The Greek post-rock-tinted prog-metal outfit, MOTHER OF MILLIONS, is one of those magnificent bands that first makes one hell of a first impression and, then, unfortunately, falls off my radar for whatever reason – only to reappear later on with something even more impressive. I found the band through their 2019 album “Artifacts” – through its haunting opener “Amber,” in particular. The song was (and still is!) something to hyperfixate over for a week or two on end. The band’s signature blend of progressive flourishes and post-rock legatos, frosted over with vocalist George Prokopiou‘s highly evocative vocals, is quite a winning combo. What I completely missed at the time, though, was that the band’s keyboardist Makis Tsamkosoglou tragically passed away during a show promoting the album. That could have stood for a bitter end for the band but I’m glad it didn’t. The thing is – MOTHER OF MILLIONS released their fourth studio album “Magna Mater” just now, on October 4 th, 2024, via ViciSolum Productions, and it slaps even harder than its predecessor! One of the album’s overarching themes is, naturally, loss but, as the band’s website quite unequivocally puts it, the album is ultimately about life.
Once again, the opener hits so hard that I feel tempted to put it on repeat and not listen to the rest of the songs just yet. Entitled “Inside,” the opening track is a highly cinematic affair, rolling out proggy guitar riffs and pulsating synths. The mood is somewhat reminiscent of vintage LEPROUS and the impression is pronounced even further with the powerhouse vocals, courtesy of Prokopiou. The falsetto lines do not shy away from those of Einar Solberg. These two bands have shared the stage back in the day and this sort of double-feature would be a show NOT to miss for the world! The more I listen to this song – yeah, I had to put it on repeat! – the more I become convinced that the number of prog-metal fans aware of this band should be way larger.
The dazzling vocals in the next track, “Feral,” come off as a haunting cross between LEPROUS and SLEEP TOKEN. In terms of riffs, that definition also hits pretty close to home. In this track, the balance of abrasive riffs and atmospheric flourishes is just perfect. This dynamic ebb and flow runs through the album, marking this effort as the band’s most refined and mature to date. Well, you know the score – the beauty of contrast.
The title track quickly proves to be the centerpiece of the album, what with all those intricate layers of cinematic textures coursing through the vortex of heavy riffs. Yes, this is one of the heaviest bangers of the album. Yet, the heaviness is nicely balanced by the soaring vocals with the song featuring a female guest vocalist, about whose identity I haven’t got a clue. Somewhere around the middle, the acappella vocal layers recall those of the song, “Amber,” which initially made me fall in love with this band. So, if that’s not enough to send shivers up and down my spine, I’m not sure what is.
Speaking of which, “Celestial” rolls out yet another banquet of delicious contrasts – heavy and abrasive riffs paired with hauntingly beautiful, atmospheric moments. At this point, it might be worth noting where the band’s name is derived from. It is the name of the plant, Bryophyllum delagoense – a toxic plant that is capable of spreading uncontrollably in the garden waste. Sounds like a virus, doesn’t it? It is quite an apt name for a band whose music has a habit of getting stuck in your head. On the same note, the next track, “Liminal,” does sound like another aptly named track, don’t you think? The interplay of the light and the dark is this band’s forte, no two questions about it.
If the prevalent vibe of the album puts these proggy Greeks in the same lineage of progressive metal as LEPROUS, PAIN OF SALVATION, and, on occasion, even DEVIN TOWNSEND, two tracks slightly nod toward SLEEP TOKEN. The one mentioned above, “Feral,” and “Halo.” In the latter case, the impression probably stems from the electronic elements in the verses.
The softest and most post-rock-ish track, “Irae,” is placed just before the closer. Maybe it’s just that I have a soft spot for anything with the “post” prefix, but this one soon proved to be (yet) another song to put on repeat. There is an epic quality about the song that could even make it work as a closer… and it’s not even the only song on the album to qualify.
Okay, there is one thing that I might wish to change in this album. I would rather place the anthemic banger, “The Line,” as the closer rather than “Space.” The piano-driven closer is a beautiful track in its own right, yes, but it is perhaps a little bit too delicate to serve as the grand finale of the outing, despite the song’s dramatic crescendo. “The Line” is one of the absolute highlights in this selection.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Inside
- Feral
- Magna Mater
- Celestial
- Liminal
- The Line
- Halo
- Irae
- Space
Lineup
George Prokopiou – vocals
Kostas Konstantinidis – guitars
Panos Priftis – bass
George Boukaouris – drums, percussion
Label
ViciSolum Productions
Links
https://www.motherofmillionsband.com
