I often find that when truly gifted musicians get together to record an album they have a tendency to try and push the envelope. Some succeed (RUSH, DREAM THEATER, and so on) and one of the ways they do this is to try and come up with a concept piece. Whether it's one song or an entire album, having at least one song over 8 minutes seems to be a requirement for any Progressive Metal wannabe. Throw in an instrumental that is well thought out and music nerds like me sit back, cross their arms and go "Hmmmmm, interesting." High praise indeed! Sweden's DEAD KOSMONAUT' s "Rekviem" did all this with a rather unique style.

"Frozen in Time" starts us off with a straight forward rocker that really shows off how tight the band is. With the duel guitars of Fredrik Folkare and Pär Fransson in harmonious synchronicity and the foundation laid down by drummer Henrik Johansson and bassist Mattias Reinholdsson they immediately show that there is thought put behind what they produce. Vocalist Pelle Gustafsson was the final piece of a complex puzzle and his talent and range are showcased through this song and EP. "House of Lead (Nobody's Home)" not only slows things down but throws a different time signature at us, 3/4. That's all it took to turn what could have been a formulaic ballad to something that is not only interesting, but soulful and brooding. Bravo!

"Skyhooks and Sound Mirrors" is an instrumental that might seem simple, but really showcases that these guys are top notch at what they do. The passion that is conveyed through this baring of their musical souls proves they have nothing to hide behind production trickery, just pure love of what they do.

I'm still trying to figure out the timing of the ten minute "Rekviem", but in a way that has me impressed. A song that long should keep you engaged through out like this one did. Haunting, slow, and mesmerizing, I found myself surprised when it ended, that's how intrigued I was with this song.

The one thing I found myself wondering, (besides how great each instrument sounded) was if they were holding back on purpose. Obviously they are talented, but I felt they can still offer us more in composition and performance. With an EP this good, if the gloves truly came off, I fear faces will be ripped off. Kudos DEAD KOSMONAUT, "Rekviem" truly fits the bill when needing interest music.