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Day Six: Solitary League
Day Six - Solitary League CD Album Review

Day Six: Solitary League

Progressive Rock/Metal
4.5/5.0

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Lion Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.12.2017

I knew their name seemed familiar, Day Six, but we haven't from the band in seven years. In that time, the band has been in transition adding two new members: bass player and backing vocalist Eric Smits in 2011 and keyboard player player Rutger Vlek in 2015. What has not changed is Day Six's ability to offer entertaining and intriguing melodic progressive rock and metal. They return with their second album Solitary League for the Lion Music label.

Day Six Band Photo

Day Six

Lyrically, the album has a common thread. Day Six states that the songs are about individuals "who dare to be, or simply have to be different because they are different." Oddball, dissenter, recluse, a loser or winner, by example.

Musically, Day Six stick to their tried and true formula of intricate, yet melodic and easily accessible, compositions that draw upon and blend many genres. The larger wrapper is heavier progressive rock. Most every song has passages with heavy brisk riffage with thick bottom end that will remind you of progressive metal. In between Day Six enjoys playing with mixtures of basic melodic rock, jazz, pop, and symphonic notes. Not to oversimplify their technical arrangements, but a pattern of sorts does emerge within some songs. Some songs have a breakdown, often in the middle but elsewhere as well, that deliver passages of prog jazz fusion to light guitar to bass aligned piano. This is notable within Flight To Mars, Myriad Scars, or Math's Patterns, three of the best songs here. Alternatively, a song like Deadlock has only subtle variation, sounding mostly heavy all the way through. Conversely, Grace In Words is largely gentle in the first half and more, before opening to brisk heavier section. Finally, to cite another song, with The Cloud I found I had a little bit of Pink Floyd deja vu, notably from the mixture of acoustic guitar and synths, but also from the stirring guitar solo after the midpoint.

The question most Day Six fans are asking at this point is, Is this Solitary League as good as their debut 2010's The Grand Design? Yeah. I think so. With Solitary League, Day Six once more offers intelligent and creative, complex and intriguing, yet accessible, melodic progressive rock. Easily recommended.

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The Bottom Line

With Solitary League, Day Six once more offers intelligent and creative, complex and intriguing, yet accessible melodic progressive rock. Easily recommended.

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