Recent Reviews

February 2025

January 2025

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Vonassi: The Battle of Ego
Vonassi The Battle of Ego new music review

Vonassi: The Battle of Ego

Melodic/Progressive Rock
Rating: 4.5/5.0

ProgRock Records
www.myspace.com/vonassi
www.progrockrecords.com
Review: Craig Hartranft,  04.04.2010

From the suburbs of Chicago, the midwest capital of blues, comes Vonassi, a promising young progressive rock band, releasing their debut work, The Battle of Ego, on ProgRock Records. Honestly, this is a fine album throughout. Possibly the foremost characteristic is Vonassi's efficient use of complexity in their compositions. Excepting the last song Coiled, all the songs time at less than five minutes, most around four. However, the textures Vonassi pumps into those short periods is quite remarkable. While songs can alternate between heaviness (The Drudge) and melodic subtlety (Posing for the Cold), they are deep with impressive bass lines, eccentric rhythms, provocative drumming, and graceful, less ostentatious, fret work. Many of these arrangements are made more clever and evocative from Vonassi's use of ambient to progressive keyboard work. Check the credit and you will find all members, Jeff Vaughn, Vince Buonassi, and Chase Carter, contribute with multi-instrumental proficiency.

Another remarkable feature of The Battle of Ego include the intelligent lyrics that often show some insightful, and biting, culture commentary as on Strong Arm Welfare or The Now Game. Finally, returning to the over 'sound' of this work, while progressive maybe the overarching motif here, there is plenty of natural accessibility here, almost with an alternative rock feel. Open Hands, In the Mirror, and Beginnings echo that independent alt spirit and should attract the young modern rock listener.

Overall, Vonassi's The Battle of Ego is singular and distinctive work demonstrating this trio's immense talent and creativity for melodic progressive rock with an modern alt rock feel. Highly recommended!

CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

In Short

Vonassi's The Battle of Ego is singular and distinctive work demonstrating this trio's immense talent and creativity for melodic progressive rock with an modern alt rock feel. Highly recommended!

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Wildness: Avenger Album Review

Now entering their second decade in music biz, Sweden's Wildness returns with latest and fourth studio album, Avenger. Band personnel has remained consistent for the last four years with the addition of Erik ... [ Read More ]