By:
Ernesto Aguilar
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/07/2017
Label: Ripple Music
The
songs of "Prologue" formulate
a humid, thick experience that captures delectably the story of a society in
crisis. The vignettes shared in lyrics and the abject weight of the music creep
slowly, fearsomely to the collapse you know is coming, but simply cannot halt
“Prologue” CD//DD//LP track listing
1.
The Beginning; The End, The Colony
2.
Mother Mary; Son of Scorn
3.
Chainbreaker
4.
Omega
The Review:
The
number of weather events before us all is a harsh reminder of the fragility of
humans. Structures fall, along with hubris. Furious winds tear down what people
hold most precious as well as what they believe makes them superior. Crashing
seas are an equalizer, wrecking both mansion and shanty. And driving rains slice
through all, no matter religion, creed or allegiance. The cold comes for all of
us eventually.
Poseidon's debut is a
perfect soundtrack to the raging storms across the U.S. Gulf Coast of late. Its
domineering swells and exquisite violence are your best representation of a
trip through a sonic hurricane.
"Prologue"
is the first of a three-release arc by the London, UK based band, formed out of
the ashes of prog rockers Light Bearer. The four
song, 44-minute launch of its science fiction themed tale is a halcyon start for
Poseidon.
Concept
albums can be an acquired taste. In this instance, Poseidon's
ambitious vision is coming together here as the start of the Mediums Chronicle.
The story aims to reflect the world's collapse as well as what a new world in
the ruins of the old will be like. There are flashes of that old world,
including the words of Free Speech Movement activist Mario Savio, and glimpses
of the new. In such a story, making something original, which supersedes the
post-apocalyptic meme of metal music immemorial, is no easy task. The quartet
sets itself up for a serious undertaking.
The
group offers a doom-rooted landscape to the debut, to set off its engrossing
fable. With "The Beginning; The
End, The Colony" opening up the record, you feel surrounded again by
that distended swarm of echoes. You are startled first by the slow build of
this song, until it comes seemingly out of nowhere, roiling with the guitars of
Matt Norris and Jamie Starke. Waves of power from drummer Raza Khan anchor the
first cut over its 13-plus minutes.
However,
it is only the beginning. The songs of "Prologue"
formulate a humid, thick experience that captures delectably the story of a
society in crisis. The vignettes shared in lyrics and the abject weight of the
music creep slowly, fearsomely to the collapse you know is coming, but simply
cannot halt. By the time "Chainbreaker"
arrives, you have a sense the world in Poseidon's hands is in
for dark times. Vocalist Matthew Bunkell's understated yet resonant performance
here, climaxing to the massive "Omega,"
puts the stakes to what may be a familiar story. Regardless, the quality of Poseidon's work will keep you transfixed until the
inevitable and stormy end.
"Prologue" is
available here
