What I love about Progressive Metal that makes it my absolute favorite genre, is you never know exactly what you're in for. The shifts, the schemes, technique, experimentalism, vocals, subtlety, style and etc. come as unique with each band that carries the label, progressive. PTEROGLYPH is different from any other I've ever heard to this point. The combination of elements used were absolutely original, even the vocals.

Around this era, we have the popular and trending genre, Djent and it's still in question if it's an actual genre at all or not. It originated with the band, MESHUGGAH with their one-of-a-kind tone but nowadays so many bands decided to follow in their footsteps that no longer is it a special sound. Jimmy Macgregor however decided to use this element but only kept the technique and not the actual tone which is a great turn of events. Instead, he decided to go with post-Hardcore melodic riffs and Hard Rock riffs to accompany it. A unheard of combo but it works so well. His vocals spiraling around with that concoction adds this divine elegance, the clean vocals are slightly off key but at the same time they aren't and when he breaches his cords to reach a higher octave than the last it's so fitting as if his voice breaks open the sky and lets the warm morning sunshine dawn down on you.

I find it hard to believe Macgregor did this all on his own. Even drums which weren't a surprise to me as many solo artists decide to program the drumming. Instead he took the effort and played them unless my ears deceive me. Before releasing this debut EP, "Found", Macgregor was in a previous band called, MISHKIN. I brought it upon myself to listen to them and he was doing a superb job there too! The bass was quite technical which is strange coming from a post-hardcore band and even the drumming was considerably progressive, melodies were quite similar in quality as they are in PTEROGLYPH but the musicianship in MISHKIN was more vivacious which is understandable considering you are comparing a full band to a solo artist. No insult intended just that he really had great partners there and even solo he sounds a lot better than some bands with five or even nine members for that matter.

On "Earth" and "Empathy" he decided to use cuts from a speech, Charlie Chaplin gave in the 1940 film "The Great Dictator". It's surprising to see that a speech given roughly seventy years ago can still apply to the world today. On another note, the melodic solos and riffs did dictate the attention a bit by showing a more luscious but gentle technical grandeur. Vocals also instilled harsh screams, really moist and felt really fresh, sort of an embellishment of post-hardcore and melodic Death Metal prototype vocals. I really look forward to a full-length album and felt renowned to be introduced to a progressive style that took this direction. I feel as though if a band has Macgregor in it, get ready for some soothing magic.