HARDWARES

This Phoenix, Arizona-based instrumental progressive metal band formed in 2011 and then at the end of calendar year 2012 go and release this debut album, which is stunning in its maturity and skill. And it doesn't sound like three dudes jerking each other's fretboards for forty minutes. The classic rock riffing of 'Mal De Muchos, Consuelo De Tontos', the killer experimental sax playing in 'My Heart, My Head (They Both Want Me Dead)'... this is far-reaching, forward-thinking, and, surprise, fun stuff to listen to. I could live without the “frantic flamenco” stuff (that never works in metal, and I wish bands would stop trying), but then tunes like 'You Didn't Fail' whisper sweet, lush nothings into my ear, seducing me like FREHLEY'S COMET at their best, and all is blissfully forgiven (um, is this review almost over? Because I really gotta go.). Amazingly, this is nowhere near as lame and faceless as most of the big-league accounting-firm-name supergroups (if I may borrow a phrase from fellow Bravewordian Martin Popoff) that make up this genre always, frustratingly and baffingly, end up being. Kinda hard to give it more than an 8 just because there are so many limitations here (no vocals, lots of noodly near-overplaying, forgettable band name, no girls in sight), but if yer a geek, go 8.5 for sure.