracks laid down by the drummer, Matt Lynch and bassist Dan Briggs, with Walter Fancourt soloing overhead. Occasionally, there are overdubs, and at times Briggs solos on the higher notes on his bass, sounding almost like an electric guitar.

The result is both dangerous and exciting, and a sure fire member of my summer cruising rotation.

Oh, and the final track on the album appears to be an homage to the 1980's lineup of King Crimson. With the weaving of bass and sax, and sustained high bass notes imitating Fripp's soaring guitar, it's another treat.