Armenian band Eyeless in Gaza are due to release their debut album titled ‘Act I: The Protagonist’ May 29th via Solitude Productions. ‘Act I: The Protagonist’ is an abstract conceptual album, where each track is a stage of experience, full of existential thoughts about the ideas of destruction and new beginning. This is a dreamy and tragic monologue about the deep feelings of regret and humility that melt within us.
Eyeless in Gaza is a one-man project founded by Franklin Avetisyan with the aim to create the most bleak and funeral atmospheres through music. Opening track The Protagonist starts with some intricate classical guitar and you may be forgiven for forgetting this is an album off of a doom label. Just short of 4 minutes in and the doom arrives with heavy cymbal hits and growled vocals. Cleaner vocals arrive and the track takes on a progressive rock route.
One of the standout moments of the album comes in the form of Malestrom. It continues the progressive feel with some dreamy clean vocals and acoustic guitar reminding me of a Midlake track.
Mournful Unconcern is an instrumental track which slowly builds from a haunting and brooding piece into a doom laden punisher.
Second standout track Madrigal is another instrumental but this time there is a heavier feel from the outset. The acoustic has a weighty feel to it and becomes a flamenco funeral march with strummed acoustic guitar.
This album is a fantastic ambitious feat. It pulls from a range of genres and styles and is at heart a progressive rock album with breakouts of heavier doom metal that feel needed rather than interrupting the classical noodling.
Check out opening the track and purchase the album, here
Find out more about Eyeless In Gaza via their Facebook
Tracklist:
1 The Protagonist 20:24
2 Maelstrom 14:01
3 Mournful Unconcern 7:30
4 Madrigal 2:11
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