Progressive Order

Here’s a band that should be great, but instead ends up being on the heel of the genre eating dirt. Now I’ll probably be a little harsh on these guys, so prepare for that, but it’ll be good for you because it may just save you from ever having to hear this band. When it comes to playing, I know many people will be better than me – that’s a given. However, when it comes to writing a song, a very small number of people are able to succeed – Cybicus are on the other side doing their own thing when it comes to that.

Now you’ll most likely care about the riffs and songwriting since this is a progressive metal outfit, and that’s what these bands are supposed to excel at. But not these guys, oh no, every riff I hear is just a second-rate clone of some other decent riff by a band, but there’s a catch that kills it for me. With this production, the guitar tone is a little out-of-tune and sloppy, as opposed to being refined and precise. Complexity I could give a shit about, but this tone is so lazy and out of it that any riff played loses its appeal because it sounds 1/6 as good as it should.

The songs are mid-paced rockers except maybe “Shore Of Lavin,” which instead chooses to slow things down AOR style and overuse the harmonics and synthesizers. This is where the guitarists show their skills to make a pretty melodic tune, but that out-of-tune tone keeps it from being something you could actually like. The bass runs alongside the guitars just blubbering rhythmically like it’s supposed, but it, too, is slightly out-of-tune or off key or something. Is it the production, the mixing, or the actual equipment that’s messed up? It just makes everything sound really awkward. The drums get affected, too, but they aren’t as abysmal and gauche as the other two instruments. The playing is generally consistent and aggressive, with the double bass being juicy and the snares echoing properly instead of clanging like plastic.

Now a lot of guys noticed that this band utilized a female vocalist, and tons of things were contemplated. The most apparent one was whether or not she was good… well with all the shit I’ve talked about this far, what do you think? She’s not just bad, but she’s really, really bad. Not Keydragon bad, but still pretty terrible.

Let’s have a pop quiz as to which one matches Juli’s clean, poppy singing?

a) Off-key
b) Too loud
c) Trying too hard
d) Attempting growls or harsh vocals
e) All of the above

Well people, if you guessed E, then you are a rational human being who will take this rational advice – avoid this. Her singing is the most awkward aspect of the music; you’ll cringe the moment you hear them, I swear. As you get drilled into the music, you start to lower your standards to her suckage, which makes them bearable but still revolting. Little can you do to hit that stop button, but you’ll have no other urge other than that. I know I did, and I’ve sat through some pretty shitty music before. Take my word for it - stay away from this band until the day you die.