Overall album analysis
"Prepare yourself, sit down, and turn on the sound"
Prepare yourself, you are about to witness an extremely engaging musical creation with unique elements from the Prog world.
The album Four Minutes in Eternity has achieved an incredible goal of conveying various musical characteristics that will impress all listeners, particularly those with a more attentive ear, in the year 2023 (released in 2022).
From pure Progressive Metal to eclectic, symphonic, and melodic elements, this true Neo-Prog managed to capture my attention from the first song to the end. I was surprised several times by changes in techniques, rhythms, and musical timings that I hadn't heard in a modern prog record for a long time. Additionally, the band managed to break the inconsequence of prog music with crucial melodic moments, relaxing the ear and creating beautiful expectations for future moments.
Four Minutes in Eternity is an essential album for any Prog Rock lover who demands attention and wisdom in listening. Trust me, the first song will make you forget the "stop" button until the last second of the record concludes.
I wish you an excellent listening experience because, for me, the album has already become a top-list favorite.
Introspective Environment
"The perfect prog introduction"
The music "Introspective Environment" is a true masterpiece in the world of Prog Rock, thanks to its quick but highly technical and musical introduction. Within the first few seconds of the song, the listener is transported into the intricate and mesmerizing creation that is about to unfold.
As an instrumental track, the first song on the album showcases a diverse array of eclectic elements and complex musical structures that are perfectly executed with precision and skill, utilizing extremely broken rhythms that seamlessly interconnect with each other.
The song also offers a good variety of rhythm changes, along with more melodic moments that soothe the ears and build up anticipation for the final third of the piece.
The final third of the song manages to promote new rhythms in a magnificent way without straying from the initial purpose of the track, and concludes at just the right moment, successfully fulfilling its role as the perfect introduction.
"Introspective Environment" promises a great surprise for lovers of Prog Rock, preparing them for an immersive and unique experience that spans over ten tracks. With this musical masterpiece, the listeners can expect to be treated to a musical journey filled with complexity, technicality, and an abundance of musicality. This album is a true testament to the skill and talent of the musicians involved, and is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who listens to it.
Finding Another Circle
"Get ready for a pleasant surprise"
The second track of the album, "Finding Another Circle", is a perfect continuation of the electrifying journey initiated by the first track. The song kicks off with an intense guitar solo that focuses on delivering unique effects and opening up space for the rest of the instrumentation to enter with precision. The band's instrumental prowess is once again on full display, as they expertly blend eclectic and melodic moments throughout the entire introduction, creating a listening experience that is both unpredictable and thrilling.
As the vocals enter, they complement the already impressive instrumental work, with a well-crafted chorus that showcases the band's ability to seamlessly incorporate rhythm changes into their music. The dynamic interaction between the vocals and instruments highlights the band's chemistry and their collective commitment to delivering a cohesive musical experience.
Despite the complexity of the song, the band manages to maintain an element of surprise for the listener throughout, keeping them engaged and eager to hear what's next. The song's structure and the band's performance are a testament to their ability to craft progressive music that is both technically proficient and emotionally resonant.
Overall, "Finding Another Circle" is a standout track that showcases the band's ability to combine various sub-genres, including eclectic, metal, and crossover, into a cohesive and captivating musical experience. The song is a testament to the band's creativity, musicality, and dedication to their craft, and it sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting and diverse album.
The Change
"Get ready for a significant transformation"
The inclusion of The Change in the album not only adds variety to the band's sound but also showcases their willingness to experiment with different styles and techniques. The stark departure in the introduction, featuring a strong foundation of drum beats and well-crafted synthetic keyboard and guitar effects, creates a dense atmosphere that perfectly justifies the track's title. This change in style highlights the band's versatility and ability to push the boundaries of progressive rock.
The vocal entry adds an interesting alteration of rhythm, providing a refreshing change of pace from the previous tracks. The use of symphonic elements, reminiscent of progressive rock from the 70s, adds a touch of nostalgia while maintaining the band's unique personality. The vocalist's performance is outstanding, capturing the essence of the song and complementing the instrumental sections flawlessly.
As expected, the instrumental section of The Change provides a plethora of unique sensations for the ears. The band displays a wide range of rhythms and spectacular time signatures, showcasing their technical prowess and musicianship. The intricate interplay between the instruments creates a sonic landscape that is both captivating and thought-provoking.
The third track of the album maintains the same high level of musicianship seen in the previous tracks. The significant change in tonality and style, however, adds a new dimension to the band's sound. The use of different musical motifs and techniques highlights the band's ability to blend various sub-genres of progressive rock seamlessly. Overall, The Change and Finding Another Circle are excellent examples of the band's musical proficiency and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of progressive rock.
Four Minutes in Eternity
"The name of the CD deserves your attention"
We have finally reached the track that has the honor of giving its name to the album. Four Minutes in Eternity starts with a calm introduction, but soon gives way to incredible progressive moments, adding to the entire atmosphere of the music.
With so many diverse elements, it is evident how time passes too quickly when appreciating each building block, which are quite complex and technical. Opting for a mostly instrumental track, the band presents the highest levels of progressive rock in the album's title track, introducing vocals to enhance the final third of the music, which has a beautiful pause, providing a well-deserved rest for the attentive ears of prog fans.
I can say that the most incredible thing about the entire music is the great idea behind its name, which, in my particular opinion, lasts exactly four minutes, but with a prog loop that makes me want to listen to it more and more, thus going on for eternity. Four Minutes in Eternity is an impressive track that demonstrates the band's ability to create a musical journey that takes the listener on a journey through time and space. The intricate arrangements, virtuosic solos, and changes in rhythm are some of the elements that make this music a true treasure for progressive rock fans.
The calm and atmospheric introduction soon gives way to a complex and engaging instrumental section that builds the foundation for the musical journey to come. The musicians' ability to create themes and variations that complement each other is impressive, creating a sense of unity and coherence in the music, even with so many changes in rhythm and atmosphere.
The entry of vocals in the final third of the music is one of the most exciting moments of the entire album, adding an extra layer of depth and emotion to the track. The vocalist delivers an exceptional performance, with an intense and emotional interpretation that perfectly complements the music's atmosphere.
The pause at the end of the music is the perfect final touch, providing a moment of rest for the ears and allowing the listener to reflect on the musical journey they have just experienced. Four Minutes in Eternity is a music that will certainly stay in the listener's mind for a long time, and is one of the highlights of this impressive album.
Possibility
"A new possibility of listening"
Possibility is truly a track that brings new moments to the listening experience of the album, showcasing the band's ability to seamlessly blend various sub-genres of progressive rock while still maintaining their unique sound. The introduction alone is a journey in itself, with intricate melodies and time signatures that keep the listener engaged and on the edge of their seat.
As the song progresses, the complexity begins to simmer down, and a more melodic and accessible side of the band is showcased with the introduction of vocals. The vocals are delivered with intensity and emotion, perfectly complementing the heavy and driving instrumentation.
Despite the simpler pattern, Possibility still manages to surprise and delight the listener with unexpected twists and turns. The band's ability to seamlessly transition between different moods and tempos is truly impressive, and keeps the listener engaged throughout the entire track.
The end of the song serves as a perfect conclusion to the journey, bringing the listener back to the band's roots and showcasing their true identity as a progressive rock band. The elegant pause at the end of the song allows the listener to catch their breath and reflect on the journey they've just experienced, while also building anticipation for the tracks that will follow.
Overall, Possibility is a prime example of the band's musical prowess and ability to create intricate and engaging progressive rock music. It's a must-listen for any fan of the genre, and a standout track on an already impressive album.
Sparkling Eyes
"Smile until the end of the song"
With an extended and extremely melodic solo, the sixth track of the album, Sparkling Eyes, promotes a smoother rhythm with a more defined beat and fewer progressive elements in its first minute.
This pattern continues until the following minutes, which receive an addition of more defined instruments that can elevate the technique with well-made junctions between them while maintaining the background of the introduction.
The listener is caught off guard by the general pause that occurs in the middle of the song, promoting a deeper and more spatial environment. As expected, the surprises don't end there, as the rest of the music decides to promote major changes in the tempo and arrangements, transforming Sparkling Eyes into a new song and returning to the well-defined prog concepts.
Finally, the song's final moments triumphantly blend all the elements that were previously displayed, and the final risks brought me a great moment of personal risks as well. The emotions were touched even in the last seconds of the song.
Strictly Supernatural
"Enjoy a bit of the 70s/80s"
The seventh track of the CD, "Strictly Supernatural", starts by creating a beautiful calm and elegant atmosphere, with a slow solo preparing the listener for a great variation of rhythm that occurs shortly thereafter.
With a drier guitar effect, without any effects, the environment manages to bring back a modern sound to great moments of the 70s and 80s, promoting simpler riffs and providing a good rock n Roll base for lovers of the genre.
The vocals maintain the intentional profile of this track in an elevated manner, and although they are more subtle, the rhythm variations manage to maintain the identity of the band, especially in the instrumental moment that starts in the middle of the song. The presence of the bass is efficient, and the return of the style promotes good moments until the end of the song.
Finally, "Strictly Supernatural" promotes a mysterious sound in its ending, with an implacable keyboard effect in the background that manages to finalize the song with an excellent style.
Maximum Humanity
"Relax in a more melodic moment"
Maximum Humanity is a track that perfectly blends the technical intricacies of progressive rock with melodic moments, providing a much-needed break for listeners who appreciate the genre. The song starts off with a pleasing rhythm that sets the tone for the rest of the track. The instruments used in the introduction are mixed in a way that creates a well-defined swing that is hard to resist.
As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that Maximum Humanity focuses more on the melodic aspects of prog, allowing listeners to appreciate the subtle rhythm swings throughout the track. The vocals dominate the song, giving it a strong sense of direction, while the well-balanced recording ensures that the sound of all instruments is well-defined.
For those who love prog albums, Maximum Humanity is the ideal track to take a break from the complex and broken times of the genre. It is the perfect complement to the seven preceding tracks that showcase the technical prowess of progressive rock. As a devoted fan of all prog genres, I found that this song was perfectly fitted into the body of the CD. It is an excellent addition to any progressive rock playlist and is sure to please even the most discerning listener.
Signs
"RockProg: the epic fusion!"
Signs, the ninth track of the CD, begins with a beautiful guitar effect that immediately reminds me of the sound of Rush in their prime, with its complex intonation that blends various guitar effects and dry textures.
The song itself leans more towards classic rock, with relevant changes between the choruses and an overall captivating musical feel. The listener will appreciate the well-structured melody that builds up to a beautiful surprise.
The central part of the song decides to surprise the attentive ears with a wondrous instrumental bridge that creates a sense of admiration and captivates attention by perfectly blending the dominant rhythm of the song with an unexpected interval.
Signs is a perfect example of how a song with a more solid structure can be seamlessly integrated into 5 minutes of pure rock, with that special progressive touch that elevates it to the next level. The song creates a unique listening experience that showcases the band's versatility in bringing together various elements to create a cohesive and musically-rich piece.
Overall, Signs is a testament to the band's mastery of their craft, as they skillfully weave together different elements and influences into a song that is both timeless and fresh. Fans of classic rock and progressive music alike will undoubtedly appreciate the artistry on display in this track.
The Other Side of Us
"A beautiful ending with a taste of wanting more"
We have come to the epic finale of this amazing album, the last track titled The Other Side of Us.
With an incredible tone of subtlety and farewell, the opening seconds begin with a beautiful and calm guitar solo that is soon interrupted by a lively introduction full of technical musical information in a beautiful instrumental section.
Being the longest track on the album, it was not surprising that this introduction replicated several characteristics displayed previously, but it is worth emphasizing with all conviction that the musical times and techniques used for a prog rock listener were extremely well attended.
There are several rhythms that come together in a unique sound experience, the central pause promotes an interesting connection, providing breath for the maintenance of a 7-minute track.
The mood is one of farewell, with practically all the instruments and the vocalist promoting a feeling that something more is to come in future works and, specifically, I am hoping for a new work of such quality.
The Other Side of Us masterfully guided the listening experience to a perfect conclusion, ending the 46'06 minute album with great style.
