It’s been a while, but Albums of the Week is back and with a special instrumental edition! Of course this wasn’t on purpose, but these albums were the best to come out this week for one important reason: the talent. This week we are featuring Terraforming by Wide Eyes and Mockroot by Tigran Hamasyan.
Terraforming has been a long time coming for Ohio-based metal outfit Wide Eyes, who have consecutively released outstanding albums. This is their third album, and possibly the best from them to date. Clocking in at a little over an hour, Terraforming is full with some of the best instrumental tracks I’ve ever heard. Every song is a winner, and none of them disappoint. There are no fillers, no elongated and unnecessary parts, just sixteen songs that will blow you away.
Picking favorite songs is hard to do since every time I give Terraforming another listen I wind up picking a new favorite. “Escape Velocity” was their first single from the album, and that’s a good place to start. Or, if you have the time, sit down and listen to it in full. While I can’t pick my favorite songs, the ones that rank among the highest to me are “Almayer’s Folly”, “Titan”, and “The Excursion”. I love “Almayer’s Folly” for the solo, “Titan” for the overall amazing guitars, and “The Excursion” for one of the best song introductions ever. Seriously, do not sleep on this amazing album. You can listen / buy the album here.
Next up is Mockroot from Tigran Hamasyan. Hamasyan is a very widely known jazz pianist, and it was only a matter of time until he released his new album for us to hear. Of course, it fails to disappoint as well, and Mockroot is a huge success. The musicianship on all fronts are nothing short of impressive, and I love the vocals thrown in there as well. If you like jazz fusion or progressive music in general, you’re in for a treat.
It might be odd to relate Mockroot to Terraforming at first, but once you listen to Mockroot you will realize how heavy it is. If you listen to the song “Double-Faced”, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. Of course, “Entertain Me” is a much more fun song, and the dancing piano is a wonderful backdrop for a catchy drum beat. This album has a lot of everything, some songs are more piano driven, some are driven vocally, and some incorporate electronics and crashing rock drum patterns. If great musicianship is what you’re looking for, do yourself a favor and give Mockroot a listen. You can buy the album here.
