Giant Face - 2025 - Giant Face

(44:30; Giant Face)

Formed in 2023, UK band Giant Face describe themselves as a prog metal outfit, and a few months ago released their debut album. All four core members of the band are multi-instrumentalists, but on this release provided the following, Freddie Whaley (drums), Will Herrick (bass), Charlie Hilton (keyboards) and Ben Walker (guitar). However, this is not an instrumental album, and lead vocals were provided by Adam Pugh on a session basis but surely he will become a full member as his vocals are key to this. I am not surprised to find these guys have all been studying music at university as the band they remind me of is Mr. So & So who had a somewhat similar background. Sadly they are long gone although guitarist Dave Foster is still very active in the scene (Steve Rothery, Big Big Train, Legend and many more), and while that band was heavily based around the complex basslines, here we have an outfit who are precociously young and bringing together complex threads in a modern and highly entertaining fashion.

One can tell their training as each of them sounds as if they have been playing at a high level for years, and when they decide to head out on an instrumental jaunt (such as “Option Paralysis”) one can feel the Seventies are back and Colosseum II are in the house. While they describe themselves as prog metal, I can also see them being called technical metal or modern neo prog, but in the end what we are trying to do here is pigeonhole the sound to be able to provide a description, but we all know music is not a pigeon although it is a living, breathing entity. The more I have played this the more I have really enjoyed it, as they really have followed the melodies as opposed to just being clever for its own sake, so while they certainly can mix it up in highly complex styles there is always a reason for it, and it is strange how something which has been influenced by Rush and Dream Theater can be very commercial and even crossover prog in style.

This album from the UK came to Aotearoa vis a recommendation from an American friend of mine, and here is a release which is truly global, branching into many different influences yet while complex is also highly commercial and engaging the first time of hearing, with loads of space and contrast. If this is debut, I certainly look forward to hear what they come up with next. 

Kev Rowland, December 2025

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Giantfaceband/