• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Fracture: Simple Chaos

Progressive Metal

4.25/5.0

Nightmare Records
www.myspace.com/fracturemuzik
www.nightmarerecords.com
By Craig Hartranft,  10.04.2010

Simple Chaos might be an odd, and uncharacteristic, name for Australian metal band Fracture's debut work on Nightmare Records. There's nothing really 'simple' about this disc of progressive metal, and it's hardly chaotic. Coming from the minds of two men, David Bellion (v) and Tony Markou (g), Simple Chaos shows some creativity and experience beyond the band's short existence. The arrangements within are deft, diverse, and intriguing. Unlike so many progressive metal bands, particularly in Europe, Fracture doesn't depend solely upon a foundation of power metal. Yeah, no kidding (even though it is there, in parts, throughout). Nor does Fracture sound like some clone of the well-recognized Dream Theater, Symphony X, et al, though indeed the influences are there.

The musical canvas of Simple Chaos is used quite well, with creativity and diversity. Songs like Simple Chaos and Without End can move between moments of foreboding intensity and swirling melancholy. If you expect your progressive metal to push the limits of twisting time signatures and plucky instrumental pivots, then Simple Chaos will exceed your expectations. Rearranged and The Killing Kind are prog of this sort, most ambitious and captivating. However, if your expectation leans to the ear-friendly, catchy, and accessible side, this work will probably have you more than a little confounded. While the compositions are blistering and bursting with ingenuity, nothing truly lifts this work or simply stands out, except for that impressive ingenuity that makes progressive music, well, progressive. This hardly makes Simple Chaos a 'bad' work, only one that expects some intelligence and patience from the listener to be well appreciated. Listen with reasonable expectation and you will be rewarded.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Aussie metal band Fracture debuts with a solid work of progressive metal on Simple Chaos: a work that is intelligent and creative, but requires patient listening to reap the inner rewards.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]