When I was ten, I lived in a town in northern Canada that was 250 miles from the nearest house that actually had a working television. It was here I truly developed my love of music and the written word. Sitting in my friend's living room one cold November weekend, his brother came in and put something on the turntable that changed my life forever. 2112. Enough said, right? He then told me something I understand but don't totally agree with. "If you can dance to it, it ain't worth listening to." I do use that piece of advice somewhat when listening to Prog. Negacy's Escape From Paradise fills that rule out nicely.

From the opening instrumental "Ex Cinere" with actual bowed instruments being used you can tell you're in for an experience as the drums build faster and more complex to the sudden explosion of guitar and bass to open "Born Betrayed" and we're introduced to new frontman Leonel Silva's graveley but yet incredibly soulful voice. The time signature changes are fast and elegant, and if you're listening to the smooth interaction between guitarists Andy Mornar and John Sindiryan you'd almost miss them if drummer Raphael Saini didn't highlight them with some inspired kit manipulation. Bassist Adrian Serrano polished it off with some lines that changed a basic minor cord to something more moving by adding a note to fill out the full band cord.

Hoping that the opening was not a fluke, I was rewarded with the complex song "Dog Among the Wolves" that kept me guessing what was coming next, and I loved ever surprising time, key, and tempo change. The almost marshal opening of "Escape From Paradise" set me up for the slow heavy cords to follow when the vocals entered. The marathon flurry of the double kick actually emphasized the slow nature of the song. "Under the Sycamore" ain't a relaxing nap leaning against a tree, it's a nightmare run from your fears, made all the more real by the beautiful interaction going on between each musician. The opening to "Scattered Life" (the under cranked music box) scared me a little, and my fear cranked up a notch when the band took over keeping the song going but turning it from a major to a minor key and pumping the volume up.

When a song titled "Black Messiah" starts with a violin, I look forward to neck breaking headbanging and I was rewarded with moshpit speed as well. "Last Will", the last song is a slow but yet still chest pounding ending fitting for an album as well thought out as this one. My final thought is this.  With most CD's I look back and can say "This was my favorite song" With Negacy's Escape From Paradise I can't even find a song and say "this was my least favorite". Well produced and written, with very talented musicians, it's an album worth many listens, and each time you'll hear something missed before.