SLAVIOR – Slavior

With a rather peculiar name and a less ordinary blend of styles, American trio Slavior brings a different spin to the mighty wheel of Progressive music with their self-titled debut album.

The Music

Actually, the album title came first! Slavior changed their name from Templewithin last summer, just after their original record deal went sour, as label Black Lotus Records faced bankruptcy. In fact, Slavior was completed over a year ago and was scheduled for release in May 2006.

Style-wise, Slavior is hard to pinpoint. One minute it’s Funk, the next it’s Pop, and the third it’s Reggae. The common denominator is the Metal edge that cuts through the multitude of flavors. It’s also done with a focus on melody, although it doesn’t always prove successful. Some songs are less evolved than the others, and thus easily forgotten. But, the good ones make up for that with exciting and refreshing themes and presentations. Particularly worth mentioning are “Origin,” “Another Planet,” “Dove,” “Slavior,” and concluding “Red Road,” which offers a truly intriguing finale!

The Band

The key element in Slavior is drummer Mark Zonder, well-known for his contributions in both Warlord and Fates Warning, as well as in a bundle of other album sessions. He is far more than a time keeper and plays with rare musical insight. Indeed, a fabulous musician! The same goes for multi-instrumentalist Wayne Findlay, who handles guitars, bass, and keyboards with ease and versatility. The two of them seem to have found a rewarding, creative chemistry, resulting in a wealth of unusual beats, time measures, and arrangments.

Yet, it’s singer Gregg Analla who really ties this album together. His voice is rich and dynamic, and … well, colorful! He might sound like someone who survived the Grunge wave, but he also offers a lot more and is a perfect match for gentlemen Zonder and Findlay.

The Verdict

If wrapping it all up in one word, it would be: Promising! Slavior shows exceptional instrumental and vocal handling skills. Still, some compositions (or rather passages) lack the glow that surrounds the highlights here. By next time, they will surely have gotten it all right. Until then: check out Slavior!