Néodyme: Le Guetteur

Néodyme are a Canadian band from the province of Quebec, where the progressive music scene seems to thrive. Néodyme has been another interesting find and is one of those bands that I was completely unfamiliar with. The band's beginnings date back to 2006 but did not release their debut Ensemble Derriere until 2008. Two years later came La Tour and finally their latest, Le Guetteur, was released in 2012.

This is a talented band consisting of Mathieu Boucher (bass, trumpet, recorder, vocals), Alexandre Champagne (guitars, recorder, vocals), Daniel Giguère (drums, percussion, glockenspiel, vocals) and Maryse Pepin (piano, keyboards, traverse flute, vocals).

The music on Le Guetteur is both adventurous and eclectic while still keeping a few melodies up their collective sleeves. The band branch into a number of styles like metal, folk, jazz, ambient, mixed in with a heavy helping of progressive rock. It might seem like a mish mash of styles but it really does work. Many of the songs have different elements and themes but the transitions are smooth and unified making for a coherent collection of songs.

The music is interesting from the get go, starting with the Crimsonesque title track where angular rhythms coalesce with mellow bits of jazzy ambience and dreamy soundscapes before ending with "L'Evasion", a harder edged rock track with some fine flute playing reminiscent of Jethro Tull in their heyday. In between, the band's musical palate is painted with a variety of brush strokes. The moody "L'Ouverture de la Brèche" is a fine example as it ventures from metal to jazz to ambient without missing a beat. The beginning atmosphere is soaked with tension and I couldn't help but being pulled in eager to hear what would happen next. In "Sous Prescription" the band's penchant for prog metal is fully realized at the start before jazzier keys and spacey synths make their mark. In "Tourbillon Hongrois" trumpet and percussion lead to more heavy riffing and an ending vocal section recalling Gentle Giant in their prime.

This is a fine album form a band that I will hopefully explore sooner rather than later. If you like your progressive music on the eclectic side Le Guetteur will suit you just fine.

Track Listing:
1. Le Guetteur (7:37)
2. M. Fraunky (4:50)
3. L'Ouverture de la Brèche (8:27)
4. Sous Prescription (8:44)
5. Tourbillon Hongrois (5:28)
6. Espace Libre (6:31)
7. Rhododendron en Pantoufles (4:59)
8. Grimoire (7:11)
9. Soubresaut du Temps (6:40)
10. L'Evasion (7:36)

Added: April 21st 2013
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 3535
Language: english

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