In typical prog-rock fashion, Jupiter Hollow begin their futuristic, debut concept EP with a journey through various moods, styles and dynamics. Opening with a driving riff that would’ve been at home on Tool’s ‘10,000 Days’, the track moves into Rush territory thanks to the Geddy Lee-style vocals, making ‘Deep in Space’ an ideal introduction to a record that breathes new life into a well established genre.
‘Hades Heart’ takes a more direct approach with a conventional song structure that maintains the space-rock vibe as well as highlighting the impressive musicianship of Grant MacKenzie, who is responsible for the EP’s guitars, bass and synths. It’s disappointing that ‘Hades Heart’ isn’t the next stage of the journey after ‘Deep In Space’; although ‘Ascending’, with its minimalistic vocals and solitary guitar, demonstrates the fantastic vocal skills of Kenny Parry (who also contributes the drums and keys), it sadly kills the exciting early momentum with its sombre pace.
‘Over 50 Years’ pushes the instrumentation even further, featuring guitar licks that would make SikTh proud, but with out-of-place screams and off-kilter vocal melodies, the track becomes confusing and disjointed. Featuring high-pitched vocal wails more suited to 80’s power metal, ‘Over 50 Years’ sounds dated rather than keeping with the relevant, modern genre refresh that ‘Odyssey’ achieves elsewhere.
The title track serves as a reminder of the narrative running through the EP, as Parry delivers a slow-paced conclusion to the story, set against sparse instrumentation . It’s a decent send-off, but with the penultimate track having run off-course, it’s a shame this record doesn’t have the kind of epic conclusion that its early ambition deserves.
It’s refreshing to hear an absence of over-the-top effects and production methods, which would’ve been forgivable on a space-themed prog-rock concept album. Instead, the raw, minimalistic presentation results in an organic-sounding record that retains a vast amount of natural character.
‘Odyssey’ is an ambitious project for a debut EP but Jupiter Hollow manage a unique and vibrant sound that, for the most part, offers a modern spin on the prog-rock stylings of Rush and Tool. This mission has a few niggles, but if the band’s ambition and creativity can be kept within the context of their overall aesthetic in future, they’ll arrive at an intoxicating destination. It will be interesting to hear this vision extrapolated over a full-length record and if they get it right, it could be stellar.
MARK JOHNSON