Tetrafusion - Absolute Zero (by Eowyn Langholf)

Tetrafusion - Absolute Zero

Crank up your speakers music friends and get ready to go on a ride! Tetrafusion's Absolute Zero is a melodic metal masterpiece. The album's first and last tracks are appropriately named 'The Beginning' and 'The End' respectively and will take you on a journey from the moment you hit play until the very last note, leaving you wanting more. The Beginning' starts off with an intriguing bass riff that will perk the listener's ears to wonder what is coming next. Driving guitar and riveting drums kick in next followed before too long with cosmic keys that launch the listener on a journey through the heavens.

Absolute Zero is not only a fantastic album with eight outstanding tracks on it, but it is also a concept album that easily rivals any predecessors. Through technical virtuosity and musical ingenuity, Tetrafusion takes us on an epic journey detailing the birth, life and death of the universe from its explosion into existence to its fading out at the end. With no lyrics, the listener must rely on the ear-satisyfying blended themes, the soul stirring recurring motifs and the underlying melodies that bind the album together. This is done with masterful precision to leave the listener feeling at the end as though he truly has just witnessed one of the greatest mysteries of mankind.

So who is Tetrafusion? Take note as this is a band well worth becoming acquainted. Gary Tubbs(keyboards), Mark Michell(bass), J.C. Bryant(percussion) and Brooks Tarkington(guitar) combine to bring us this marvelous progressive foursome. Formed in October of 2006, the group began as a jazz/slow jam band but as their music became more creative and innovative they changed their direction to progressive experimental metal. Absolute Zero is shockingly their first full length album and I hope the first of many.

Special mention has to be paid to the final track on the album, 'The End'. This fifteen minute epic piece details out the end of the universe as we know it from the catastrophic feelings humanity faces as it meets its demise to the final conclusion of the existence of the universe, absolute zero. From beginning to end this piece is a masterful whirlwind in and of itself with unexpected time signature shifts, brilliant key changes and a remarkable blend of varoius musical styles . Just when you think the metal can't get any better it changes entirely to a haunting, stunning solo on the keys then launches into a bluesy riff before circling back to the metal. It will keep the listener on the edge wondering what will come next while uniting the entire album for an outstanding conclusion.

If you love progressive metal Absolute Zero is a must have for your collection. If progressive metal is not your thing, I would highly recommend you give this album a try because I believe you will find yourself pleasantly surprised. I give this album Four and a half Froggs only because I know their next album will be a five.


Visit this band on their MySpace site at:
http://www.myspace.com/tetrafusion

Moth Vellum - 'Moth Vellum' (by Kris Heisner)

Moth Vellum – Moth Vellum

Moth Vellum is a California based band that released their self-titled debut album in 2007 and most recently was featured at RoSFest 2009. This four member band is comprised of Ryan Downe – Bass/ Vocals, Matt Swindells – Drums/ Vocals, Johannes Luley – Guitars, and Tom Lynham – Keyboards and plays a brand of progressive music that hearkens back to the glory days of 70's prog.

The album features six songs, complete with a reprise, all of which hold to the time honored tradition of progressive music's history of longer more epic tune. Each piece stands well on its own and moves through moods that echo the styles of such bands as Yes and Pink Floyd. Luley's style on guitars is very reminiscent of Steve Howe, yet fresh and creative with it's own sound that lends a meandering beauty to the compositions and a continuity through the whole of the album. Downe's vocals are strong with a tone and clarity comparable to Dennis DeYoung and Jon Anderson.

On a whole I loved the album from end to end with a special love for the tunes Whalehead, with its ethereal lofty beauty, and Salvo, which took me back to the feel and sound of Tales From Topographic Oceans.

Four Froggs for Moth Vellum and I look forward to another album from these talented artists~



You can visit Moth Vellum and purchase their CD at their website at:
http://www.mothvellum.com/index.html

or visit their MySpace at:
http://www.myspace.com/mothvellum

Written on the 35th Anniversary of Tales

By Keith Waye

Indeed it is....Tales was officially released in the US at Midnight on 9th January 1974 although we lucky blighters in the UK had been able to buy it for some time.

It became, and has remained, my favourite album of all time. The highs, the lows, the ups and the downs are all magical and I have to listen to it often.

What is it about????....talk to people who have thought about this question and I guarantee you will get different answers every time.

I will never forget a trip to The Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, London in November 1973 to see Yes perform the album in it's entirety. The LP hadn't been released at this time so we went in blind. The first part of the gig was a performance of the whole of Close to the Edge starting with The Firebird Suite (what else?) then Siberian Khatru, which was magical, absolutely magical, And you and I and then CTTE itself. We all felt pretty damned good but what was to follow defies description.

Jon said a few words and then started chanting "Dawn of light lying between the silent and solid sources..........". Man I flipped. It sounded so beautiful. The band then came in with the wonderful RSoG riff and we were away. A truly magical Moment, moment, momennnnnt.

I became The Sunlight Caller. I got over overhanging trees and I was mesmerised. Nearly a half hour of bliss. It couldn't stay as good as this could it?

Too right it could!! The folklike beginning of The Remembering had us gripped. We all cried before Relayer and our passion was spent on one cross. Rick's keyboards soared over us in washes of pure beauty and then in the final few minutes, the crescendo leading to Jon singing "Surely, surely". God I still get the chills when I think of it.

What next? My God! What next?

Jon said that we were to be taken back even further in time, even before The Remembering to a time when there were Giants under the Sun. The Ancient.....

Lights flashed in unison with the pounding Bass, pink and green light in fact, Steve Howe's guitar work entranced us and then the acoustic ending and "The Leaves of green" and the "Colour of the Sun" left us yearning for more.

Ritual!!!!!!!!!!!

The heavens opened and we were showered with musical notes of such wonder that I (to use a well worn phrase but here it is perfectly applicable) thought I had died and gone to heaven. A further crescendo leading to Jon singing "At all, at all, at alllllllllllllllllll..........." then pounding percussion, dazzling lights, almost terror. But you felt that something good had to come out of this sonic assault and, of course, it did............

"Hold me my love, hold me today call me 'round........". I cried, it was so wonderful. And when those final notes died away a little part of me died as well as we realised that it WAS over. The encore, Roundabout, disappeared from memory as we were still living The Tales. I said goodbye to my friends and wandered off in the direction of home and I don't remember a thing about that journey. One thing I do remember though is that it instilled a thought in my mind that has remained with me ever since.

The source of all life and of pure love is the sun: "Nous Sommes du Soliel - We are of the Sun. We can see.".

Likkit the ProgFrogg