Artist: Vonassi
Label: Progrock Records
Release: 2010
Duration: 57:08
Rating: 4/5
ProgRock Records has always been a shelter for young, promising bands of a progressive persuasion. It has taken under its wing plenty of acts that are well established today, ones that broke onto the scene thanks to label boss Shawn Gordon. It’s because of him that the spotlight now falls on bands like Magic Pie, Moongarden, Simon Says, Touchstone, and on solo projects from all kinds of musical virtuosos, like Guy Manning, Oliver Wakeman (son of the legendary Rick Wakeman), Sylvan, and I could go on. Vonassi, a trio based in the heart of Chicago, home of the blues and hard rock, have caught ProgRock Records’ ear too.
You’d have a hard time calling Vonassi a progressive rock band. Above all, they steer clear of the prog norm of long songs, trying to keep their tracks under five minutes. The music, too, for all its decent complexity, is more AOR or hard rock than anything with a prog label on it. Still, there are plenty of ingredients that nudge the band toward progressive rock, while the music also aims at a wider crowd. That shows mostly in the heavier riffs, which don’t change up much, the classic AOR vocals, and the basic 4/4 time. But that doesn’t mean the band makes bad or low-quality music – quite the opposite.
The album “The Battle of Ego” is made up of 12 songs. “The Drudge”, which kicks off the Vonassi story, is one of the heaviest things on “The Battle of Ego”. Carter’s distorted guitar riffs just keep coming one after another, backed up hard by Bounassi’s gloomy bass. Lyrically the band doesn’t look back at the old days – they’re right up to date, singing about the troubles of the modern age. That already hints at the album’s main theme. But “Gini” quickly turns that initial darkness into brighter shades, with excellent keyboard arrangements that the guitar makes even more melodic. The album’s third track, “Beginnings”, blends the moods of the first two songs and slides between them. That pleasant mash-up leads us into “Strong Arm Welfare”, a proper treat for rockers. It also has great lyrics with a strong social and political message, if a touch clichéd – the song is musically excellent anyway, with an even better, really interesting, even slightly witty ending.
Next comes a trio of songs tied together both musically and lyrically – “Posing for the Cold”, the title track “The Battle of Ego”, and “Authenticity”. Individually they don’t sound complete, so you need to listen to them together. Bounassi, who came up with the trio, proves himself a true master of concept here. This trio is also the most progressive part of the album, yet, interestingly, it adds up to just under nine minutes. The three songs work brilliantly as the album’s peak, while also linking the first and second halves of “The Battle of Ego”. The second half picks up with “Open Hands”, one of the record’s highlights. The song has an outstanding melodic section with keyboards up front, which lock in with the guitar riffs and, hand in hand, make the track simply excellent – and “Open Hands” certainly rounds out the album’s top four nicely.
In the last stretch of the album, “The Now Game” and “Coiled” deserve a mention too. Both are again full of witty guitar and bass lines that liven up the already repetitive keyboard arrangements. This combination of bass and electric guitar seems to be a winner, since the two make the album what it is – excellent.
I get the feeling this is just a one-act show for Vonassi, and that the project isn’t being taken seriously. The home website printed on the sleeve doesn’t actually exist, which suggests a certain lack of seriousness from the band. I hope I’m wrong, because “The Battle of Ego” is a brilliant trip through hard rock landscapes packed with progressive patterns. And the trio has a great shot at making it in today’s music world, since they come very close to the sound of their colleagues Porcupine Tree. ProgRock Records have found another diamond that needs polishing, so all of us who’ve heard their debut hope that Vonassi will one day shine the way they deserve to.
Lineup
Jeff Vaughn – drums
Vince Buonassi – bass guitar
Chase Carter – vocals, electric guitar
Production
Jeff Vaughn, Vince Buonassi
Tracklist
1. The Drudge (4:45)
2. Gini (4:24)
3. Beginnings (5:25)
4. Strong Arm Welfare (4:55)
5. Posing for the Cold (2:29)
6. The Battle of Ego (3:00)
7. Authenticity (3:11)
8. Open Hands (4:00)
9. In the Mirror (5:05)
10. The Now Game (4:12)
11. Field of View (4:33)
12. Coiled (11:00)
