ALOGON is a Progressive Metal quintet based out of Genova, Italy. Formed in 2016, they are ready now to release their debut album, titled "Chysalis," which contains seven tracks. "Arhat" is a brief opening mood-setting piece. Ambient tones abound and the zip of keys going up and down, with light vocal moans. It segues into "Omen I: Deconstruct." Heavy accents from the guitars combine with easy listening vocals and a full sound. For the second verse, they build in some layered guitars. It's in the bridge where you pick up some Progressive elements with meter manipulation and that fat bass line resonates. A harsh vocal passage accompanied by heavy guitars gives the song an edge.

"Omen II: Resonance" opens with a similar sound...a mid-tempo pace with minimal instrumentation and smooth vocals. The song sheds its skin a few times along the way, with some meter changes and harsh vocals. Call me crazy, but I also hear some Djent elements here as well. It ends with a beautiful but short ambient passage. "Fortune Bound" opens with a harmonized vocal sequence before the guitars come in. At one point the bass carries the lead, but it's an unusual sounding passage, making more sense when guitars and keys come in and share the melody line. Those vocal harmonies make a brief return before the song is completed.

"Chrysalis" features a slightly faster pace with heavy guitar accents and again, smooth vocals. The verses are ambient and with a bit of melody, while the chorus features harsh vocals and heavier, more aggressive guitars. Towards the end, that Djenty open note passage is repeated over and over. "Husk" features soft, clean guitars and vulnerable, emotional vocals. This is a nice change of pace from the heavier tracks, but I could do without the falsetto vocals. "The Fool" is a near ten-minute closer, opening with keys and bass guitar before the main riff drops. This song has a little more groove to it, though it still relies too much on open notes for the base of the song. It goes somewhat ambient for a while until that fat bass guitar ushers in darker tones. The guitarist lays down a nice solo as well.

Overall, this was a well-intentioned album for a debut that just did not quite reach the mark. The overuse of open notes kept it from getting off the ground, though the ambient moments were nice. It you are going to Djent, go all in, like UNPROCESSED. The vocals could have been a little more versatile as well...that could have really changed the direction of the album. All in all, a good album, and something tells me to keep an eye on this band for future releases.