ATOM WORKS
Overzealous press blurb for album promos, plagued with references to often misleading musical comparisons (but naming the big hitters is always an attention grabber), is geared to prime a reviewer's listening experience before they've even listened to a single bar of music. Primed to perhaps make them believe they're listening to something far greater than what actually greets their ears. Sometimes, however, it's all very spot on, as is the case with the press sheet ramblings that arrived with this CD, ‘The Life of Spice’, the debut album from Finland's Atom Works.
It sounds like it’s a prog box ticker from the blurb and, listening to the music, it’s very much that. “Driving progression through dramatic themes and moods”? Tick. “A Lyrical concept story”? Tick. “Epic tracks”? Tick. “A diverse musical journey”? Tick. “Inspired by the likes of Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, Genesis and many other classic and contemporary acts.” Well, there’s the mention of some big hitters… and it’s a tick here, too… elements of each can be heard throughout the album… kind of. I’d question the Dream Theater comparison, a band who, themselves, have perennially stitched together a collage of axiomatic influences from other classic prog, metal, and rock acts in their music over the past three decades. By saying you’re influenced by Dream Theater, apart from bringing prog’s hegemonists to the fore for a little extra attention for you own band, it’s like saying you’re actually influenced by a whole myriad of classic acts. Why not just skip the DT comparison and mention Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, etc? And “contemporary acts”? No. Not at all. This is rooted in retro prog, rock and metal modes of artistic expression.
And therein resides both a weakness and strength of ‘The Life of Spice’. A weakness in that it feels a little too derivative, rather than forging its own creative identity. We’re talking influences worn on the sleeves kind of vibes here. But it’s also a strength in that their amalgam of prog/rock/metal idioms of yore has been given a good old workout within some finely crafted compositions. The opener, '400th Year', a five minute instrumental, hints at a sense of creative autonomy, where Atom Works seem to take their influences and craft them into something verging on different, although overfamiliarity kicks in good and proper with the title track and, from thereon, it all becomes prog idiom overload, across a series of predominantly lengthy compositions, climaxing with the 14+ minutes of ‘Beyond the Old’ (an ironic title in one sense as, stylistically, Atom Works don’t achieve this).
But there’s something very likeable about this set of songs. Musicianship-wise, it’s all very sound; there are some great performances to be heard here - drums, guitars, bass and keys. And Steve Baker’s vocals (a British presence in the band)… well, they’re an acquired taste in places, particularly at the high-end of his voice, where he seems to stretch it beyond its natural limits (James LaBrie anyone?... ah, perhaps there’s the Dream Theater comparison right there). Generally, though, the histrionic/refined duality of his delivery actually keeps matters interesting throughout - never quite sure where he’s heading with his voice, and maintaining a theatricality that drives along the narrative of the concept, which is said to be about “an extraordinary near-immortal and is set for the most part on the Frontier Mail Train of 1934 India, spanning Bombay to Peshawar.” To be honest, his vocals have grown on me more and more.
The production is decent enough but could be much better. It’s lacking a bit of overall punch, and some of the lead guitar sounds are a little too thin, tonally. But, ultimately, there’s a whole ton of promise I can hear in these tracks so, if Atom Works can break free from their shackles of inspiration and progress as a band on their own terms, they could very well be making music that stands on its own two feet, free from their overly emphatic influences. Either way, these Helsinki progsters are ones to watch, certainly.
It sounds like it’s a prog box ticker from the blurb and, listening to the music, it’s very much that. “Driving progression through dramatic themes and moods”? Tick. “A Lyrical concept story”? Tick. “Epic tracks”? Tick. “A diverse musical journey”? Tick. “Inspired by the likes of Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, Genesis and many other classic and contemporary acts.” Well, there’s the mention of some big hitters… and it’s a tick here, too… elements of each can be heard throughout the album… kind of. I’d question the Dream Theater comparison, a band who, themselves, have perennially stitched together a collage of axiomatic influences from other classic prog, metal, and rock acts in their music over the past three decades. By saying you’re influenced by Dream Theater, apart from bringing prog’s hegemonists to the fore for a little extra attention for you own band, it’s like saying you’re actually influenced by a whole myriad of classic acts. Why not just skip the DT comparison and mention Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, etc? And “contemporary acts”? No. Not at all. This is rooted in retro prog, rock and metal modes of artistic expression.
And therein resides both a weakness and strength of ‘The Life of Spice’. A weakness in that it feels a little too derivative, rather than forging its own creative identity. We’re talking influences worn on the sleeves kind of vibes here. But it’s also a strength in that their amalgam of prog/rock/metal idioms of yore has been given a good old workout within some finely crafted compositions. The opener, '400th Year', a five minute instrumental, hints at a sense of creative autonomy, where Atom Works seem to take their influences and craft them into something verging on different, although overfamiliarity kicks in good and proper with the title track and, from thereon, it all becomes prog idiom overload, across a series of predominantly lengthy compositions, climaxing with the 14+ minutes of ‘Beyond the Old’ (an ironic title in one sense as, stylistically, Atom Works don’t achieve this).
But there’s something very likeable about this set of songs. Musicianship-wise, it’s all very sound; there are some great performances to be heard here - drums, guitars, bass and keys. And Steve Baker’s vocals (a British presence in the band)… well, they’re an acquired taste in places, particularly at the high-end of his voice, where he seems to stretch it beyond its natural limits (James LaBrie anyone?... ah, perhaps there’s the Dream Theater comparison right there). Generally, though, the histrionic/refined duality of his delivery actually keeps matters interesting throughout - never quite sure where he’s heading with his voice, and maintaining a theatricality that drives along the narrative of the concept, which is said to be about “an extraordinary near-immortal and is set for the most part on the Frontier Mail Train of 1934 India, spanning Bombay to Peshawar.” To be honest, his vocals have grown on me more and more.
The production is decent enough but could be much better. It’s lacking a bit of overall punch, and some of the lead guitar sounds are a little too thin, tonally. But, ultimately, there’s a whole ton of promise I can hear in these tracks so, if Atom Works can break free from their shackles of inspiration and progress as a band on their own terms, they could very well be making music that stands on its own two feet, free from their overly emphatic influences. Either way, these Helsinki progsters are ones to watch, certainly.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Mauste Records
Album
THE LIFE OF SPICE
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
64:42
RELEASE DATE:
6th Sept 2019
TRACK LISTING
1) 400th Year
2) The Life of Spice
3) The Brothers Thirst
4) Puppet of the Three
5) The High and the Dry
6) Time in Eyes
7) Perennial's Prince
8) The Atom Dance
9) Beyond the Old
2) The Life of Spice
3) The Brothers Thirst
4) Puppet of the Three
5) The High and the Dry
6) Time in Eyes
7) Perennial's Prince
8) The Atom Dance
9) Beyond the Old
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Finland
"...if Atom Works can break free from their shackles of inspiration and progress as a band on their own terms, they could very well be making music that stands on its own two feet, free from their overly emphatic influences. Either way, these Helsinki progsters are ones to watch..."
