<p><span><span>- If there’s a record Australian prog metal fans have been hanging out for, it’s this one. Caligula’s Horse have grown from a humble Brissy band of ambitious musicians into a worldwide phenomenon. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Obviously, they have also made serious waves in Europe, which has long been a haven for bands mixing heaviosity with the finger-busting technique of progressive rock. And while many European bands have also benefited from this environment, not many of those acts translate so convincingly to Australian audiences. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>We Aussies have traditionally not gravitated so much towards the “grand mystical concept album” side of progressive metal, which I think partially explains Caligula’s Horse’s relative success over here – you won’t hear this band singing about snow or wizards, they are more interested in the world around them and how people respond to its many stimuli.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>With these real-life concerns at the helm of their new album <em>Rise Radiant</em>, the band continue to be one of the most naturally relatable practitioners of the progressive metal genre. However, their human stories are soundtracked with musical complexity, which arguably reflects the complexity of the world around the characters which inhabit their songs. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>These tunes burst with ambition, tempos changing as fast as lightning, quiet passages giving way to explosive soloing and the soaring of <strong>Jim Grey</strong> or whispering over the whole din, depending on what’s required. That said, it’s also one of their most approachable albums, with first single <em>Tempest</em> and deep cut <em>Oceanrise</em> both compact and melodic, the latter electrified by its virtuosic guitar solo. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>There are epics to be found as well. The nearly-eight minute <em>Salt</em> starts at a breakneck pace, but being Caligula’s Horse the song goes through many different passages in terms of both tempo and atmosphere. The album ends with the longest track, <em>The Ascent</em>. At just shy of eleven minutes, it brings the record to a suitably majestic close. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>The combination of Jim Grey’s melodic but passionate vocals with the rich musical arrangements brings to mind symphonic and power metal at times, as keyboards thunder cinematically along with the double-kick drumming and the wailing, pulsating guitar work. But the group are clever enough to avoid being categorised so easily, and it’s the heart and power of the album that stays with the listener longer than its technical proficiency. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Matt Thrower.</span></span></p>
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