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Wells Music [Release date 24.05.24] teramaze.bandcamp.com/
For some strange reason I have only just become acquainted with this Australian prog metal band. This latest offering is their eleventh full-length album, so I have some catching up to do. Strangely again, over the 20 years plus of their (and GRTR!’s) existence, the band also appear to have escaped other reviewers’ attention.
I understand that the band have purveyed a Christian ethic and can only think that this religious undercurrent might put off some punters. Furthermore, there seems to have been a ten year hiatus from 2001-2012 and then a drip-feed of albums culminating in five studio albums released since 2020. The band have evidently been making up for lost time.
A concept piece, “Eli” concludes a trilogy that started in 2015 with ‘Her Halo’. Setting the concept aside, the album emerges as very listenable verging at times on pop/melodic prog. It’s full of great choruses (Nathan Peachey on vocals), excellent guitaring (mainman Dean Wells and Chris Zoupa) and sweeping synth courtesy of Dave Holley. The orchestrations too are very appealing, such as on the big ballad ‘Hands Are Tied’.
In the opening piece The Will Of Eli’ there are elements of Toto in their heavier prog mode. ‘Step Right Up’ is a real highlight and has all the ingredients from the hook lines, rousing chorus to the dreamy and introspective coda. Just perfect. On the other hand ‘Madam Roma’ will appeal to Dream Theater fans. The only distraction could be the “concept” but it’s not too bad and it may prompt newbies to go back to the start and that first related album.
The blend of low guitar riffing, powerful solos and keyboarding also brings to mind bands like Symphony X. This is a band who don’t mind stretching out – their 2021 album ‘Sorella Minore’ (one of two released that year) included a 26 minute “epic”. The extended piece here is the title track which is a good enough entrée for those newbies and it includes saxophone!
What this album demonstrates is that a long-standing band can escape at least this reviewer’s attention and, three decades on, can come up with something so impressive, so fresh sounding and so engaging. ****
Review by David Randall
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