Detailed Reviews [Poor Genetic Material - 2002 - "Leap Into Fall"]

Poor Genetic Material (Germany) - 2002 - "Leap Into Fall"
(48 min, "QuiXote Music")

Prologue. "Leap Into Fall" is the fourth album by Poor Genetic Material (PGM hereinafter). Here, the two former PGM members, Stefan Glomb and Philipp Jaehne, have three out of the five Alias Eye musicians in their escort. To read the review of the previous PGM album, which features more details on the band, including a discography, click here.

The Album. Once again, I didn't expect to hear such a high-quality Progressive on this album, because there is a huge difference between "Leap Into Fall" and the previous PGM album "Summerland". You, the contemporary Classic Art-Rock performers (not to mention the Neo ones), hands up! Here comes the mighty PGM! With their new album, they've leapt so high that now, they can easily dethrone most of today's Gods of Classic Symphonic Progressive. "Leap Into Fall" is not only an outstandingly progressive album, but also one of the most unique albums of a contemporary Symphonic Progressive (at least). For the most part, the music that is featured on the album represents a very innovative manifestation of this genre. I would call this style a blend of Classic Symphonic Art-Rock and Teutonic Prog-Metal Opera. (Though I won't be surprised if I learn that someone was simple-minded enough to label this music just Krautrock.) All three of the long tracks, Rush of Ages (1), but especially Star of Eden (3), and Antares (5), are the brightest representatives of this outstandingly innovative stylistics. All the vocal and instrumental arrangements that are present on these songs just breathe with uniqueness. It's difficult for me to reproduce a wide variety of the wonderful mosaics that form the musical palettes of these songs. You should yourselves listen to them to see the pictures, events, and even images that this music creates. I am almost sure that these pictures will be different for anyone of you, just according to your mentality (in all meanings of this word). Of course, this music is just filled with all the possible progressive ingredients. However, while this music is complex, it is at the same time very picturesque and intriguing. So at least, you feel that "Leap Into Fall" is a great album already at the first listen to it. Musically, Thin Read Line (3) and the album's title-track (5) are just the original Classic Art-Rock songs, though Leap Into Fall contains also the elements of Prog-Metal. Both of the vocal and instrumental arrangements that are featured on these songs have a mixed theatrically dramatic feel to them. Finally, Fall (6) is a beautiful and truly classic Art-Rock ballad, the instrumental arrangements of which consist of very tasteful and diverse interplay between passages of piano and synthesizer (a string ensemble), and solos of bass guitar, all of which are of a symphonic character. The musicianship of each of the band members and their joint performance as well are amazingly strong and masterful - by all means. Also, "Leap Into Fall" is undoubtedly an hour of triumph of Philip Griffith. His singing never was as wonderful and impressive as on this album. Now, I can regard him as one of the best vocalists on a contemporary Progressive Rock scene.

Summary. IMHO, the release of the "Leap Into Fall" album by PGM is one of the most significant events that happened within the framework of Classic Symphonic Progressive in the new millennium. This is by all means an outstanding album, which just cannot remain unnoticed. "Leap Into Fall" is available directly from PGM, "Quixote Music", and "Musea" (see links below). Don't miss it. Otherwise you'll deprive yourself of a great pleasure.

VM: June 5, 2002