Band : Electric Mud Generator
Album Title : To The Disdain Of Polyhymnia
Label : Total Prog
Distributor : ?
Release Date : June 2009
Review : CD

Electric Mud Generator is one of those nice surprises that occasionally cross a reviewer’s desk.
I didn't quite know what to expect when I popped To The Disdain Of Polyhymnia into the ole CD player, but I must say what I heard was unique and intriguing. Electric Mud Generator seem to draw equal inspiration from styles such as progressive-, space-, indie-, kraut-, sludge-rock and the swirling emotion of celtic folk. Electric Mud Generator do not seem to be weighed down by any single genre, yet their approach to music does not leave their long songs too chaotic or dense to lose the listener after a couple of listens..

When I first heard the first song “Galatea”, I was totally and instantly blown away by the sheer scope and intensive depth of this band. “Winter” (13:38) tends to lean heavily on the slower pace of things which actually gives the heavier and harsher Tool-esque parts more impact. Words that could describe the shortest song “She wore thorns” (6:45) are progressive, folk and hypnotic. The CD contains five tracks, the two remaining tracks are the massive, complex, sublime 22-minute “Five elegies” and the 15-minute “The abolition” which is by far the heaviest track. The acoustic/electric guitars are awesome with the lead solos being fiery hot and yet supporting the song, rather than overwhelming it. The song writing is strong as well, generating not only intelligent lyrics but epic in scope and musical themes drift in and out in waves of layers of mellow/heavy progressive parts too.

It’s a challenge to absorb and fully understand EMG’s brand of progressive music that will be appreciated by fans of Tool, Agalloch, King Crimson, Maya (one of the best Belgian underrated bands who released two massive albums in the nineties), Porcupine Tree, Anathema,…

97/100

Cosmicmasseur.