EBONIVORY – The Long Dream I

Australian Prog Prodigies, Ebonivory released The Long Dream I on 5th June 2020 via Wildthing Records. The crew were to venture on tour until a certain virus hit the world, so we will be waiting patiently for the time we can all get together and head to a dark hot venue to listen to that live riff, vocal, drum beat or bass, up until then we have the recorded vocals of Charlie Powlett, drummer Dave Parkes, bassist Connor McMillan, and Louis Edwards and Jake Ewings to provides riffs on their latest record.

I’m not an authority of the progressive style, and have yet to listen to YesTopographic Drama, but I’m ready for thirteen tracks of Ebonivory, starting with ‘Introduction’ a sensible name for an introduction, don’t you think?  I’m caught by Dave Parkes’ drum beats throughout this record, catches my attention, especially on ‘Persist’ like a half price box of 20 krispy kremes.

Charlie Powlett’s uncompromising vocals on ‘Patting the Black Dog’ is wonderful, mixed with a groove of ferocious splashes of drums and guitar riffs. Over the next few tunes their vibe is calmer like the dead sea, ‘Cats’, ‘A Colour Blind Me’ and ‘Sea Sons’ of peaceful tones allowing me to feel I’m in my own flotation tank.

Window Man’ brings out their riff intensity, this for some reason reminds me of Deftones. ‘Explosion After Dark’ is a creeper, the musical vibe is hunting you down and changes pace, the growling vocals are superb and entice you like the Clown from IT.

The Bluegums’ stands at nearly 9 minutes long, I was hoping there would be a prog track over 8 minutes and we have it, it starts off like an old mobile phone ringtone with Powlett vocalising the tune. Finishing with ‘Introvection’ finishes off the dreamscape rock album. The drumming of Darve Parkes is sublime, he works well with Connor McMillan’s bass groove.

Mark Wincott

June 30, 2020

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