Limb/Playground
Irish band SANDSTONE is on their fourth album, and I believe they are moving towards progressiveness. I hear quite a few, mostly 80-90´s bands of that genre here, but also a need for a breakthrough.
There are two absolute breakers on here; “King of Cipher”, “Beneath the Scars” and “Vitruvian Man”. The first is solid but not complex prog with more than a hint of FATES WARNING and QUEENSRYCHE during their respective heydays. The second is probably what they are truly aiming at sounding, a bit heavier than their (probable) idols of 20-30 years back. The latter is a more complex affair with many movements. The rest? Well the remaining ten tracks are more varied in quality. The likes of “Winter” and “Cartesia” are not harming their chances in any way- but aren´t quite as eyebrow-raising as the three first mentioned. But the lukewarm opening of the shortie “Cat´s Cradle” and “Almost Grateful” could well turn record buyers off, and the same goes for “Red Mist” and “Promise Me”. I am not writing these gents off, but I can not quite recommend them over some other band of the genre because of the unevenness of the album.
Track List
Cat´s Cradle
Almost Grateful
King of Cipher
Winter
Red Mist
Cartesia
Promise Me
Monument
Beneath the Scars
Fortress
Transgression
Vitruvian Man
www.limb-music.com www.myspace.com/sandstonerocks
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