Posts Tagged ‘progressive metal’
Leviathan
So, it looks as if Leviathan (Colorado progressive metal band) is doing a reunion show in January 2010. Too bad they couldn’t have waited a few months else I would have made my way up there to see the show. But Colorado in the middle of the winter? No thanks. Hell, I am already too cold here in central Texas!
Back in 1997 I went to LA to visit with Century Media and metal Blade Records as I was buying most of my stock from them when I had Acacia Music online in the late 80s. It was a blast out there and the folks at both labels were absolutely incredible. One great experience was going to the “office” of Century Media. At that time they were still a small label in the USA. Their office was an old Victorian looking 2-story house with an 8′ privacy fence around it. Not very office-looking. But it kept their overhead low and it was perfect for their needs. My rep with CM, John Schultz (where are you, dude?) took me out to their warehouse in South Central LA (Hawthorne). I just walked through the rows of CDs and merch drooling. I brought back 200 CDs. Many for my personal collection but most of them to sell on the website and on eBay.
One of the bands I got a hold of on the trip was Leviathan. They had the first EP and their first 2 full-length CDs in stock so I grabbed one of each. At the time I was a little more into prog metal than I am now and this stuff surely satisfied my tastes in the genre.
My favorite of the 3 is Riddles, Questions, Poetry and Outrage. Such a fine album. All 3 of these are way out of print so I’ll post them for your downloading pleasure. Yes, I know they did a follow-up to the Riddles album, but I didn’t care for it.
Enjoy.
Riddles, Questions, Poetry and Outrage
Eyefear – Edge Of Existence (1996)
Wow. It’s not very often that I put a CD in to rip that iTunes doesn’t recognize, but this is one of them. I really am quite 
shocked.
This is another band that Kelz turned me on to through one of his many compilation tapes. Eyefear hail from Australia and surprisingly enough they are still together, not that I really care now. This is the definitive album by them.
It was the opening track, Of Blind Faith, that he had on there and it is just one of those almost perfect songs, albeit the intro is a bit lengthy. The album has some elements of prog and traditional metal. It’s not the tightest of albums but it all just seems to work. Sort of like the Vis Vires album I reviewed a while back. Not perfect, but done well enough to leave a lasting impression.
The vocals really do it for me. Too bad he only lasted for one album. Lots of good vocal harmonies throughout. There are some tasty guitar solos on here as well. I think one of the guitarists was a fan of Andy LaRocque as I hear a few ripped off hooks…not that there’s anything wrong with that. None of the songs really pick up speed that much besides the title track. No matter, it’s worth hearing.
I own 2 copies of this CD. One of them I got from Sentinel Steel Records and I think the other I janked off of eBay.
Vis Vires – Inside the Hate
Odd little band that I found through Denis Gulbey of Sentinel Steel Records. They hail from somewhere in Georgia but 
don’t really have an American sound. The album is mildly progressive ala Fates Warning (middle Alder era), euro thrashy and gothy in other spots. Occasional screamo vocals which normally turn me off, but they seem to work in this instance. There are some tasty guitar and drums parts and I really dig the singer. The album is a little sloppy in places but it doesn’t really detract from the sum of the whole.
Based on the lyrics, the singer is pretty unhappy with stuff, mainly God. “It doesn’t matter if you rise again cuz you are dead in me forever.” Ouch. His vocal style is very loose and even out of pitch here and there but it works.
If you’re into metal I recommend giving this a listen. Such a pity they split up after this. Another album would have been interesting.
And sorry, no personal quip with this one, just an album that I like.
If the download expires, leave me a note and I’ll upload it again.
The Metal Files 
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