MILLIONTOWN

Frost sounds like a black metal band name to me but this is as far from the truth as possible. Milliontown is Frost´s debut album but don´t let that fool you as this band is full of experienced musicians. Jem Godfrey who sings and plays the omnipresent keyboards on the album is also the main composer of the music. He has produced and written pop music for many years but has with this project decided to return to his prog roots. The other musicians are members of various neo prog bands like Arena and IQ. Personally I don´t think this sounds much like neither Arena nor IQ. Frost has a much more modern approach and sound and thank God for that. The influences ranges from Dream Theater ( Images & Words and Awake), some neo prog influences and commercial pop music.

I must say I was really surprised when I listened to Milliontown for the first time because I was expecting some rather mediocre neo prog, but this sounds much more powerful and fresh.

The music is very melodic and there is a good mood in the songs. Not since I heard Dream Theater´s Images & Words have I heard an album with this kind of sound. Milliontown is not a heavy metal album though, but there are traces. The melodic and complex instrumental opener Hyperventilate is a really excellent song with lots of Dream Theater tendencies. I also hear some Steve Vai Firegarden influences in this song. Jem Godfrey´s piano playing is otherworldly in this song. I promise you this is fantastic and very melodic.

No Me No You is the first test of Jem Godfrey´s frontman qualities and he passes with splendour. He has a really strong voice and even though the chorus of the song could have been in a pop song, it suits the music so well. This is one of those rare bands that sounds like pop, but is much more complicated than that. It never gets cheesy though and that´s good.

Snowman is a song with another style than the two previous ones. Very keyboard dominated and mellow this reminds me a bit about Chroma Key with a pop rock singer. Again the melody is very strong and the keyboards play some really melodic themes.

The Other Me is the weakest song here. This is really eighties like in the melody department. But of course it is professionally done and that saves this otherwise weak song.

Black Light Machine is the most neo prog song here. It´s kind of a mini epic with it´s 10 minute running time, but it isn´t the kind of song that builds. There are lots of solos and instrumental parts in this one. Nothing fancy though.

Milliontown is the real epic of the album. 26+ minutes is a long time for one song, but I am entertained throughout the whole playing time. The vocals lines and the singing style in this song sometimes reminds me of Neil Morse from Spock´s Beard. This is a great ending to a great album, and with the many different parts in this song, Frost proves that they are more than just another neo prog band.

The musicians are outstanding on this album and with the wonderful production this is emphazised even more. This has to be one of the most polished productions I have ever heard on a prog rock album, and even though this sometimes offend me I enjoy it greatly here. These songs were born to be produced like this.

This is one of the best modern prog rock albums I have heard in years and a sure 4 - 5 star album. It´s very rarely I hear something that I feel deserve 5 stars, but this is very special, even though it has it´s flaws and I can therefore only give it 4 stars. I can´t wait to hear more though. This is highly recommendable, you just have to try this one out if you´re into melodic symphonic prog rock.