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Days Between Stations: In Extremis
Days Between Stations - In Extremis Album Review

Days Between Stations: In Extremis

Melodic/Progressive Rock
5.0/5.0

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Unsigned / Self-released
by Craig Hartranft,  07.03.2013

The collaboration between Oscar Fuentes Bills (p,s) and Sepand Samzadeh (g) as Days Between Stations continues with their second effort, In Extremis, and it's a beauty. The get some very special help from other prog rock wizards including Colin Moulding (XTC), Rick Wakeman (Yes), Peter Banks (Yes/Flash) Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, et al) and Billy Sherwood (Yes, Circa).

Days Between Stations In Extremis Band Photo

Days Between Stations: in the station.

Expanding from the pure instrumental experience of their self-titled debut, Days Between Stations adds lyrics and vocals, from Billy Sherwood and Colin Moulding, to four of the eight songs within. While being quite good and elemental to the whole, they are easily dwarfed by the music. The possible exception is The Man Who Died Two Times, a straight forward melodic rock song hovering around four minutes.

But it's the music which is compelling, breathtaking and alluring, expansive and hypnotizing. Songs like In Utero, Visionary, Blackfoot, and epic title cut are filled with melodic progressive rock magic from exotic and atmospheric synthesizer layers to Levin's provocative bass lines to smooth and stirring guitar leads from Samzadeh. Other additions and nuances enrich your listening pleasure. Several songs, including In Utero and In Extremis, get a dose of brass with trumpet solos from Chris Tedesco; other brass and strings from the Angel City Orchestra. More spice comes from dobro by Matt Bradford on Visionary, Tony Levin doing a stick solo on the instrumental Blackfoot, and Rick Wakeman adding Mellotron flute and a Minimoog solo to Eggshell Man. DBS pays tribute to the late Peter Banks with Waltz in E Minor performed by a string quartet. Frankly and fundamentally, In Extremis simply sounds great: this is pure melodic progressive rock, both creative and compelling, and drawing from both classic and modern traditions. Strongly recommended.




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In Short

Frankly and fundamentally, In Extremis simply sounds great: this is pure melodic progressive rock, both creative and compelling, and drawing from both classic and modern traditions.


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