CHRONOLOGIST is an instrumental progressive rock band based in Austin, TX comprised of guitarists Julian Gargiulo, Nick Broomhall, and drummer Zach Sacco. The group formed at the storied Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in 2013 and began to make waves around the northeast with the release of an instrumental demo in 2014. After spending time touring and building their web presence, the group released their debut LP "Cartographer" in late 2016 and made the decision to relocate to Austin, TX where they currently reside. "Solstice I" is their latest EP, and contains four new tracks.

"Mandala" leads off the album, with a jovial little riff and some crunchy guitars. Dual leads then come in sprinkle the sound with a dose of melody. It's a quick two-and-a-half minutes of sublime bliss. "T as in Tsunami" is a little bit longer, clocking in at three minutes. It's a fast moving song with a lot of nuances. They play with the meter like a seasoned beast, knocking it around with a tight sensibility. "Flores" is four-and-a-half minutes long, so you have a better sense of a full song here. Bass notes are hammered out amidst ethereal lead guitar, creating an ambient atmosphere. When the guitars come in hard, it creates this funky vibe of melody that will get you swinging. Blast beat drums then enter the fray, as the song builds in layers. This is a brilliant piece of music.

Closing the album is the song "Guarantee Denied." It's a four minute track of heavy rhythms but high in melody. Allow its alluring charm to suck you in and just go with it. They are masters of layering and they just keep coming. Like euphoric waves of bliss, they wash over you until you are clean. Man, I want more. They are similar to ANIMALS AS LEADERS and PLINI but without the overly-complicated clumsiness than can often come from these bands. Four songs is just enough for you to marvel at their talent and songwriting but it leaves you wanting more. The connections they make are tight and the melodies always point in the right direction. It gave me energy after hearing the EP, and I would very much look forward to hearing more from the band in the future.