Anubis – The Unforgivable Review

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It’s no news I like to every now and then to review a Prog Rock album. As many metalheads, Prog Rock is a genre we cherish a lot for many reasons. Useless to say that’s why there are so many Prog Metal bands. Unfortunately, my world of Prog Rock bands isn’t that big and varied. Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull are top of class, however, I don’t know if they can really be classified as Prog Rock. Maybe they belong to the Art Rock group, but that’s another discussion. Besides them I like a lot Emerson, Lake & Palmer, really Prog Rock the way I see it. Then come Yes and Marillion, and that’s all. So, I guess, all Prog Rock albums I listen to I kind of compare it to these bands.

Truth be told I didn’t know Anubis were a Prog Rock band. I chose it for its band name which brought me some curiosity. Yes, one of my criteria to review an album is the band’s name. Show of hands who’s never chosen a band for its name or for the album cover. I have. A lot. Anubis aren’t just a Prog Rock band, they are so Prog Rock in all criteria I know. To my children of the night who aren’t into Prog Rock “The Unforgivable” delivers melodic tunes with many variations of tempo and cadence. Regarding to rhythm, there is some jazz spirit here as the band suddenly shifts the tempo of the song as in “Part VI – All Because of You” where a female voice joins the act bringing some more melody to the album. By the way, interestingly, all tracks are called parts, a tradition that came from classical music and Prog Rock bands adopted as theirs. Musicwise, “The Unforgivable” is complex as Anubis try to use different chord progression. As a matter of fact, this is also a charateristic of Prog Rock bands. 

I can’t help it to say “The Unforgivable” kind of surprised me not only due to the unexpected – as I said I didn’t know this was a Prog Rock album -, but also due to the music. I was in a state of shock when I heard “Part III – Alone” after a calm and tranquil intro and “Part II – The Mark of Cain,” a track that delivered the expected. “Part III – Alone” didn’t, at least in the beginning with a strong and dissonant almost Metal intro. Not only Metal, but Extreme Metal. The track progressed in a Prog Rock way, but with backs and forths or ups and downs as you may. It was the mix of it that made me decide to review the album.

“The Unforgivable” is an album not only for metalheads who love Prog Rock, but metallers interested in music that can surprise.

Anubis “The Unforgivable” will be released on September 06th via Bird’s Robe Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Part I – A Legion of Angels

  2. Part II – The Mark of Cain

  3. Part III – Alone

  4. Part IV – The Chains

  5. Part V – One Last Thing

  6. Part VI – All Because of You

  7. Part VII – The End of the Age

  8. Part VIII – Back

  9. Part IX – Shadows Cloak the Gospel

  10. Part X – The Unforgivable

Watch “Part VIII – Back” official music video here: