If Jasun Tipton is involved, the music will be progressive and technical. This is the man behind Abnormal Thought Patterns, Zero Hour and my favourite of his bands Cynthesis. It was a real treat to receive this one, the second album from A Dying Planet.
And what a treat this is. Starting with the title song, it’s dramatic, prog and powerful. As a point of reference, the song “When the Skies Are Grey” has a strong element of Cynthesis about it. The picture is painted of a cold, gloomy and melancholic scene. The song is about the system being broken, but at no stage is there theatrical exaggeration or needless surplus of emotion in the story. The tone is rich and measured. There is welcome room to breathe, reflect and indulge in the quality of the musicianship. The vocals are clear and in fact remind me a little of something between the singer from Foreigner and Wolverine’s Stefan Zell with an added vulnerability. “Watery eyes … gaze at an endless sky, searching for hope in paper and silver coins” is one of many haunting lines and again reminded me strongly of Cynthesis, and in particular “Profits of Disaster” on the 2011 DeEvolution album, with its soft landing, hard message and impact. Vocalist Paul Adrian Villareal, also of Sun Caged, speaks to us as if one to one. The instrumentals press on luxuriously. There’s a perfect balance as we enter the sentiments of this humanly driven song. Towards the end, a thunderously deep and djenty section. We have entered a magical world but one with which we can associate. “Honoring Your Name” starts in a heavier vein, the deep djent capturing the defiant chorus line “we will not be silenced honoring your name”. This song is more stressed. The ringing guitar work is just sensational and gives colour to an ultimately dark song. “Honoring Your Name” is goose-bumpingly good. On the face of it, this album is simple but that’s down to the skill of these musicians. The sophistication continues with the dreamy and emotionally shattering “Hope for Tomorrow”. The singer and music continue to speak to me but in a way that doesn’t flood me with words but makes best use of those that there are. Thus the words count for more, and thanks to the instrumentals are coated in gold. What is so good is the timing and epic, thoughtful atmospheres. Just a pause here and there adds to the power and emotion. The harmonies are clean and allow us to join in and partake of this powerful experience. The song lingers, expands and stays with us to the point of emotional explosion. And of course the instrumental work is as ever sublime and vivid.
Each song is substantial but none more so than the 15 minute “Embrace”. Things have become urgent. The song is more complex. The prog gloom is now strongly reminiscent of Wolverine, as are the lyrics: “Mental desperation, In a state that has only worsened, Visions of ash and carnage, Consume my mind”. But the song evolves, aided by magnificent technical Zero Hour style guitar work, and leads to a colourful multi-instrumental climax as the narrator moves towards clarity and enlightenment. “Embrace” has become more exciting with each time I have listened to it. From this breathtaking piece, “Far From Home” starts sombrely. “The air raid sounds, rings a state of confusion” sets the initial tone, but all of a sudden the mood and tempo change and the atmosphere becomes frenetically tense. We then return disorientatingly to the singer’s reflections. Acoustic gentleness transforms into an angrier technical progressive style on this song about cold alienation. The structures of “Far From Home” and “Embrace” before it are more contrasting and have added complexity compared to what had gone before. I couldn’t describe any of this album as simple, but as an observation I’d say the earlier songs are more transparent and overt. It all adds to the mystique of this fine album. The final song is “Father’s Love”, which starts with a raw burst of familiar technical metal before expanding into a sophisticated emotive piece. Powerful to the core and silkily sung, it is as if the sun has risen and enveloped us in warmth. The instrumentals meanwhile set our heart racing, as A Dying Planet expand and allow us to dream away to the finale in a sea of powerfully harmonised emotion and instrumental majesty.
There’s magic in the air. Sometimes complex, always sophisticated, and perfectly balanced, “When the Skies Are Grey” sweeps us along on a tidal wave of silky technical structures and an easy power, which makes this darkly themed album such a delight to listen to.
(9.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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