Psychedelia and garage new, old, and reinvented from Acid Mothers Temple, Small Faces, and Ulver; prog from Periphery and Asia; Stevie Jackson steps out solo; Science Fair seeks to inspire; more.
Second album by the progressive metal band puts the progressive side forward; complete with guitar solos by John Petrucci (Dream Theater) and Guthrie Govan (ex-Asia). Electronic flourishes, harmony-guitar leads and grandiose melodies give this the feel of a ‘70s-inspired epic, then along comes the dark riffage and double-bass drums to kick it into the present. Spencer Sotelo’s lead vocals maintain the split personality: Part sung in a conventional rock voice and part in a death-metal growl, they practically qualify as duets.
