Progressive rock (and now metal) has a somewhat distinct problem, much like fusion, in that so much of it claims to be and so little of it is truly progressive. This has been an issue since the early days of the style, in which any band with a keyboardist fancied itself the new YES, the new ELP, the new NEKTAR, despite doing little or nothing to actually move the music forward; to progress. The same plagued jazz, experiencing its own renaissance almost in parallel to progressive rock, resulting in what would be called “fusion”. DU CANE is a new band hailing from unlikely environs of Hobart, Tasmania throwing their hat in the ring with Veil Of The Abyss. To be fair, there might be a cracking prog scene that I’m simply unaware of sweeping Tasmania, but I’d imagine the threesome that comprises DU CANE probably stand out. Admirably or poorly? Let’s find out…

Stepping through the threshold, ‘The Last Dance’ pulses, that pulse being joined naturally by mid-range vocals of guitarist Ben Ridgers, neither a stratospheric sailor ala Jon Anderson, nor a bellowing beast in the Troy Sanders vein. What he is, though, is an ideal layer over the tapestry being woven on the spot by himself, drummer Joshua Bowling, and the fluid stylings of fellow stringsman/backing vocalist Jason Morice, resulting in a soothing quality to the music, not unlike David Gilmour’s solo efforts, or GREEN CARNATION, to bring a more current reference.

The two-part title track follows, and – while the opening section doesn’t really stand on its own, and I’m sure it wasn’t meant to – soon enough reveals a more aggressive side to the trio, its flowing and almost sedative aesthetic replaced by a heaviness reminiscent of KING’S X at the start, before morphing into a blend of early TOOL with tinges of MASTODON. To its credit, the band not only holds it together, but comes across as legitimate, giving less an impression of a “kitchen sink” approach than an exploration of a form that genuinely attracts them.

‘Glass Crown’, strangely, gives the vibe of ‘90s alternative as interpreted by a band that really enjoys the more straightforward ‘80s work of Permanent Wavesera RUSH. Yet again, technique is not sacrificed, and the song holds up. After another weighty number in ‘Ancient Stone’, in which I think a more roughened, ragged approach to the vocals would’ve suited the material more, ‘You Cry, I Stare’ returns us to the more hypnotic tones employed by the threesome earlier.

Veil Of The Abyss is, at its end, an album that shows a band with clear potential caught in the act of its realization. It’s an album that ebbs, flows, and is sure to reveal more of itself in repeated listens. Listens, by the way, that are deserved.
Review By: Lord Randall

DU CANE
Veil Of The Abyss
Independent