Genre: Progressive Death Metal

Track listing:

01 Duhkha
02 Coldness
03 Dust layer
04 Hessian of rime
05 Fading fall
06 Jaded mirrored
07 Days of gray


Natives from Krasnoyarsk Russia, Alley is a band that plays a mould recipe on progressive death metal with colourful dynamics and multiple harmonic plays. Formed by Andrey Evtugin guitarist and vocal leader and Egor Moskivichev additional guitar player in 2005 the band has developed its transformation through multiple participations in countryside rock festivals, a demo worked during 2007 where they consolidated their sound and lead the way for future progressions condensed in this, their first full length. Additionally the band counts with the participation from other talented musicians from the area, the impressive bassist Sergey Lednikov and Valery Kuzmin on the drums.

As a debut this album pretty much resumes all difficulties, doubts and regressions a band presents whenever it tries to get into the music business. You either choose making music as art therefore you’ll pretty much remain as a happy creative beggar or either you chose to be a musician dedicated to sustain your life in race for goods consumption. “The weed” struggles somewhere between these two tendencies, first as not being too intrepid on experiments for the progressive side they adhere to nor especially dismissive from occasional aural speculation. Meanwhile the work rocks its rhythm and harmonic unfold in a close vicinity with the riff force and death metal-esque vocal fortitude from Amorphis adorned with the harmonic grace from Opeth both in vocal chorus and instrumental melodies. The album continuously jumps between strong riff hooks well complemented by a solid drum set and growly vocals, never too abrupt not unnecessarily violent, although powerful and synchronized the riffs may seduce but never really impress in their delivery perhaps as result of its overly common character. This part compensates with distinguishable retractions over Opeth’s territory. Again, the instrumental arpeggios and excellent vocal arrangements for two voices sounds polished but it’s all but momentary, after the futile surprise the anticipated encounter with arch known progressions fades away and the listener continues its journey as result from the centrifuge pull from the rhythmic evolution. The strongest moments from the album are often auto boycotted by its own intent to favour the melodic introits, something quite curious considering that these melodic parts are well structured and synchronized.

Instrumentally, discerning from the dual guitars and the drums the more outstanding performance its at charge of the bass player, its gives this particular “little something” that grants the album a portion of its own and guarantees the imperative quote of originality. Good chorus lines and excellent guitar and drum technique are not enough just because the metal scene is so enormous and prolific that to focus on particular influences doesn’t really gives anything to a particular band anymore. Nevertheless with these abilities the band would surely achieve identity, the ultimate implacable demand for triumph over the scene.