Formed in late 2014, COMA ROSSI, as a band, has evolved in its sound and has finally found its own voice in this album. With eight tracks and clocking in 67 minutes of music, this self-titled debut of the band strives to depict the human existence in midst of all the modern day chaos and the machine which is life. The lyrics explore the feelings of loss, grief, and effect of time on relationships, but with a very strong undertone of hope.

"Mirage" leads off the album, at near eight minutes in length. It has a smooth and mellow entrance, with expressive vocals, as the bass keeps steady pulse along the way. A pervasive darkness hangs in the air, but it doesn't take over the song. Like a good mirage, you have to question what you are seeing. "Transmission" opens with frail keys and guitars. I love the presence of the bass guitar here as well. Good Prog music should have good bass guitars, and not buried in the mix. It has a dreamy sound, especially in the chorus, when goosebumps shoot up the back of my neck. This is powerful stuff that breaks traditional barriers. They say a lot with minimal instrumentation.

"Jomolunga is Far Away" opens with clean guitar notes than hang sadly in the air, and a slight feeling of unease. Keys hold that steady feeling through the first few minutes, as you struggle to find your bearings. The main guitar riff is dreary, connecting with the theme of the album. Hope is there, but almost so frail that even whispering the word might make it disappear. "Yellow Escape" opens with Post-Rock type guitar notes and tender keys in the background. Here is where the hope in the album comes full circle. It's such a pretty sound, and your fears and worries begin to melt away. "Dream" is just that...a dreamy sequence that settles into your consciousness just as REM sleep begins. It's a near-fourteen minute beast that slowly builds along the way. At about the eight minute mark, it takes off and soars into the stratosphere. What a trippy and unique sound.

"Stillborn" has more of that great bass work from Udayan Kashalikar, and some mean sounding guitars, that quickly give way to a smooth and mellow groove. It picks up with some feisty sounds a bit later, with menacing guitars, but as soon as you start to get into the groove it wanes again. "Turn Back Time" is another song with positive tones and a big impact. The unabashed melodies and there for the taking, as the vocals venture into the upper ranges, and each passage sounds like things are crashing around you. They go for broke as they sing the line "just get me out of here!" "Lost" closes the album, with a melancholy guitar opening. It's a very warming track, and just makes you feel good about where you are, even though the song title hints at the darkness of being lost. The keyboard solo is fantastic and thick with vibrato. A couple can be heard fighting at one point but the melancholy sound returns.

This is one of those albums that really has it all. It came to me via PM and I am very happy to have had the chance to listen to it. Sophisticated, well-thought out, and with every note in the right place, it blends together for a smooth and reflective listening experience with memorable highs and lows, and some big impact moments that really hit you hard. For a debut album, I am very impressed with their musicianship and the care that you can hear in their compositions. It's really an outstanding album that you have to listen to.