Detailed Reviews [ Sproingg - 2020 - "Clam"]

Prolusion. German based band Sproingg appears to have started their band activities back in 2015 or thereabouts if their Facebook timeline is anything to go by. The threesome have two albums to their name at this point. "Clam" is the most recent of these, and was self released in the fall of 2020.

Analysis. Just a quick glance at the song titles of this album indicates that we are going to be treated to something special. The long, descriptive and whimsical song titles may indicate some variety of post-rock, or some variety of avant progressive rock. In this case it is the latter. Instrumental compositions are the order of the day here, and the band tends to alternate between a small handful of different orientations on these excursions. Jazzrock is one cornerstone here, psychedelic rock another, and vintage era heavy progressive rock is the third dominant aspect used in these compositions. While the band may switch back and forth between these and related orientations or explore a more limited number of these more in depth, these orientations themselves aren't really the most important bits about this production at all. The most striking and characteristic aspect of this band is how they operate out from a starting point and move in different directions in different manners. Slowly adding atonal instrument details to an arrangement for instance, or gradually introduce and develop one or more disharmonic landscapes from a subtle discomforting level of dissonance to a bothersome and dominating one. The use of highly distorted, primal sounding guitars paired off with a smooth and elegant guitar tone is another effect used, and dramatic impact moments have their use in the arrangements here as well. This is instrumental music that is unconventional on many levels, and music that should tick most boxes quite right for those with a taste for the more challenging aspects of progressive rock.

Conclusion. Challenging instrumental progressive rock of the kind that has more of an avant and experimental approach is what Sproingg provides with on their album "Clam", complete with playful jazzrock, otherworldly psychedelic tinged excursions and liberal amounts of dissonant, disharmonic and dark-toned forays into the avant-oriented parts of the progressive rock universe. An album for those who like their progressive rock to be challenging, demanding, dark and off-kilter.

Progmessor: January 2022
The Rating Room