XML FeedsToby's band of the week: Heart of Cygnus
By Toby on May 13, 2010 | In Background, Features, Features, Features | 2 feedbacks »
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Queen, Rush and Dream Theater got together for a sordid, out-of-wedlock rummage around behind the bike sheds? No, you probably haven't (nor would you really want to) and neither had I.... until I heard Heart of Cygnus.
Hailing from the sprawling, sun-drenched streets of LA, HOC whip up a wonderful concoction of prog, pomp and (before you worry about where this is going) heavy metal. They take the best elements of the aforementioned artistic trinity and combine with flashes of Maidenesque melody and Queensryche conceptual lyricism.
However, whilst multi-instrumentalist Jeff Lane would probably cause Brian May to blush at his extended vocal/guitar harmonies, there’s a whole lot more going on with HOC than just the wearing of influences upon sleeves. The band build landscapes with their music, blending dreamlike acoustic passages with monster riffs and fist-in-the-air lead guitar breaks. The additional use of keyboards in a lot of their material adds to the general sense of atmosphere that is so successfully created throughout. The result of this is that it’s very difficult not to listen to any of their records from start to finish!
And when it comes to recorded output they’re certainly not slackers. 3 self-released albums under their belts during the past 3 years show the band moving and maturing at a well-fuelled pace, with each opus differing in view, mood and approach. Debut album Utopia (2007) tips an oversized hat to Operation: Mindcrime, in it’s exploration of a loveless, thoughtless, futuristic society. Their second effort 'Over Mountain, Under Hill' takes a fantastical look at swords/sorcery/medieval matters in a Tolkein-kind of way. And most recently 'Tales from Outer Space’, released last November, turns their attention to the world beyond and just what may be out there in the black abyss. Interesting (and most definitely progressive) stuff indeed…
Yet despite all of this, the band are still relatively unknown here in the UK. Not so, in the Eurozone however, where they have been continuously picking up rave reviews since the appearance of their debut. Such is the level of respect for them in the European underground that they were invited to play Germany’s unmissable Keep it True festival in April. I was fortunate enough to catch their set, which was truly breathtaking and not to mention, my personal weekend-highlight, thanks to a water-tight performance of intergalactic proportions.
I therefore, this week, urge to you to travel to the Heart of Cygnus; who knows what you may find…
For sounds and further information about the band, see www.heartofcygnus.com & www.myspace.com/heartofcygnus
---
As a parting note, I would like to say that I am well aware that this is Terrorizer & not Prog-erizer. So spare ye bleating those of you who can’t get into the extra-terrestrial sounds of Cygnus. I'll give you a dose of true doom next week. If you’d like to drop me a line in the meantime, feel free: ageoftaurus@googlemail.com
Share this article:
Comment on this article:
\| « Dimidium Mei - Flames Of Hatred | Die So Fluid - The World Is Too Big For One Lifetime » |
