The problem with a lot of modern prog is that in an effort to stay away from anything resembling elves, wizards, and battle in ancient forests, is that they then go too far and drift into pseudo-serious mumbo jumbo territory. A bit like reading David Eddings The Belgariad and then going straight into Neuromancer. Too much, I hear you shout. Give me the elves! Well, there are still plenty of those type of prog bands about but Amplifier resolutely remain on the serious side.
It is to their immense credit then, that they never let that bother them and bring a little resolute joy to singing about black holes and what not. This is serious, gargantuan (well, that is the name of the album) territory and I am right here for this. Full on, 100% serious space shit. This is The Martian territory. Entertainment with a very “real” edge to it.
Enough, you say, but what of the actual album? Well, it’s a sit down and listen in one sitting excursion into space prog. Heavy in the sense of the huge bass sound, under that there is a lot of intricacies going on. Riffs tumble out, whilst all through it are some rather marvellous synth sounds (‘King Kong’ is a real treat). The second part of a trilogy of releases (well, it is prog after all), the third is reputedly the long psychedelic jams they unleashed in the studio. Now that does sound promising! Go ahead and try the heavy, heavy monster sound of Amplifier. Sci-fi prog for the masses.
