DOCKER'S GUILD

Docker's Guild are a new band to me, and as one can tell from the title this is the second in a series. On further digging I discovered this is actually a prog metal project, telling the story of the dark world of The Mystic Technocracy, where a silicon-based techno-organic alien race attempts to wipe out all life on Earth through organized religion, while a tormented scientist makes it his mission in life to save humanity. His quest will take him across the universe and on a personal journey from which there is no return. Apparently the story is so huge that it is going to play out through five "seasons" and four "books" for a total of nine albums. Given that many bands/projects never release that amount of material through their existence this is quite some undertaking from producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Douglas R. Docker. He provides keyboards, bass and vocals and is joined by a quite wonderful cast which includes none other than one of my very favourite singers, Anneke van Giersbergen. Other singers include Amanda Somerville, Elizabeth Andrews, Valentina Procopio, Anna Petracca, Serena Moine, the guitarists are Joel Hoekstra, Sascha Paeth, Nita Strauss, Mio Jäger, Toni Urzì, Luigi Iamundo while the bassists are Anna Portalupi, Luca Pisu, Roby Salvai, Giorgio Novarino and the one drummer is Helly.

Between each "season" we get a "book", so this is actually the third release in the series, following on from the first "season" and then an album of covers of science fiction films and shows including 'Red Dwarf', 'Doctor Who', 'Space Patrol', 'UFO' etc. I must confess I have an issue in following the story, whatever it is, without the booklet to provide guidance so instead have just concentrated on the songs as there is actually very little narrative outside of these. The massive surprise comes halfway through the album, as even though this is a concept we have a cover version, and I must admit it is probably the best song here, although I recognise that is probably due to my love of the original and the album from which it came. The track is none other than "Machine Messiah", here with glorious harmony male and female vocals ? it is played totally straight with little attempt to place a unique stamp on the song, instead it is wonderfully reminiscent of the original. The issue I have is that the rest of the album pales when placed against this, and I think that is because I have little in regards to a point of reference which is needed when attempting to understand a project of this scale.

In many ways this is somewhat overbearing and over the top, and while undoubtedly influenced by Ayreon and his projects it is somewhat more difficult to get inside due just to the sheer scale. I am sure I would be viewing this differently if I had the booklet and had heard the debut, but as it is I have enjoyed playing this and am glad I have heard it but am unable to fully get inside the album and I am sure I would have appreciated it more if I was able to do that.

Beautiful and emotional rock opera we have here with the great keyboards up front, spacey sounds and great compositions with no weak tracks. It's rare that a cd will keep my attention all the way through, but this one does. Remind me a bit of Haken's material with the overall sound and songwriting style, that will please those who enjoy a symphonic approach with their prog. A classic that i wouldn't tag as a Neo-Prog, because i don't have the impression that it copy the past, but could be the new future sound of progressive rock started with Ayeron, with less emphasis on guitars and more on keyboards.

Docker's Guild - "The Mystic Technocracy Season One: The Age Of Ignorance" 13/20

42nd place album of the year 2012

As a basement-dwelling neckbeard atheist, I will immediately jump to listen to albums like Docker's Guild's debut, with its imagery screaming "things I agree with". Although I have since outgrown my phase of shoving nothing down people's throats, I still can't resist an album cover with the emblems of the three major monotheistic doctrines and a title like "The Age Of Ignorance". Or more specifically "The Mystic Technocracy Season One: The Age Of Ignorance" which screams science fiction and ambition, and also epic, since the 'season one' implies there are at least two (I hope) more to come, and each will be as conceptual and epic as the third season of Lost. The name "Docker's Guild" is in fact cleverly taken from Babylon 5, referencing both science fiction, which this saga bleeds entirely, and the fact that the songwriter's name is Docker. Clever.

Not only are there the conceptual draw-ins, but this album also falls under the neo-prog subgenre, my personal favourite subgenre and my blog's namesake. The band also claim influence from AOR and electronic music, and the epic scope of this record definitely compares to AOR and stadium rock, and all neo-prog takes at least something from electronic music, being born in the 80's and all.

So, if you know me and what I like in music, then I should be about to say that this is the greatest thing ever, and I most certainly felt some of that on first listens. But this album is the opposite of a grower. You could call it a 'shrinker', but that sounds weird. Although the title track and parts of other songs still hold the same appeal, but when I come across songs like "Loving The Alien" and "Prophecy" again I can't help but reach for the skip button. They're not bad songs as such, but they just feel tired after 5 or 6 plays. This is the reason spamming albums to get an order for album of the year is bad, because I get sick of them. It's also the reason I've been putting off this review for a few days, because I really don't feel like putting on the album again to refresh.

But enough on the negative side, to be honest, this is a fine album. There are moments of great musicality, like the piano on "Norse Cosmology I", once you ignore the strange Italian spoken word, despite the rest of the album being in English. There are also great choruses, the opening chorus in the title track is great, as well as in the three-parter "The Secret of DNA/Purple Orb". Naturally, being neo-prog, there are great synth solos too, but maybe that's just me who loves them.

If you love neo-prog, sci-fi sagas, overbloated lyrics that confirm your universal beliefs and synth solos, then get this album. It's pretty solid and I'll definitely be looking for the other 4 parts of this saga. And if he keeps it up lengthwise, then we should be getting almost 7 hours of music. Sounds fun. Originally written for my facebook page/blog http://www.facebook.com/neoprogisbestprog

Docker's Guild is the brainchild of keyboardist and vocalist Douglas R Docker, who has managed to gather an impressive cast of other musicians and vocalists to back the project - names like Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Joe Satriani, Steve Lukather), Magnus Jacobson (Miss Behavior), Tony Franklin (Whitesnake, Blue Murder, The Firm), Guthrie Govan (Asia), Amanda Somerville (Avantasia, Epica, Trillium), Goram Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen, John Noram, Nostradamus), and others. This album is a rock opera in every sense of the term, and the combination of vocal chorus style singing and keyboard style instantly reminded me of the space rock feel of projects like Star One and Ayreon. All throughout the album, the keyboards are featured prominently, and Douglas creates a lush landscape with many keyboard textures, giving a futuristic sound to the album that often reminded me of an 80's Sci Fi flick. Open the cd booklet, and the lush images presented back the music quite well, creating a lush, futuristic world. The album is meant to be part one of a 5 part concept album series, and the story revolves around the idea of fanatical, dogmatic religion waging war and committing atrocities in the name of their god. The music is energetic, dramatic, large-scaled, well-orchestrated, and professional sounding. A solid album that will appeal to fans of projects like Avantasia and Ayreon.