3: The Ghost You Gave to Me

So, who are 3?

3 are:

Joey Eppard who sings, and plays Acoustic and Electric Guitar; The Gartdrumm who drums and sings in the background; Billy Riker who plays electric guitar and Daniel Grimsland who plays bass and sings in the background, too.

3 have toured with Porcupine Tree and got a slot on the first Progressive Nation Tour with Dream Theater, Opeth and Between the Buried and Me, after, it has to be said, Pain of Salvation and Beardfish had to pull out due to SPV going into bankruptcy.

I can't discern any lyrical inventiveness at all. It's Journey, it's Foreigner, it's REO Speedwagon. It's not, whatever they might tell you, 'progressive' in any way, shape, or form.

Eppard's voice does, however, lend some gravitas but it's not really until "Numbers" that the music has any guts. But then the mayhem, the inventiveness is, you feel, held back, restrained. And it all becomes really formulaic. Next track "One with the Sun" is saccharine bubblegum pop/rock – think Styx at their worst.

The title track promises much, then under delivers and is completely under whelmed by the podgy Hair Metal production job.

"Afterglow" is even poppier, and less ballsy than "One with the Sun". If such a thing were possible.

"Its Alive" has some invention, anger and energy and is a good song.

"Only Child" is another sickly sweet ballad that sounds like it's recorded by a boy band. I'm sorry, but it's just horrid.

"The Barrier" is not my cup of tea at all, I'm afraid. It's a crass, cynical ballad if truth be told.

This is a band that makes a lot of the fact they've been on tour with Porcupine Tree, DT and Opeth, three bands with a big, bold, ballsy sound. I'm sure they are OK live but this is, well, bland and way too over-produced to my ears.

If you like metal you won't like this, at all, as it's nowhere near 'metally' enough.

And it's as progressive as Chris de Burgh I'm afraid.

AOR fans might like it, mind.

And if you're a 12 year old girl then you're going to go ape. Or rad, or whatever. I'm sure they'll be selling posters soon.

Track listing
01. Sirenum Scopuli
02. React
03. Sparrow
04. High Times
05. Numbers
06. One With the Sun
07. The Ghost You Gave to Me
08. Pretty
09. Afterglow
10. Its Alive
11. Only Child
12. The Barrier

Added: October 26th 2011
Reviewer: Brian Watson
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2907
Language: english

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