Azlan - First Floor

Year of Release: 2004
Label: self released
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

This review is excerpted from Clayton's October 31, 2004 The Prog Life column found here. To refresh your memory, every CD that [was reviewed in the article received] a score in each of five categories: Songwriting, Performance, Vocals, Recording Quality, and Packaging. The scores are from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, unless you count 11, which you can't because the scores can only go up to 10. -ed.

Songwriting: 7
Performance: 6
Vocals: 6.5
Recording Quality: 8
Packaging: 8

Azlan play a kind of poppy prog metal that sounds like a cross between Enchant and early Asia. Vocalist Isby carries the songs competently enough (though he'll never be confused with a master like James LaBrie), but it's the multi-part harmonies that really put the vocals over. Once the band gets warmed up, Azlan cranks out some smokin' tracks, but the album sometimes lacks the earnestness and energy that marks a hard-playing ensemble. They can obviously play well, but maybe they were intimidated by the studio, too controlled, rather than letting it rip and getting sweaty. Or maybe the production doesn't do the band's performance full justice. Still, this is an enjoyable album with good songs and an infectious pop-prog attitude.

[The band has since disappeared entirely it seems.
Tracklisting:
n/a

Musicians:
Isby - vocals...

Discography:
First Floor (2004)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: October 31st 2004
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum
Score:
Hits: 2409
Language: english