Short Reviews [High Spy - 2015 - "Paralysed and Hypnotised"]

High Spy’s 2015 album, their fourth, showed the band unchanged from the last album (although bassist Lee Weston left not long after it was completed), but there were a couple of guests from the “old days” with both Andy Lawton (Final Conflict) and Adam Rushton (Grace) adding some extra guitar on a song each. For some reason this doesn’t contain the structure and power of ‘Ignition’, with some unusual drum sounds, and the feeling that possibly the band isn’t all exactly on the same wavelength. There are bits and pieces where the band show exactly what they are capable of, but there are others where it feels disjointed, as if the band haven’t had the time to hone and polish, and there was a rush to get everything completed. Given the promise of the previous album I must admit I expected more than this, and while it is solid neo prog there is nothing here to really get a grip on. What is frustrating is there are instances when the band do shine through and show what they are capable of, but Rick seems to be far more constrained and basic in his approach then on ‘Ignition’, with an annoying snare sound, and neither Mark show the power and force I would expect from them. Since this album Rick Maper has also departed, to be replaced by Tony Hall from Grace, and there is a new album out. It will certainly be interesting to hear what that is like, but if you enjoy solid neo prog then all of these are worth hearing, although for me the stand out is ‘Ignition’