Esoteric is a rare breed - a progressive rock/metal
band from Birmingham. As a fan of prog metal, I should be fawning all over this band. How, as evidenced both on CD and in a live setting (I saw them open for King?s X), the vocals knock this
group down a couple of notches. Josh Weekley, the
vocalist, has a gruff-yet-mellow voice that just does
not fit this style of music. He reminds me of Evergey?s Tom Englund, only his voice is less fiery and doesn't fit the music like Englund's does. The music itself is technically-sound and complex, with all the requisite time changes of prog and the
heaviness of metal. Aside from Weekley on vocals and
guitar, Esoteric includes the prodigious axework of
Todd Graveman, the thudding bass sounds of John Wesley
Nuss, and the unique drumming of Adam Waldon. To describe the band in more poetic terms: the bass resounds, the guitars crunch, the drums pound, but the vocals lack punch. Speaking of poetry, Esoteric's
lyrics are impressive, combining philosophical verse with song hooks. These hooks are fairly strong, though certainly not on the level of Dream Theater. That's
not a knock on Esoteric, but a tribute to the impossibly high standard Dream Theater has set.

Esoteric's CD contains four songs. 'The Long Finger' is decidedly the best of the bunch. It clocks in at only three and a half minutes, also making it the most conventional track here. This song is a full-tilt
rocker, with some killer riffs and a chorus to die for. The vocals do have some range, but sadly they take some of the luster away from this song. 'The Long Finger' is a lyrical conundrum, though it appears to have something to do with a person who thinks he is God and thus can decide "where we belong". 'Rose' is a slow-burn song that ends up rocking out. Along the way, there are several time changes, an average chorus, and some outstanding lyrics. The last four
lines are an example of this excellence: "If I could say farewell / my body would wash to shore / And though I've no legs to walk away / I wouldn't be drowning anymore". The third track 'This Wait' is a metal romp with a nice groove and some ferocious bass. It includes a blazing solo near the end, as well as a lyrical reference to poet Robert Frost ('miles to go before I sleep'). 'It Holds You Too' is an intriguing denouement to this CD. It starts out as a ballad,
building in intensity as it progresses. Then, it shifts into a high-gear prog metal tour de force.

The music of Esoteric is hard to describe. But then, as Frank Zappa once noted, "writing about music is like dancing about architecture". In other words, you will have to sample Esoteric's music for yourself to decide if you like it. If you are even remotely interested in prog rock/metal, you should give these
guys a try. The band's official home page (www.esoetericband.net) is under construction, so you
may have to see them live in order to find out what
the buzz around Esoteric is.

 

(photos courtesy of Polly Meeks for BhamBuzz.com)

 

 

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