CD review - Null Paradox, The Onion and the Ants: Gertrude and Grace (2010)

Rich vocals and intriguing prog complexity

The first thing that jumps out on The Onion and the Ants: Gertrude and Grace is Crystal Sherry's strong, warm voice. She shifts from sweet honey to steel when the song needs to raise a harder edge. She blends Karen Carpenter's lushness with Annie Haslam's (Renaissance) smooth range and adds a touch of Ann Wilson's punchy delivery.

If Sherry's voice drives most of the songs, the tight, balanced arrangements give her the room to work with. On songs like Black and White, the pieces fall together to create a piquant complexity. Shards of guitar set the initial stage, then the rhythm joins in. The combination of the initial guitar riff (left), a hypnotic fill melody (right), and Sherry's voice (center) fit together in a rich hard rock quilt. Subtle shades of feedback and a stalking bass line color the mix.

Null Paradox is rooted a set of ideas that band leader Tom Libertiny is still exploring. Initially, the band was intended to realize a concept album based on his book idea: The Onion and the Ants. With songs representing chapters, the two projects have become intertwined, with the book expanding into a series. The first book is due out soon.

The album has a coherent sound, but without the hint from the band, it might be hard to extract a story line for the album. In their promotional material, Null Paradox presents the premise as a choice between the love of your life (orange) and your destiny (purple). That provides some context for the songs, like the frustration on Small or the pervasive conflict related in The Ministry. Having the book would offer another facet for enjoying the album, but the songs all stand well on their own merits.

Throughout The Onion and the Ants..., Null Paradox mines a wonderful mix of lush modern rock and rich progressive rock. The Cell was one of my favorite tracks. The opening is spare and orchestral. Sherry's voice is low and breathy. Then, the song slips into a progressive groove that reminds me a bit of Steven Wilson, because of how the arpeggiated guitar part plays against the bass line. As The Cell negotiates a number of musical sections, it maintains an intriguing sense of contrast between open and tight channels and organic flow pushing against mechanical drive.

The final track, Glass Desert, briefly evokes Tori Amos, with a whisper vocal and piano line. But the band defies expectation, carrying the track into a laid back bluesy space. A heavier interlude overwhelms the looser groove, but a closer listen shows the two parts coexisting. The horn solo (about 4 minutes in) adds its jazzy smoke.

Null Paradox may be a "concept band", but Tom Libertiny has added some interesting artistic voices to his ideas. Browse their web site for more info. The video section has some cool info about the progression of developing the songs.

CD review - Big Bang, Sin renuncia a la esperanza (2010)

Spanish rockers mix up modern and alternative influences

Big Bang from Barcelona may share a name with bands from Norway and South Korea, but their sound is a unique mix of alternative and modern rock along with a metallic aftertaste. Hearing Sin renuncia a la esperanza, it's easy to imagine the band growing up on a weird mix of Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, and Frank Zappa veterans like Steve Vai and Mike Keneally. That Zappa-inspired modern rock is a fundamental part of Big Bang's iconic sound, but it's always leavened by a hard rock edge. It's a seamless transition that exercises both the inner headbanger and appreciation of what Zappa called "stunt guitar".


Take a song like Hay sueños: the initial groove is a jazzy laid back jam, rooted in an exercise of whammy bar guitar chords, a la Mike Keneally . The vocal is appropriately restrained, almost spoken. The bass accents add a nice counter rhythm. Then, with a short drum count, the song abandons the relaxed vibe and erupts into a Rage Against the Machine grind. A thick, throaty guitar tone drives the heavy metal sound of this section.

The beauty is in the effortless transition. That drum count and a touch of choppy guitar chord make it seem natural. Even better, Big Bang finishes out the heavy section and uses a stutter beat drum fill to take us back into the original groove. The see-saw shift between the sections creates a wonderful tension. During one of the softer sections, the band throws in a brilliant Vai style solo. Evocative and moody, the fine phrasing shows off technical chops ranging from speedy runs and whammy dives.

While each song finds its own path, that balance between these musical approaches is present on most the tracks. While the guitar parts emphasize the sonic differences, the strong drum and bass work are key to the transitions.

On No fue por error, the pattern is similar. Once again, the track starts off with a spiky, angular guitar, this time reminiscent of Adrian Belew's work. We get some lyrics, but the hard rock drive creeps in, with a sound like Head Like a Hole (Nine Inch Nails). The solo resurrects the Belew style guitar, complete with singing harmonics, whammy bar tricks, and bits of chaos. This slips into a funky bass line accompanied by a Latin percussion groove. Within a handful of measures, the song subsides back into the chorus grind. This time, instead of a see-saw, it's like a whirlwind tour.

The music on Sin renuncia a la esperanza is so impressive, that I don't mind the Spanish lyrics. I can follow occasional phrases and the lyrical flow is smooth, but I know I'm missing a facet of Big Bang's performance. Regardless, Big Bang is worth the listen.