In the preface of an early-2000 paperback edition of The Shining, Stephen King wrote about the choice forced upon him between the safe unreality of the amusement park funhouse and the much more unsettling truth that lurks between the lines of his famed novel that “Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win.” His words have been quoted the world over in funny, as well as not-so-funny, Facebook memes. I think I must have seen half a dozen with different illustrations. This quote has also inspired the second single, “Devoured,” from the upcoming full-length by Finnish prog squad GARDENHEAD. I’m not entirely sure where these prog ruffians have derived the name for their band, but it just might be a deliberate wink toward a NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL song from yesteryear, one about a toxic relationship with both drugs and women. So, if an up-and-coming prog outfit can evoke intertextual impressions of this caliber with just one song – the holy trinity of highly evocative sonic narratives: monsters, drugs, and toxic women! – it gently suggests that their independent eponymous debut, out on January 19th, 2024, is something worth checking out.
Okay, let’s dissect the singe mentioned above first. It sure is a high-octane riffer, somewhere halfway between ALTER BRIDGE and ALICE IN CHAINS, with the code of conduct being closer to rock than ghastly grunge. Vocalist Jonne Nyberg‘s signature sound is perhaps a tad closer to Cedric Bixler-Zavala of THE MARS VOLTA than the bone-chilling howls of Layne Staley, but with more mileage, monsters, drugs, and toxic women, who knows what this band could be capable of! The band members themselves have surmised their sound as being like drinking toilet wine at Bellagio, Italy. Well, if this track is anything to go by, I could have a glass of that wine any day.
The other single, “The Ordeal,” has been mixed by Forrester Savell, who has collaborated with prog-metal monoliths such as KARNIVOOL and SKYHARBOR. I don’t know the story behind the choice of sound engineer for this particular track but the choice of song could not have been better: this is by far the catchiest banger on the album. While there aren’t perhaps enough progressive twists and turns for the average fan of certain pedigree Aussie prog outfits, the serpentine guitar riffs sound especially delicious. So, if you’re going to have one of your songs mixed by a world-class sound wizard, why not go with one of your best calling cards?
The album opens with the somewhat Spanish-tinged song, “At the Footsteps,” the first half of which is comprised of atmospheric, flamenco vibes. Nyberg‘s sublime falsetto singing, once again, triggers subtle THE MARS VOLTA flashbacks, albeit the song refrains from resorting to full-blown mayhem at any point. Rather, the song serves as a gentle introduction to the riff-driven follow-up, “Sanctuary,” which nods slightly toward TOOL and KING CRIMSON with its fractal riffs, yet adorns the quantum prog riffing with an alternative-rock frosting resonating with the air of INCUBUS. The band seems to have developed a peculiar knack for crafting quite heavy riffathons without coming off as especially metal-sounding. The heaviest riffs would certainly fit any self-respecting metal album, yet the overall feel of the album leans more toward rock.
The sun-dried Andalusian vibe intensifies in “Black Hills,” with the song blending “Jar of Flies”-era ALICE IN CHAINS vibe with flamenco-esque guitar riffs in some Phrygian-scale derivative. Well, Phrygian and its myriad variations ARE among the best musical scales, hands down, so… Inevitably, the song slaps pretty hard. Add a good pinch of vintage indie-rock aesthetic from the 1990s, and there you have it!
So far, the album has rolled out one banger after another. After a few spins, one track towers above the rest, though. “Ghost to Ghost” is the track that compels me to put it on repeat the most. The song is mostly in septuple meter, which is a surefire way to get a prog nerd like me excited! Blending off-kilter riffs with atmospheric textures and spirited solos, the song hits a home run, no two questions about it. When it comes to the vocal department, this is also the track that triggers perhaps the thickest THE MARS VOLTA flashbacks, which is always a plus! (I’m referring to the “De-Loused in the Comatorium” and “Frances the Mute” era when the band was still firing on all cylinders!)
“Neon Judas” is driven by a hypnotic synth bassline, with the motif slowly evolving into an unisono riff that gathers momentum with each new round. It appears that the band follows the ancient songwriting tenets of cutting all bullshit and being on point at all times. It is a tell-tale sign that, despite this outfit being relatively new, these proggers must have paid their dues in other lineups before this venture; let’s face it, you don’t learn to write songs like this in a jiffy. GARDENHEAD‘s self-titled debut is a tour de force of ultra-tight bangers with enough progressive nooks and crannies to satisfy the needs of prog aficionados everywhere.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- At the Footsteps
- Sanctuary
- Devoured
- Black Hills
- Ghost to Ghost
- The Ordeal
- Neon Judas
- I Am the Wilderness
Lineup
Jonne Nyberg – vocals, guitars
Antti ”Andy” Silkelä – drums
Eero Silkelä – guitars
Antti Lammi – bass
Label
Independent
