Alejandro Millan, keyboardist formerly of Elfonia and Stream Of Passion, has a brand new project called Hello Madness with a debut album called ‘Light And Life After Dusk‘. The band is a in trio format and if it matters, no guitar (which is not missed at all). Joining Alejandro (keyboards, vocals); are Pablo Gonzalez (bass) and Enrique Gonzalez (drums). There’s no guitar but you really don’t miss it. The result is a refreshingly contemporary sound not unlike what’s coming out of the UK.
My favorite tracks are the opening title track, which is so very infectious that you want to hit the repeat over and over.. Next track, which is track 2, “Destiny Is Too Late”, a somber dreamy piano driven song with such emotive somewhat tortured vocals. The last track, “Light And Life After Dusk”, a great way song to end an amazing debut.
Most of the music Hello Madness reminds me of Mariillion’s current output as well as the recent Nick DiVirgillo fronted Spock’s Beard if Danny Elfman were the producer. Thus the cinematic quality found on the entire ‘Light And Life After Dusk’ album. Another band that Hello Madness can be compared to is the Los Angeles’ Hour Of The Shipwreck.
Hello Madness has the best of both the progressive and mainstream worlds that would be a perfect bridge between those genres. One difference between most mainstream bands is that Hello Madness has a tight and well structured sound found mostly in progressive based music. This is yet another highly recommended release for 2008 and previous years.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on November 9th, 2008
