The Vicious Head Society
Abject Tomorrow

In an abject tomorrow we find a vicious head society, and in that society people live with implants where their emotions have been suppressed. In this story a man’s implant fails and we get to know his hardships on the way to reclaiming his humanity. That is a short synopsis of the 74-minute story that is this album created by an Irish fella named Graham Keane. This Keane fella also has had help from some prominent names from the progressive music business. I think he should also have enlisted the help of a decent painter or graphic artist, as the cover isn’t the most exciting I have seen in all my years as a music critic.

Progressive metal is the name of the game here with complex structures, varied time signatures and those things we usually hear within that mentioned genre. I think Dream Theater may be a strong source of inspiration. But the music is also delving into the more extreme realms of the metal world with some growly vocals and such things. The album is varied and it has a strong production, good vocals and some fresh ideas. Although it is a tad on the long side and in some of the longer tracks Keane falls into some of the traps that progressive bands tend to end up falling into more often than not. This is most clear in the ending eighteen-minute “epic” that feels a majestic tad too long and I could really do without that.

The story doesn’t shine through completely and in that regard and it feels a little fragmented to me; the story that is while the album is coherent enough to work. I think it is a good album, it has much to like and I have enjoyed listening to it. As a critic I can of course not neglect to point out that it is on the long side and that the ending track could have been cut away or at the very least shortened a bit. And though the traps are usually avoided the long tracks with pointless parts are present here as well, but while they are there they are also rather insignificant in the grander scheme of things. I think this is a successful album and Keane does really well.

The title track is my favourite of the album, an album that I find fresh, exciting and interesting. I like it and I think that anyone who does like to hear things that aren’t repetitions of the same thing. Fans of progressive music will certainly enjoy this album, and perhaps it could be wise to remember the name of the project for a time when Keane realises that a progressive album don’t need eighteen minute epics and he releases something really extraordinary. But until then you have this great album to enjoy.

HHHHHHH