Detailed Reviews [Indrazor - 2004 - "Cocoon to Butterfly"]

Prolusion. "Cocoon to Butterfly" is the fifth album by French band INDRAZOR. Here are the titles of their previous albums: "Memories and Other Tales" (1999), "Medieval Insanity" (2000), "Unicorns" (2001), and "Phantoms" (2002).

Analysis. In the CD booklet the band says: "In the course of Indrazor's history our style ranged from extreme Black Metal to Pop Rock. Finally, here's an album, on which we try to perform a progressive Rock". Alas, not every attempt can be successful, leading to really positive results. Indrazor's music isn't Prog in a true sense; it's only Prog-tinged. Overall, the album represents a slightly complicated mainstream Rock done by rather eminently qualified musicians, who, however, aren't inventive and imaginative enough to create something extraordinary. (Bassist Erwan would probably be the only notable exception in this respect.) Here, there is no trace of compositional diversity, no striking key changes, multi-layered patterns and many other features that are essential for the progressive development of music. Most vocal sections represent alternating couplets and refrains with little variations available. Such songs as Medieval Life, Look at the Mirror and Knocking on the Door are traced with blues intonations. Sometimes the presence of a saxophone comes in handy there. Several others feature somewhat chaotic arrangements in places - perhaps those the band intended to make progressive. The tracks that enliven the palette include Wild Winter, a fine ballad performed in 3/4 measure, and the last composition Darker than Ever, which is quite effective melodically.

Conclusion. Those into traditional Rock music of the seventies will certainly like this album. As for progressive music lovers, there is hardly anything else to strike them.

>KW: March 29, 2005