Myth Of Logic- The Memory Of After Progressive Voyages Review PV068

Myth of Logic ‘The Memory of After’ review

The Memory Of After Cbver

In the massively large and varied landscape that makes up the progressive rock world, there are a myriad of bands that grace that particular terrain. Many are good…. some are great. Every once in awhile, you will come across an artist that is simply superb; and I define that term as having a penchant for creating their own blends of prog that are unique in sound and structure and are supremely worthy of accolades. Though they may not often get the overt and profuse recognition and praise they deserve, their art is undeniably timeless; perpetual and original.

As Exhibit ‘A’, I give you Myth of Logic.

Hailing from Florida, and created and driven by multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Scott Davis, Myth of Logic is a progressive rock lover’s dream come true. The band’s output to-date is completely devoid of fluff or filler; every song on every album is an absolute masterclass in the effective blending of modern neo-prog with the sounds and styles of the classic 70’s era progressive giants that founded the genre as it is recognized today. Desire something akin to Genesis? Myth of Logic has got you covered. Want the sensibilities of Kansas and Rush in your progressive music menagerie? Simply spin a Myth of Logic disc. Desire to listen to the synth sounds of a band that can channel the likes of Emerson, Lake and Palmer? Myth of Logic does it in spades. Want epic-length songs? They are plentiful on the three discs that the band have released thus far.

Yes, Myth of Logic brings all of this to the table, but Davis dares to go even farther. If epic-length and concept songs are fantastic (and they are!), then concept-driven records are even better. Myth of Logic fully understands this, and has tripled down on that particular notion with a three album concept trilogy (called the ‘Here and There Trilogy’, which I will be reviewing at a later date). These particular conceptual aspects of progressive rock are what make the genre unique in my eyes, and are thus extremely important to me. And so, when it was announced that a new Myth of Logic record was to be released in November of this year, I knew I had to get in “on the ground floor”, as it were, to hear it for a review. And my tenacity has been duly…. and truly…. rewarded.

Clocking in at just under 80 minutes in length, the new record, entitled ‘The Memory of After’, is full-on conceptual glory itself. But, where the previous concept was three records long, and left the ending of the trilogy open to interpretation, this newest effort is a full story encapsulated on a single disc…. and one with a very definitive ending. It is also the first Myth of Logic record to incorporate more than one musician; Davis has purposefully enlisted the help of artists local to the Tampa, Florida area to showcase that region’s wealth of musical talent on offer, and to expand and enrich Myth of Logic’s soundscape. He uses that talent in expert fashion to help weave an otherworldly story for the listener.

And OH MY, what a story it is.

Set principally on our very own planet Earth, but beginning elsewhere in the cosmos, the record introduces us to an alien race, known as ‘The Architects’, who have moved beyond the primitive mode of communication known as “speech”. They instead communicate entirely through telepathic means. They are thus perplexed when a child named Mercy is born to them and comes into their world screaming at the top of her lungs. This is not correct; this is not normal. And so she is isolated. But she is not destroyed…. No. Because Mercy is different, she can serve a purpose, especially to a world that is rapidly deteriorating, such as the world of The Architects is. Endowing her with a special protective device called “The Shadow Box”, they give her almost supernatural abilities…. control, manipulation of perception and, most importantly, survival at all costs.

Against this backdrop, Myth of Logic tells us the tale of Mercy’s purpose and of our Earth that she grows to love, and of an extremely tragic ending…. for all entities involved.

So…. Join me, won’t you? Let us all

keep a silent watch, learn the power of the Shadow Box, speak Machine Language, and revel in the wonder of the Skeleton Flower as we delve, track-by-track, into Myth of Logic’s new masterpiece.

‘The Memory Of After - Part I: Keep A Silent Watch’ - we begin Part I of the two-part ‘Memory of After Suite’ softly…. with light synth and piano playing a simple, beautiful refrain, before a slight but definite chord dissonance serves as a harbinger of the worldly schisms to come. We then listen to Myth of Logic lean full-tilt into their adulation for the American progressive giants Kansas, as well as Rush and ELP. We are also introduced to a new phenom in violinist Chris Barbosa, a Tampa Bay local who does a masterful job channeling the vibe and spirit of Mr. Robby Steinhardt. But if you fear that you’re about to be subjected to a Kansas imitation, that fear is unfounded; the sound here is distinctly Myth of Logic. As you will hear, the band is extremely adept at paying homage to their array of influences without being outright derivative of them. The rhythm is kept on drums by Louis Alexi and, along with the excellent synths, the mood is set for a twisting and turning prog journey the likes of which will enthrall you. The title of the track refers to Mercy’s mission from her own world: to quietly observe Earth as a potential habitable location for The Architects. The lyrics wonderfully portray Mercy’s sense of conflict…. Understanding what she needs to do for her home world but also feeling a sense of freedom and release at being here in a world where she feels she belongs…. And worry at knowing the endgame of The Architects. All of this emotion plays out beautifully in a vortex of musical wonder…. the driving beat a constant as the synths and violin alternate in a whirlwind back-and-forth and, at points, an “in unison” performance that is a marvel to behold. The violin is the true centerpiece of this track, and you will be utterly astounded by the work of Mr. Barbosa, and of the heart and soul he pours into his playing. What an album opener.

‘The Shadow Box’ - we shift from shades of Kansas to Duke-era Genesis with the next track, which introduces us to the extreme and protecting power of the Shadow Box; an implanted device designed to keep Mercy alive at any cost. Alexis’s drums here are very reminiscent of Phillip Collins; the synths and piano of Tony Banks’ ‘The Musical Box’ and ‘Firth of Fifth’. Where the violin took the spotlight in the first track, here it is Davis letting loose on the synths in a rapturous fashion. The middle of the track is a synthesizer-lovers playground, with Davis showcasing his ability to fill the space with solo parts that are ever-shifting; never dull, boring or overly-repetitive. The changes are constant and keep you engaged as the listener.

‘An Empath in Exile’ - the middle section of this record (songs 3 through 6) is a bridge of sorts that connects the main narrative theme, which is told primarily in ‘The Memory of After, Part I and Part II’ and the songs ‘Shadow Box’ and ‘Mercy Paradox’. They present to us the elements of the story that are more “in service to” the main storyline. Where ‘The Shadow Box’ left us, musically, ‘Empath in Exile’ continues the trend; driving bombast on the drums and several moments of synth excellence carry us through one of the shorter tracks on the record. The track is not really designed to be astounding musically; it’s more a vehicle for the story itself…. and it tells of Mercy’s growing discomfort with the purpose of why she’s there and the conflicting empathy she is beginning to feel for Earth and its inhabitants.

‘Machine Language’ - what greets us here is… machine language. Or rather, what I would imagine machine language might sound like. It is a short but fabulous herk-jerk blend of guitar and synth with drums that forego the straightforward, 4/4 time signatures of the previous two tracks. This song features, instead, constant time and mood shifts in its 4:14 time span , and is a stark and welcomed (and perfectly-timed) departure from the norm. This is one of the more unique tracks on the record…. where styles and influences have been noticeable before, they are recessed and hidden in the song’s depths. This is a heavier, more ponderous offering, and as the story progresses, this track obscurely evinces the language of our world through technology, and describes how it is confusing to Mercy (whose world, remember, communicates telepathically).

‘Disconnect’ - here Mercy’s true inner struggle begins, as she wrestles with the command from her own world to destroy the inhabitants of Earth to prepare for the migration of The Architects to the planet. The song is a largely straightforward affair, with now familiar synth breaks that serve as the musical focus.

‘The Sky Is Falling’ - delightful piano starts this track, before we are treated to some prodigious saxophone work from another Florida local, Mr. David Pate. The style changes here to a more of a half-time swing, jazz/soul feel…. I daresay (and this might not be at all intentional) that there is a nod or two to Van Der Graaf Generator built into this beautiful piece that also channels (to this ear, anyway) bands like Toto, Alan Parsons Project and ELP. At different times throughout this record, various instruments take the spotlight, and this track definitively belongs to Pate’s sax…. Played with such soul, poise and dexterity that one cannot help but be mesmerized with the result. What a fantastic change of pace this is. The subject matter of the story here is a continuation of the struggle of Mercy to come to terms with the destruction of the inhabitants of a world that she has grown to care for; and the undertaking of decisions that need to be made by her with respect to her task. She knows what the end result of her mission will be…. is that something she can live with in her own existence?

‘Mercy Paradox’ - we reach the “beginning of the end” of the story with the next to last track on the album. From this point forward the music features frequent sonic shifts and the songcraft itself is in a state of constant motion. Starting in a quite sinister manner…. the music quickly pushes forward with full force. An excellent blending of the styles of Kansas and Yes are the hallmark of the song in its early stages, along with a vocal that is more melodic than on previous tracks. We then get, at the 4:50 mark, one of the absolute best moments on the record…. a breathtaking guitar solo section, provided by yet another Florida local, Mr. Jerry Outlaw. The guitar solo is very clearly the centerpiece of this track…. and you won’t want it to end. It is emotive, inventive and powerful; poignant in the extreme. Mr. Outlaw gives his guitar a voice, and my oh my, can it sing. I daresay that this is some of the best guitar work on any prog rock album released this year. We then return to the theme and the now-familiar driving beat; this time laced with time changes; and back to the melodious vocals. The track ends with a synth part reminiscent of mid-era Genesis. Lyrically, we are left with the notion that Mercy understands her assignment on Earth, but that she has come to love Earth and its inhabitants; to feel she belongs. She therefore believes that her only choice is to destroy Earth to prevent The Architects from using it to relocate.

‘The Memory of After - Part II: The Skeleton Flower’ - we now reach the pièce de résistance; the apex; the denouement…. and in my opinion the best track on the album. As Part II of the ‘Memory of After Suite’ opens, Ms. Tara Jennings provides the voice of Mercy in the recitation of a Sara Teasdale poem…. before the atmosphere turns dark and brooding as Mercy makes her difficult choice to render Earth uninhabitable before The Architects arrive. She does this by destroying it….. and all of humankind with it. We are treated, musically, with an exhilarating synth-violin exchange between Davis and Barbosa; an excellent illustrative mirroring of the conflict within Mercy. There is increasing dissonance in the vocals here; doubtless this is intentional…. it is, after all, world destruction. All of the music here bears this heavy and unfortunate theme out quite well; the sounds here are a schism; jarring and tense. It is a cyclonic cacophony of bombast that never really relents, and it is an absolute pleasure to track and follow along with Mercy’s terrible journey. The horrible deed at last being done…. we get a sudden reprieve from the musical maelstrom, and fall headlong into sad despair…. subtly and deftly the piano and Davis’s voice perfectly echo sentiments of loss and finality. The music captures the hopeless mood of a world destroyed. One final “prog in the extreme section”, with one last listen to Davis’s synth-playing prowess, carries us through to a heart-wrenching atmosphere of vacant nothingness as the track, and the album, concludes.

Now…. BREATHE. Whew!

Myth of Logic have put together one truly awe-inspiring progressive rock record with ‘The Memory of After’. They have managed to successfully blend all of the most desirable elements of classical prog with the sense of modern, neo-prog flare, and yet do so in a way that is supremely unique and original. And in doing so, they have given us one of prog rock’s greatest gifts: a deeply moving concept album with relatable themes and music that is true to the genre and what it represents.

The array of guest musicians on this record has effectively showcased not only the talent on offer in the Florida music scene, but has given Myth of Logic a breadth and depth to the music of this album that has heretofore not been realized on any previous Myth of Logic records. This is not a slight against Davis; his previous work is itself excellent, and stands sturdily in its own. But it is only natural that, when you surround yourself with musical talent of the highest degree, that talent is going to heighten your effort and strengthen your result.

The ultimate outcome of this amalgamation of factors is, in my humble opinion, an album that is hands-down the greatest work in Myth of Logic’s catalogue; a textbook example of neo-prog done with superiority. ‘The Memory of After’ is the natural progression in Myth of Logic’s existence as a serious artist in the progressive rock world, and it is a “must own” for any avid progressive fan and any dedicated prog rock collector. I cannot wait to see where Myth of Logic is headed next.

Wherever that may be, rest assured I’ll be along for the ride.

For more information, and to pre-order ‘The Memory of After’, or to purchase the previous albums in Myth of Logic’s catalogue and other available merchandise, visit the Myth of Logic Bandcamp page at:

Music | Myth Of Logic

The Memory Of After

1. The Memory Of After (Part I) - Keep A Silent Watch (14:43)

2. Shadow Box (9:41)

3. An Empath In Exile (4:32)

4. Machine Language (4:14)

5. Disconnect (4:52)

6. The Sky Is Falling (6:39)

7. Mercy Paradox (15:20)

8. The Memory Of After (Part II) - The Skeleton Flower (19:44)

i. There Will Come Soft Rains

ii. Hold To Kill

iii. Until There Is

Total time - 79:45

Author Chris Clark