'Code 18' is a project that was created by three Quebecois, 'Johnny Maz', 'JF Rémillard' and 'Bonz' in 2010 and it is only 10 long years after their first album 'Human Error!' see the day. They offer us an imaginative progressive rock a bit like their compatriots from 'Mystery' (moreover 'Michel St-Père' is invited for the occasion for a guitar solo in 'Drought') or even 'Huis' in the form of an opus of 10 titles including 6 between 5 and 14 minutes and 4 small instrumental interlude judiciously placed throughout the album.
The album begins with 'Crystal of Time' with a first glimpse of the relaxed atmosphere which leaves a good place for the instrumental parts with a masterful first guitar solo and an alternation between calm sections and others more energetic recalling certain albums of 'Arena' , then 'Underlude I' is the first interlude in a peaceful and relaxing atmospheric style. It is with 'Waste' that we hold the longest development of the album with a typical title of an imaginative progressive rock in which we like to get lost in the different parts which follow one another in changes of rhythm and d 'intensity and which has a magnificent final which can only recall the last album of 'Mystery', then, it is again an interlude 'Underlude II' in an electronic atmosphere of keyboards close to 'Jean-Michel Jarre' before attacking 'They Took It All' which begins in an tension atmosphere close to 'The Wall' and which highlights long, energetic and unbridled instrumental sections with sumptuous guitar and keyboard solos. After a new short instrumental comma 'The March', this time in a more disturbing atmosphere, the fiery 'River of Blood' unrolls an energetic rhythm that borders on a progressive hard-rock which also shows a talent of this formation for more energetic titles, then 'Drought' returns to a calmer progressive rock with a first part offering a melody that is embedded directly in your head then a second more sought after instrumental part with jazz/rock influences and finally a magnificent finale embellished by a sumptuous guitar solo of 'Michel St-Père' giving you goosebumps and that we would like it never to stop like a certain 'Comfortably Numb' (I regret this fade out at the end of the title because it would have deserved a real ending). It is with a church organ that the last interlude 'Underlude III' begins majestically, then offering us an instrumental with a remarkable rhythmic section imprinting the frequent changes of tempos, then the album ends with my crush of the album, a real melodic jewel highlighting the beautiful singing of 'Rachelle Behrens' in an atmosphere close to formations like 'Mostly Autumn' and including beautiful instrumental parts with from first, a magnificent acoustic guitar solo and then a magnificent instrumental crescendo in the vein of 'Mystery'.
In summary, the Quebecers of 'Code 18' offers us an excellent first progressive album which cast a wide net and therefore ultimately turns out to be of great variety which necessarily requires several listenings to tame it well which will probably make of 'Human Error!' an opus that should appeal to a progressive audience who likes to mix quiet atmospheres but also more muscular sections... | |
