Human Life Index - "Welcome To" Review

Artist/ Band: Human Life Index
Title: Welcome To
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2006
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

Another band emerges from the LA area called Human Life Index. And with the name you might think it’s some hardcore metal or punk band but you’d be very wrong. As they old saying goes, never judge a book by it’s cover. Human Life Index is part of a new breed of heavy progressive fusion. They can be ranked up with such bands like The Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson and newer bands like Planet X, KBB as well as countless others.

Human Life Index was formed by drummer David Gaziel and guitarist Ali Shayesteh, and are augmented on the band’s debut ‘Welcome To’ by James Sudakow (electric violin), Jen Kuhn (electric cello) and Jessica Catron (cello). The end results are simply amazing and different than what I was expecting. The highlights instrumentally for me are all the string instruments especially James Sudakow‘s contributions (whose solo album Green is quite remarkable as well).

‘Welcome To’ is one of the better instrumental releases of 2007, hands down. It just doesn’t get any better, at least to me. Needless to say, it gets a high recommendation indeed! So what are you waiting for, go get this album today!!!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on November 17th, 2007

Tracks:

1. Defiance

2. Sold

3. Intro-H

4. HLI

5. Surveillance

6. Intro-L

7. Conquest

8. 9000th Century

9. Outro-I