MAD PARISH
MAD PARISH “The Dust of Forever”
By Colonel Angus
I can be forgiven for not knowing about this Canadian metal band. It has been almost a decade since they released this follow up to their debut record “Procession”. After doing a bit of research, they have gathered a following in their native Canada and also supported some well known metal acts like SKID ROW, GRIM REAPER (would have loved to seen that show), STEEL PANTHER, among others. Now is the time for them to make their mark on the metal world and I think “The Dust of Forever” could do that for them.
If you are like me and you grew up with 70s hard rock and 80s NWOBHM, then this is the album for you. To make it even more enticing, this is a concept album with a story about an immortal, the end of the universe, and ancient text. How could you not love that?! If that is not all, there is an accompanying comic book/graphic novel to help guide you through this cool story. In all honesty, this could have been a really cheesy affair but MAD PARISH pull it off in such a way that you are drawn into this musical novel waiting for the next track so you can see what happens next.
The disk has a total of twenty one tracks but there are a number of them that are pieces that pull together the main tracks. They are necessary to make the story flow and in no way feel out of place. MAD PARISH use these parts to display a wide range of styles to give each section a unique feel. “Prophecy” has a futuristic computerized voice that kicks things off but “Outerest in Irisius” is a great acoustic guitar instrumental that has a RUSH “A Farewell to Kings” feel. Elsewhere, we get three “Transmission” tracks (each with its own title) that range from a 60s sounding rock song to jazz all with sound effects that try to mimic tuning in on a radio dial. We also get a beautiful piano passage titled “Book of Rites” and movie score type material like “Hunted” and “Trajectory: Tantus”.
All of those additional bits to help the story along don’t matter unless the real meat and potatoes of the record didn’t match up. Thankfully, the band has created eleven tunes that bring in a great mix of 70s hard rock and 80s traditional metal. One of the sounds that hits you right away is BLUE OYSTER CULT influenced vocals. Josh McConnell’s vocal delivery throughout “The Dust of Forever” is very reminiscent or early B.O.C.. Just grab a listen to just the vocals from opening tracks “Defecther” and “Possess the Child” and tell me that could not have been a long lost B.O.C. tune (albeit with a little bit of OZZY thrown in). Musically, they have this melting pot of 70s hard rock like B.O.C., STYX, and THIN LIZZY but added in are some 80s IRON MAIDEN and NWOBHM.
Truth be told, there is so much to uncover on this release that I have listened to this opus many times and I still find new things that I missed the previous spins. I was first afraid because the previous songs I mentioned were similar but as I continue to delve deeply into “The Dust of Forever”, I find other things that I really enjoy. If you know me, then you already know that I’m a HUGE RUSH and prog metal fan so I really enjoy the additional part and elements that MAD PARISH throw in to give this album a more complex sound while still retaining the melody and structure of an accessible song. There are some keyboard elements that quickly remind me of early prog metal like “Astra T.R.A.Z (Tower Reformatory Asteroid Zone)” that hint at some early YES and RUSH. They also add in their other more predominant influences and come up with a sound that many bands out there are not doing.
“The Dust of Forever” is filled with material that will grab you right away but your appreciation will continue to grow with each additional spin. As I sit here writing this review and listening to the title track unfold (which btw is the last “song”), I’m already looking forward to hitting that repeat button to start this metal opera again. While I admit there is no one track that stands out, I’m realizing that the whole record stands out and works best when listened to from start to finish. This record may have taken many years to complete but it is worth it. 2025 is starting off with a bang and “The Dust of Forever” is a great way to usher in the new year.