Tuesday, April 2, 2013

"B" is for...


Beardfish
BEARDFISH "THE VOID"
 
 
Beardfish have gained deserved popularity among fans of the prog genre over the course of their six note-worthy releases over the course of the last ten years.
 
Their vintage style might have clearly found roots with such titans as King Crimson, Frank Zappa and Gentle Giant, but they have managed to establish their own identity throughout their career with music that has always seemed more melodic and playful when likened to their contemporaries.

The Void, their latest effort, pushes stylistic boundaries to new limits, and the heaviness that was hinted on the previous disc shows significant expansion, turning up the amps to eleven and building a sonic assault with distorted riffs to remarkably intense effect. After a brief spoken word prologue, the album kicks off with frenetic heavy metal guitar play, thumping bass lines, thunderous drum fills and enticing vocal harmonies.

As the title suggests, The Void is thematically concerned about the subject of loss and the struggle to heal emotional wounds. Not only is this grim subject matter expressed in metallic songs, but also it makes its presence felt in blues-inspired ones.

Despite all these stylistic excursions, Beardfish don't really abandon their own refined style-on the expansive 70-minute album, with plenty of time for the band to pursue their well-trodden path of sublime progressive rock. Several songs on the album rank among the quartet's most instantly engaging work.  

Overall, The Void is a multi-faceted work that, while a little heavier than past efforts, still warrants a listen.
 
VOLUNTARY SLAVERY
 
 
 
WHERE THE LIGHTS ARE LOW
 
 
 
THEY WHISPER
 
 
 
 


 

14 comments:

  1. I like their sound. I'd never heard of them before, so thanks for the intro!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hart-

      If you end up purchasing any of the releases I cover, please make sure to stop back and leave a comment to that effect!

      LC

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  2. Sounds like a great band!
    Happy AtoZing!

    Jemima at Jemima's blog

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  3. First stumper for me. Never heard of them, but I like their sound.

    Good one. This is going to be interesting.

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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    Replies
    1. Lee-

      All of the bands should at least be palatable for you, since they're all going to be (more or less) progressive rock.

      Larry

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  4. Nice. Never heard of Beardfish, but I think I'll need to look it up. Thanks for the recommendation.

    Best of luck on A to Z!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Daniel-if you end up actually purchasing any of the titles I mention, please stop back and leave a note!

      Larry

      Delete
  5. Never heard of them before! Thanks for the introduction. :) I'm a new follower from the A to Z Challenge. Nice to meet you.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for dropping by, Margo! I just saw your theme, and am now worried you're grading this blog!

      Delete
  6. Sorry to break the "use big words" suggestion, but- WOW! That hit the spot!

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  7. Thanks for introducing me. Like many others here, I had not heard of them before.

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