WARMRAIN has been around since 2011. They are a Prog rock band with very mellow leanings and have recently released an EP, "Here Comes the Rain Again," as a precursor to their upcoming full-length album, "Back above the Clouds."

Let me be clear right up front. WARMRAIN is in no way a metal band. I understand this does not disqualify them as talented musicians who create good music. I mean, I can appreciate JONI MITCHELL's "Blue" as an artistic endeavor, but she is no way a metal artist. And neither is WARMRAIN. If you are okay with that, we are good to proceed.

The EP opens with a remake of the 1983 pop classic, "Here Comes the Rain Again," by the EURHYTHMICS. If you're wondering if this is going to be as crushing as MARILYN MANSON's cover of that other famous EURHYTHMICS song, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)," off the very same album, the answer is an unqualified "no." Please refer to the previous paragraph. More to the point: Is the song good? To that question, the answer is a qualified "yes." Yes it is good, just like AL STEWART's "Year of the Cat" is good. If you are into mellow, soft rock songs, it might even be excellent. In fact, every song is on this album is fantastic if you like that sort of thing-or if your grandparents are visiting and you need to play nice, non-abrasive music over dinner.

So, is there a moment on this album that won't induce a metal head into a saccharin-laced coma? Well, there is about a minute in "Clock Watching" that is reminiscent of a DAVID GILMOUR solo, a short DAVID GILMOUR solo. There is also a moment or two in "Keep Going" that takes a slight jump in amperage. Not to be a total jerk, I will say that the lead guitar work on this album is good. Only if they took those moments, bundled them up, amplified and intensified them, and then extended them to song length . . . .

Thematically, "Here Comes the Rain Again" explores emotional isolation and disappointment. I am sure there is also something about love and curbing greenhouse emissions. At any rate, as they say, "horses for courses." "Here Comes the Rain Again" is a good for what it is. If you came to Metal Temple looking for some suitable offerings to the metal gods, this EP will not be one of them. If you are looking for some quality, soft prog rock, this might be what you are after.