Detailed Reviews [FramePictures - 2010 - "Remember It"]

Prolusion. The Portuguese outfit FRAMEPICTURES was formed in 2004, initially crafting material the aim of which was to explore musical territories described by the band as “Planet X vs. Tool”. As time passed, various influences saw them branch out from this original prospect, in particular after incorporating the sound and approach from the more influential progressive rock artists of the ‘70s and ‘80s. "Remember It" is the band's full length debut effort, and was issued by Galileo and Progrock Records in the summer of 2010.

Analysis. Progressive rock fans of the kind that are inclined to place artists within set and well-defined boxes should have a jolly time making up their mind about this Portuguese act. Not that their compositions are hard to fathom or that they take on stylistic expressions rarely explored, as the dominating aspects of this disc are easily described. The difficulty lies in the fact that there's a remarkable stylistic balance that makes it hard to categorize the band as one or the other. As far as comparisons go, the German band Sylvan is the closest one for this outfit, as far as I'm concerned, in particular the productions they made prior to 2005. Neo-progressive rock and progressive metal are the main stylistic ingredients, in fairly equal proportions. Atmospheric passages with an emphasis on mood and melody, where keyboard textures dominate the proceedings, are blended in with harder-edged motifs of a distinct prog metal nature, featuring slow to mid-paced riff constructions, contrasted by keyboards in rich and often majestic arrangements. Still, when that is said, I think it would be best to place FramePictures within the progressive metal segment. Partially because they also incorporate up-tempo, energetic themes with a stronger reference to power metal in their compositions, but also because they touch upon quirkier metal territories at times. The closing epic My Will to Live is the best example of that, where dark and elaborate riff constructions, comparable to bands like Tool, are added to the sonic palette utilized. Another particular trait worth noticing is the bass guitar, often given a prominent place in the mix. Drumond adds in some extra spices to the proceedings with his instrument of choice too. That many of the tracks might at least partially be described as bass-driven, his tendency to incorporate funk-inspired themes is a nice and creative addition to the style of the band. Especially in the neo-dominated parts, this is an effect that adds a piquant, uplifting overall effect. Vocalist Delgado warrants special mention too, as his voice is somewhat atypical for this kind of music. As far as similarities go, I often caught myself thinking about Mike Patton in terms of range and delivery. Mix and production hold a good quality throughout, like the compositions heralding a solid craftsmanship.

Conclusion. FramePictures have crafted themselves a solid debut in the shape of "Remember It", and their blend of neo-progressive rock and progressive metal should most likely appeal to fans of the aforementioned Sylvan, even if they have somewhat more of an emphasis on the metal side of things. A good quality production for those who enjoy this particular blend of stylistic expressions.

OMB=Olav M Bjornsen: October 14, 2010
The Rating Room