Detailed Reviews [Quicksilver Night - 2021 - "Asymptote"]

Prolusion. US band Quicksilver Night is the creative vehicle of composer and guitarist Warren Russell, and has been an ongoing venture for a decade and a bit at this point with around a dozen releases in total, of which it would appear that three are full length studio albums. "Asymptote" is the most recent of these, and was self-released towards the end of 2021.

Analysis. Instrumental progressive rock is the name of the game for this production, and in shape, form and execution this is a compelling and easy to grasp take on the genre. As a matter of fact the music here has stronger ties to music that perhaps is a bit more on the outside of the progressive rock universe as such, but we do get enough twists and turns, ebbs and flows and general tinkering with the structure and arrangement to get a progressive rock fan's attention. This isn't an overly complicated take on the style in any way either, and the crossover to potential to music fans without much interest in progressive rock style details is very much present. Nods towards jazzrock, symphonic progressive rock and 70's rock and hard rock flirting heavily with the progressive rock scene are all components used and explored to a lesser or greater degree throughout, and those fond of the classic era of progressive rock will catch many intriguing details along the way here. Reference points to classical music is also a recurring traith throughout. But the dominant aspect of this production, and a clear defining feature, is how the guitar is the star here. Russell probably knows his way around the big guitar players of the 80's, and I'd suspect from both before and after that decade as well. But that his Bandcamp page namedrops Eddie and Satriani at a specific point doesn't come as much of a surprise. We get shredding here, we get playful guitar antics, atmospheric laden floating textures and elegant moving motifs and leads. In short, if you are fond of the guitar this is an album that will give you plenty of ear candy. Other instrumentalists are a part of this project too, and their skills and talents does make it a bit more than merely a single guitar player showing off his chops and his feel of course. While not stated what instruments the different musicians provide, I assume that at least some of these additional musicians supply additional guitar parts. But the additional instrumentation supplied by these musicians aren't specified, other than a drummer that contributes on a small handful of tracks. For my taste in music I do find this album to be a pleasant enough experience. Mix and production isn't quite at the level I'm used to, and I do think the instrumentation beyond the guitars might have supplied a few additional finer details to be able to elevate the total experience a bit more, and for many tracks this goes for the rhythm section primarily. But all in all this is a pleasant experience. Not one for the history books in my view, but a fine release for the correct audience.

Conclusion. Quicksilver Night isn't a project that will be knocking on the door to become a household name just yet I suspect, and in form, style and execution my impression is that a bit more development may be needed to be able to gain a broader overall appeal. But among guitar enthusiasts in general, and guitar enthusiasts that also have a passion for progressive rock in particular, I can see this album being one that will inspire interest and intrigue. Hence for those who find the six string heroes of the 70's and 80's to be just as vital and important as the progressive rock bands of the same decades, this is an album that may well be worth a check.

Progmessor: September 2022
The Rating Room