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AZIOLA CRY “Dysphoria Ritual”
AZIOLA CRY “Dysphoria Ritual”
By Colonel Angus
I thought I knew every prog metal player in the Chicagoland scene after spending decades immersed in the region’s metal ecosystem but here I am, just discovering this new outfit from my previous backyard. This instrumental power trio has been around since 2004 and have three releases before this latest offering. “Dysphoria Ritual” has the same line-up as their previous record “The Ironic Divide” which always helps especially when you only have three members. Since this is all new to me, I have the luxury of judging the album solely on its own merits, an approach I prefer anyway, as I often find it unfair to measure a band’s latest work against everything that came before it.
So what we get from AZIOLA CRY is six songs and almost forty-five minutes (perfect for one side of those 90 minute cassette tapes – I am that old) of music that weaves a sonic tapestry of emotions that pull from some of the great prog metal royalty like QUEENSRYCHE and DREAM THEATER. Opening number “Denial Patterns” reminds me a lot of QUEENSRYCHE’s "Suite Sister Mary" but the band also ventures off into some other sections (some remind me of a heavier YES) that twist and turn taking the listener on a new journey. This is music that demands your full attention rather than serving as mere background noise.
The ironically titled second track, “Pervasive Sameness,” still contains similar motifs from the opener, but this time the band weaves in unmistakable KING CRIMSO , RUSH, and a streak of jazzy improvisation that gives the piece a different edge. You can usually count me among listeners who prefer a strong vocal presence, but the arrangements here are so tightly packed that it’s hard to imagine carving out space for a singer. Although much of the record is heavy, “Ephemeral Joy” comes off as the heaviest piece with its rhythmic structure and its wall of sound while still giving the individual instruments room to shine.
Continuing to show off their musical chops, the back half of the record starts with a track that mixes light and shade to create a roller coaster ride for the listener. Just when you think that the band will stick to a cool groove, they switch it up and keep you guessing with almost every note. Even towards the end, when you feel the song is over, the guys kick in again for another half minute. The YES inspired jazz workout of “Withdrawn and Alone” offers a nice little rest from the other complex material. This track is the shortest (almost six minutes) but still packs quite a few tricks up its sleeve. The album closes with the title track, a piece that folds every earlier element back into the mix, functioning almost like a recap of the journey that came before. I also feel that it bookends nicely with the opening tune giving the record a beginning and end that makes sense.
AZIOLA CRY manage to deliver an album of complex music that almost requires your full and undivided attention. I personally loved sitting back and letting the music wash over me and not having “life” get in the way of me having a good listen. Ultimately, that may limit the amount of fans that “Dysphoria Ritual” will attract because we live in a world that is constantly bombarding us with emails, texts, responsibilities, etc. But if you give yourself the space to just enjoy the record without any distractions, then you will be richly rewarded.
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