Band: Odin’s Court
Band Website: www.odinscourtband.com
Label: ProgRock Records
Label Website: www.progrockrecords.com
Release Date: 2008
There is an amazing social consciousness that is getting larger and larger in the progressive rock music scene. Whether
it’s personal relationship issues or the environment, more and more bands are taking up the torch and speaking out about what’s going
on around us. And that’s without question a good thing. Which brings me to the third release from the
With wide-ranging influences from Pink Floyd to Yes and Tool to Dream Theater there’s
a lot of varied music to take in. Stylistically the music of Odin’s Court is hard edged progressive rock with equal moments of symphonic
and metal. The first track “Terracide” (4:44) is essentially moody atmospherics with all kinds of voice clips of people talking about
different aspects of mankind’s actions on the planet, which then goes into a heavy prog-metalish riff to launch track two “Volatilestial”
(7:30) before sliding nicely into a style that could easily pass for a heavy Pendragon track. Even with the much heavier third track
“Manifest Destiny” (5:15) there are moments with a Pendragon feel, especially with the vocals. Many of the CD’s 12 tracks slide into
one another and the sound is lush, even thick with tones and notes. The guitars can be gut wrenchingly heavy one moment and then softly
acoustic the next such as the beginnings of “Oceanica Toxica” (5:56). This track bounces back and forth between crunching guitars,
softer acoustic sections, saw tooth synth lead lines, strange polyrhythm’s and some fantastic power chord crescendos. This is one
amazing piece of music. And so it goes. Deathanity is loaded with grand musical moments and majestic keyboards that provide layers
of ambience and symphonic support to the musical proceedings. And throughout are the recurring voice clips of individuals talking
about mankind’s present and future condition. It gets mighty intense, but maintains a positive and upbeat tone. There’s even a way-cool
version of “Ode to Joy” (3:46).
It would be easy to just call this prog-metal but that would be a mistake although there’s no
question it will find plenty of listeners in that sub-genre of prog. But there is a lot more going on musically to hold the interest
of symphonic prog fans as well. If you enjoy the music of the bands mentioned or even bands like
