Technical prog metal with melody? Mekong Delta pulls it off...You either get Mekong Delta or you don't. There is no in between. They are one of the more technical prog bands out there today. The music is complex which can lose the listener at times, but if get it, then you will be in metal heaven. MK have just released their 9th album Wanderer on the Edge of Time, which is a fifteen song concept record that takes the listener on a musical journey. I would say about half the CD contains vocals, while the other is instrumental.
New vocalist Martin LeMar delivers a commanding performance on each song that includes vocals; especially on the track Affection. The vocal tracks are definitely the strongest tracks on the CD. Don't get me wrong, the instrumentals rock, but this band is so sick, that you get a full dose of guitar gymnastics within every track, that they aren't really needed. Mekong Delta have been victims of their own talent, because at times their music steers too far off the beaten path, which ends up loosing the listener. I found this to be true on their last CD Lurking Fear, to an extent, but that is what you get with Mekong Delta. I think the band was more focussed on Wanderer and has made this a more accessible CD, than their last effort. All in all a solid CD.
Bottom Line: Technical metal that contains melody, and is accessible and enjoyable. Music that gives your senses a work out. MK have molded the best of both worlds, by bringing in more melody, and creating memorable songs that will stick with you, rather than confuse you. This would be a killer CD to circuit train to - talk about a workout.
Standout Tracks: The 5th Element, A Certain Fool, Affection and Mistaken Truth
- Ragman is now ready for the gym (not really)