Prospects - Recalling EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 04 Sep 2020

Tracklist:

1. Orphic Trigger

2. Bridgeburner

3. Amid The Endless Sky

4. Unseen Observer

Someone asked me yesterday if I could lend them some motivation. After getting home, I understood what they meant. It was hard work and my head was full. Instead of dwelling on it though, today is another day and I'm going to fill it with the comforting sounds of progressive metal. This is the new EP from Canadian band Prospects. Recalling is only their second release, following their debut EP The Calling Of A Red Bird, which was released in 2017.

I feel like I’m out of touch with modern progressive metal. It’s an area that I’ve neglected and I don’t know why. Prospects are a band that sits with that corner of progressive metal and their opening track on Recalling, ‘Orphic Trigger’, is an amalgamation of technical riffing, death metal-like vocals, percussion that’ verges on industrial and spacey, melodic keys. All of these elements combine well together and the clean vocals towards the end, accentuate the progressive nature of the music.

When Prospects are heavy, they’re damn heavy but they’re also so much more than that. ‘Bridgeburner’ is instrumentally stunning thanks to the guitar work throughout, from the initial solo to the clean/harsh riffs that follow. The keys and clean singing herald something more approachable while dissonance, and off-kilter time signatures are not far away. They’ve obviously studied at the altar of Meshuggah and Periphery, though in brief moments it does feel like they’re still trying to find their own sound.

One thing is for sure though, the musicianship on ‘Amid The Endless Sky’ is breathtaking. The transitions between time-signatures/sections can be little awkward at times but that’s a minor blemish on what is a really good modern metal song. Bands nowadays go for the polished studio sound and while the production/mastering here is very solid, Prospects still allow the odd frailty to shine through, showing that they’re human and are still honing their craft. They’re bloody close to nailing it too.

For a four track release, Recalling is lengthy and all the better for it. Closing song ‘Unseen Observer’ clocks in at nearly seven-and-a-half minutes, which is near enough the average song length on the EP, leading to a bewilderingly impressive song here. The heavier riffs remind me of sci-death metal bands like Blood Incitation/Cryptic Shift, while the melodic passages contain the kind of prowess that Animals As Leaders/The Contortionist would be proud of. That’s a lot to take in I know but I feel it’s justified. 

Musically Prospects are very impressive indeed. There may be a couple of very small kinks to iron out within their sound but as said before, they’re extremely minor and this EP is really good. Canada is proving to be a true breeding ground for progressive metal at the moment and Prospects are staking their claim to be leaders of that new breed.

You can stream Recalling and purchase it on both physical/digital formats below:-

Prospects - https://www.facebook.com/prospectsmusicoffical/