CD Review by www.prog-rock.info
 Austria: Do I have a CD from an Austrian Prog-Band yet. I thought and thought, but didn't find one. When Searching my CD-database (which includes all the CDs I own) for Austria, my computer only spit out "Edenbridge" and "Stygma IV". Both definitely no Prog-bands. So I find the conXious-CD my first of the kind in my collection. The band themselves describe their music as "in the tradition of the great prog-bands such as Yes, Fates Warning and Dream Theater, yet without those bombastic keyboards, but pure guitar-rock, but cleverly as well as cultivated together with an additional mix of other styles of music. Simply unique". The band's history after all, lasts since the year 1991 and after a lot of member refilling and a couple of name changes, the band since 2001 is named conXious and only guitarist Alexander Ghezzo and drummer Michael Ghezzo are left of the original cast. The band was completed by singer Alex Ranic Dimoski and bassist Victor Gabriel who was discovered by Alexander Ghezzo on a Malmsteen-concert, headbanging between the other audience members. Those who want to learn more about the band should go to their homepage and rummage around. But now the music. The 77 minute CD "Between Arrival & Departure" has left a question mark on me. Usually when I listen to a record of an unknown band, I think to myself.... hmm... that sounds like this other band... that sounds like that other band, the singer sings like that guys. But I don't have any idea, who to compare Conxious with. The short opener "Arrival" sounds like the raging sea with a Caribbean ukulele, just to burst into rocking after 40 seconds. Then passes over to "How Could You" and right here my problems begin. A little bit of Fury In The Slaughterhouse (vocally), distorted voice like in "Paranoid" from Black Sabbath. A very interesting mix that makes the 7 ? minutes time fly. Continuing... helplessness... and then the song "I Want You" which is a little bit easier dealing with. Only the acoustic guitar like thing here and there (bouzuki? ukulele?) brings back that What?-experience. After all a pretty good rock-song. "Don't Fear The Dark", one of the longest songs with 8 minutes, is again more complicated (therefore more proggy). Beautiful guitar-intro and exiting parts. "Manifested Lies", also no short 7 ? minutes, is a bit heavier and the instrumentation reminds a little bit of Rage (ah... comparing after all). We continue with a harmonica on "Not That Pain Again" and now I know of who the singer reminds me... of Thin Lizzy !! Yes (comparing again). The next long-song following is "Turn Around", my absolute favourite on the album. Acoustic guitar, strings and female background-vocals creating Goosebumps-feeling. A great emotional song making the CD worth buying. "Too Many Times" makes the hello-wake-effect. "Supposed To Fly" and "Since Winter `72" remind me a little bit of long gone Wishbone-Ash-times (comparing once more). Also not bad. The following title-track of the album is the song that offers the most prog-rock. Certainly the second highlight on the CD. With 8 ? minutes there is (of course) "Departure" (logically when the opener was Arrival) another prog-song and a good finale for the CD. Upshot: Conxious have created an interesting piece of music that doesn't quite fit into a specific drawer. So the way the band described themselves was right. The only drawback might be the muddy sound (curiously only) here and there in the heavier (louder) parts. For those who gained interest of the CD of Conxious, should check out their homepage, download the one or the other song and then order the CD from the band. |