| The
Review |
I’ve been known to cast a skeptical
eye towards the current crop of alt. prog bands currently
getting hyped in the media these days so it is with great
pleasure that I bring to your attention Woodstock, NY based
“3” and their latest CD entitled Wake Pig. Unlike some of
the other bands who get lumped into this new sub-genre of
prog, “3” transcend the current crop of emo-prog peers on
a number of levels. Not only is the music crunchy, shape-shifting,
symphonic but it’s also melodic and wildly appealing. And
on top of all the stellar musicianship, the vocals are up-front,
clear and delivered with aplomb. And if that wasn’t enough
they have a dedicated keyboardist. ***
The band “3” has been together
since the mid 1990’s and consists of Joey Eppard (vocals,
guitars), Chris Gartmann (backing vocals, drums), Billy Riker
(guitars, effects), Joe Stote (percussion, keyboards) and
Daniel Grimsland (bass). With two previous CD’s under their
belt, Wake Pig is their third recording effort, and shows
a band on a musical mission. Their bio challenges any writer
to describe their sound, and it is without question diverse.
There is an over-arching crunchy metal tone that is cleverly
balanced with large doses of staccato acoustic and electric
guitar, bass and drums which is then interspersed with melancholic
acoustic interludes. One minute these guys are laying down
a solid Tool influenced riff, with fingers slamming the strings
at speed, only to come to a split-second halt and blend into
a heart-rending melodic moment, all the while avoiding any
pretense of sappiness or mockery. I just love it and you know
what, even my 14 year old daughter loves it too. ***
None of the songs is overly long,
all in the 3 or 4-minute range, but the arrangements are such
that some tracks bleed into one another creating music where
the net result is far greater than the individual pieces on
their own. There are plenty of tempo changes, dense musical
assaults, metal guitars, acoustic guitars, and vocal dynamics.
It’s the kind of CD where you go from something fast paced
and decidedly prog-metal into something arty and influenced
by a myriad of English bands. But wait the thing that shines
with “3” is how easily they incorporate all of this into a
sound that is fresh, timeless and dare I say it…almost upbeat.
Yeah, I know there are plenty of dark and doomy moments but
their musical balance is uncanny. ***
After repeated listenings, “3”
is a definite keeper. Great vocals, wide-ranging song styles,
tremendous musicianship, and impeccable arrangements, what
more can you ask for. Wake Pig will have no trouble finding
a spot in my best of 2005. ***
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