When the band Pinnacle recorded their 2nd album in 2006, Meld, they were a trio - Greg Jones (drums), Bill Fox (bass, guitars, saxophones, synthesizers, vocals) and Karl Eisenhart (guitars, synthesizers, vocals).
My first exposure to the music of Pinnacle was through a friend about around 2005, when he set me a copy of Pinnacle’s debut A Man’s Reach. Up until late last year I never explored the band. At that time Greg Jones sent me a copy of Meld.
You can see the evolution in the compositions and the overall vibe. It’s still rough around the edges but not enough to turn a true music fan. It took me several times to listen to Meld, once it sunk in I knew I have heard something special. You can hear their influences of Marillion, Kansas and Rush throughout those songs as well as the rest of the album.
The stand-out tracks or highlights to me are the opening “Information Overload” (10:22), with it’s power and melodic style is a great way to start an album. Then another epic, “Love In Our Hands” (10:40), has a nice acoustic guitar beginning. Overall it’s mellower track on the album, which gives contrast for the album. They leave the best for last, the almost 19 minute epic “The Life In A Year”. It encompasses everything that Pinnacle’s is all about. These three songs alone could be a solid album. Simply because the rest of the album doesn’t hit me in the same way, especially “The Life In A Year”.
In closing, Meld is a very good prog album that pays homage to the aforementioned classic prog bands. I’m sure they will follow up this album with a monster prog album. I would recommend Meld to help the fan prepare for number 3.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 27th, 2012
To get a digital copy of Meld album, please click [here].
