Temple of Switches - 2015 - Temple of Switches

(33:51; Temple of Switches)






















Formed in 2012, this American progressive rock band say their music does not fit within any particular category, and that this is quite deliberate, although they bring in jazz and classical sounds so perhaps it is not surprising they have been included on ProgArchives as crossover, although in fairness this is more about the fact they are blending multiple genres as opposed to following the crossover style per se. Based on their 2015 debut, I am somewhat surprised they were not grabbed by Neo, while there is also a case for Heavy to have taken them, but perhaps this is indeed the correct genre as there is just so much going on. Back then, they were a quartet, with Mike Monda (guitar), Joe Monda (bass), Kevin McConnell (keyboards, vocals) and Jay Heffner (drums) and what strikes one immediately is just how much every musician is putting into the mix. It really does not matter who one concentrates on, there is a great deal happening, yet it never sounds over the top but rather that everyone is providing complexity and complicated threads but somehow, they come together and do not overpower the listener.

This is one of those albums which is immediate, and there is a very high rock element, yet the more it is listened to the more there is to get out of it. Everyone is adding wonderful touches and elements which make it stand out, as it took me a long time to think who they reminded me of, but “The Positive Side, Part 2” is strongly reminiscent of Salem Hill in their ‘The Robbery of Murder’ days, which may well be why I enjoy this so much as surely that is one of the finest American prog albums of all time. There is very much an American feel to this release, which is probably why it would not have been taken by Neo, and they often fall into melodic hard rock, while vocally Kevin is superb, and we even get some lovely rising screams at times. This is a great debut and am somewhat surprised it appears to have been missed by many (including me until now to be fair) and is certainly worthy of investigation who enjoy their prog to mix it up and come at it from a melodic hard rock area.

Kev Rowland, November 2022

Links:
https://templeofswitches.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thirteen of Everything - 2023 - Time and Other Delusions

Image
(68:22; Basement Avatar Records) Track list: 1. Timeline 8:57 2. Alternate Life 12:02 3. Where the Time Goes 5:32 4. The Penultimate Flight of Armando the Pigeon 7:11 5. The King of Istanbul 10:35 6. Warmth and Darkness 7:32 7. Count All the Days 16.33 Line-up: Brett Cosby - guitars Mick Peters - Chapman stick, bass, pedals, vocals Ted Thomas - drums, percussion, vocals Bob Villwock - keyboards with: Thad Miller - keyboards Prolusion. US band Thirteen of Everything has been a going concern for a bit over 20 years, releasing their initial demo back in 2002 with official albums following in 2005 and 2019 respectively. Following what has been a brief pause between albums for this band they are now preparing to launch their third studio album "Time and Other Delusions", which will be released on US label Basement Avatar Records. Analysis. In terms of the different variations one can find in the progressive rock universe, Thirteen of Everything resides safely inside the symphonic ...
Read more

Deaton Lemay Project - 2022 - The Fifth Element

Image
(63:04; Deaton Lemay Project) Track list: 1. The Great Awakening 5:32 2. A Different Place in Time 7:24 3. Dragonfly 3:35 4. The Nightmare 4:28 5. Exordium 6:24 - Elements of Life Suite 6. Overture 4:43 7. Fire 6:10 8. Water 6:11 9. Air 4:19 10. Earth 6:53 11. Music 7:25 Line-up: Roby Deaton - keyboards, guitars, vocals Craig LeMay - drums, percussion with: Hadi Kiani - vocals Ehsan Imani - guitars Josh Mark Raj - guitars John Haddad - bass Charles Berthoud - bass Liza Evans - violin Prolusion. US band DEATON LEMAY PROJECT started out officially back in 2018, following a 25 year long period of gestation. They released their debut album "Day After Yesterday" in 2019, and following what I suspect has been a rather busy planning and recording period during the years of the pandemic the creative twosome of Deaton and Lemay are back with their second album "The Fifth Element" at the start of 2022. Analysis. While the fifth element apparently used to be defined as aether ...
Read more

Jay Graboski - 2023 - Authentic Fake

Image
(77:11; Oho Music) Track list: 1. In Dotage 3:55 2. Season of Extremes 3:54 3. 28721 3:38 4. Dot on Your Door 4:55 5. Die Before You Die 4:00 6. Hidden Agenda 4:43 7. Out on a Limb 3:58 8. Mired in Malaise? 3:00 9. Cosmos of the Soul 3:51 10. The Hours 5:32 11. Frog Legs 2:41 12. Metaphors 3:28 13. The Witness Watchers 3:41 14. Authentic Fake 3:05 15. Your Luck is Awake 4:43 16. The Crown 3:51 17. The Doomed Princess 4:01 18. St. Judas 4:12 19. Where Words Do Not Reach 3:28 20. Well, I'll Be 2:35 Line-up: Jay Graboski - vocals, guitars, bass, percussion, glockenspiel with: Dale German - guitars Ray Jozwiak - accordion, keyboards, bass, Moog Dave Kelly - guitars, programming, keyboards, percussion Julie Keough - backing vocals Harry Maben - drums Patrick McAvinue - fiddle Gene Meros - saxophones Bill Phelan - backing vocals, guitars, mandolin, recorder Bill Pratt - keyboards, backing vocals, horn arrangements David Reeve - drums, percussion, keyboards Gyro J. Scope - sequencing Prol...
Read more