![[Image]](../../Images/finaltragedy.jpg)
Verdict (Rating): Metallic progressive art rock (79%)
Final Tragedy is a duo consisting of guitarist/songwriter - Jean-Luc Millot and vocalist - Delphine Cochand.
My first thoughts on this album were to describe it as progressive metal. As many regular readers will know my progressive metal listening consists almost exclusively to the prog metal standard bearers - Dream Theater. I find that most other bands pale in comparison. On the first few listens, Final Tragedy befell a similar fate. However, there is nothing like having to commit your thoughts to paper to clarify your thinking.
To describe Final Tragedy simply as progressive metal is to do them an injustice. They are progressive rock with a metallic sound, but with an art-rock theme through their work.
The foundation for their music is heavy riff guitars and machine gun drumming interspersed with quieter sections featuring clean/more jangly lead guitars. On top, or perhaps I mean underneath, this foundation floats the haunting vocals of Delphine They have a melancholy lingering quality that helps to convey the tortured subjects of the lyrics. To find an adequate comparison from my own listening experiences, I have to go back to Siouxie Sioux from punk/new wave rockers The Banshees.
This formula is followed on virtually all the songs making this an album to immerse yourself in and let the music float around you, rather than one you can dip in and out of. This also makes picking out any individual tracks as being better than others almost impossible. I guess the final track Gift? being the big finale to the album is the obvious candidate.
"Greed" is an album that requires repeated listens to 'get into' and whilst I can't see straight-ahead rock fans getting too excited about it, I think it will appeal to those Mood Swings readers with an open mind towards progressive music. In a genre that seems to dominated by Dream Theater wannabes, it is good to see a band willing to follow their own path and creating a sound of their own.
