Aztec Jade

Monday, 12 June 2006

Members:

Ian MacDonald: keyboards
Matt Howenstein: guitars
Bryan Kowalski: bass
Rick Miller:drums
Leon Ozug: guitars

Country: USA

Biography:

AZTEC JADE are a prog metal band from Albany, N.Y., who combine the heavy style of DREAM THEATER with the melodic hooks of RUSH, ASIA and SAGA. The vocals of Leon Ozug (a real signer as opposed to a 'yeller') are first rate and somewhat reminiscent of STYX or KANSAS. The band's guitar/keyboard driven material focuses on interesting off-time progressive rhythms, soft prog-metal riffs, melodic choruses and thought provoking lyrics. Although self taught, all five musicians are technically highly skilled.

Their first release, "Frame of Mind" (1998), is a little gem of melodic metal with some great complex riffs and keyboard work. Well structured, it features nicely laid-out melodies with a strong emphasis on song writing (the band's forte). Their second album, "Paradise Lost" (2000) is simply a re-edition of the first plus some tracks from an early E.P. ("Modern Prophet", 1995). With "Concrete Eden" released in 2002, the music takes on a more progressive approach and could almost be divided into to parts: the first half has DREAM THEATER, QUEENSTYCHE and FATES WARNING overtones whereas the second half has a decidedly more symphonic feel a la SYMPHONY X (due in great part to the keyboard work). The song writing is excellent, as usual, and the production is impeccable. However, don't look for ground-breaking innovations or long drawn-out technical solos here. The music of AZTEC JADE is exciting but has no pretention except to provide some good clean fun. And it rocks!

Highly recommended to fans of RUSH, SAGA and SYMPHONY X as well as to anyone into melodic prog metal.

Discography:

Concrete Eden (2002)

Track listing

1. Concrete Eden (4:45)
2. The Machine (3:04)
3. Black October (6:03)
4. Someone Not Me (4:33)
5. Manifestation (6:34)
6. Victory Procession (3:57)
7. Visions (5:01)
8. Revelations (4:18)
9. The Final Hour (5:16)
10. Issues (6:49)
11. End Of Days (12:49)

Total Time: 63:09

Paradise Lost (2000)

Track listing

1. Regatta Fugue Part I (4:02)
2. The Calling (4:18)
3. To Believe (5:12)
4. Mad Not Crazy (4:15)
5. Desperate Land (2:57)
6. Nosferatu (4:37)
7. Atlantis (4:24)
8. Regatta Fugue Part II (3:24)
9. Stained (4:19)
10. Gates Of Babylon (4:14)
11. Requiem (4:30)
12. Modern Prophet (4:20)
13. Dirty Secrets (3:35)
14. Soul Inside Of Me (5:10)
15. The Creator (3:14)
16. Indian Summer (3:35)
17. Odyssey (6:31)

Total Time: 70:37

Frame of Mind (1997)

Track listing

1. The Calling (4:19)
2. To Believe (5:12)
3. Mad Not Crazy (4:16)
4. Desperate Land (2:58)
5. Nosferatu (4:37)
6. Atlantis (4:25)
7. Regatta Fugue II (3:25)
8. Stained (4:19)
9. Gates Of Babylon (4:15)
10. Reqiuem (4:30)

Total Time: 42:34

Modern Prophet (1995)

1. Modern Prophet
2. Dirty Secrets
3. Soul Inside Of Me
4. The Creator
5. Indian Summer
6. Odyssey

Demo # 1 (1994)

1. Desperate Land
2. Without You
3. Regatta Fugue I

MP3:

Official Website: http://www.bluekabuto.com/aztecjade/site.html

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