Eighth Day Army – Holy Genocide EP

Quick introduction to the band; they're a three piece from Liverpool comprising Jon on guitar/vocals/keyboards, his brother Matt on bass and Richard on drums.

1. Holy Genocide (Never Felt So Good). Minimalist/ambient opening precedes an intricate modern prog riff. Vocals are a mix of clean and extreme. Very unusual time signatures and syncopation throughout. Lots of influences, avant-garde, space rock and prog, both old school and modern, mixed together deftly.
2. While I Fall You Breathe. Another quiet opening leads into an accessible, almost lilting, riff. Reminded me most of Acres Of Ocean at this point. Vocals reminiscent of Geddy Lee at times. Tempo and complexity increase suddenly and the intricate section that follows is superb. Vocals in chorus for some reason reminded me of Placebo. Keyboard outro.
3. Empress. Start of this track could easily have come off an early, Peter Gabriel era, Genesis album. Complex jazz/modern prog riff follows, very much in the style of early Rush. This is a richly structured track which contains the best riff of the EP about half way through; heavy, technical and driving at the same time. Another jazz inspired section leads into a delicate piano (and was there flute?) section before a synthesised loop concludes. Most reminded me of Porcupine Tree in overall feel.

Let's get the negative out of the way early on. The production isn't the best and makes the band sound a bit thin at times, which is a pity because the music on offer here deserves better. I'm reliably informed they make this look effortless live, hopefully something I can comment on soon! Musicianship is good, and the complex songs are made to sound simple which is always a good sign. Bass tone is very rich and the overall dynamics grab your attention throughout. Definitely a band I'll be monitoring closely; if you are a fan of traditional or modern prog, or avant-garde music in general, then this could well be worth your while checking out.