What Strange Beasts – The Maestro’s Tale Review

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First, the name of the band and of the album are killers. What Strange Beasts with “The Maestro’s Tale” are pretty nice names for a band and an album. But don’t get it wrong, What Strange Beasts are a Prog Rock band not Metal what makes the name even more meaningful. Well, despite the name the band and the album don’t have anything to do with Metal music even though some tracks are pretty heavy as “Eyes on the Road,” however the grip is pretty different though. Much more linked to The Beatles and the psychedelia they made up. But this track isn’t a good pic of the album. There’s much more. “The Maestro’s Tale” is a cauldron of influences and references and believe me or not none of them are linked to classical music as the title says. Tem album gives a good idea of the Prog Rock that was made in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ah, the cat on the cover is simply fantastic. Very inspiring.

For a metalhead “The Maestro’s Tale” will sound different from its beginning with opening track “Dear Maestro” which is a kind of a ballad in the way Prog Rock used to do with some Soul elements that were very common in the 1970s. Listen to Deep Purple ballads during “Burn” and “Stormbringer” eras and the fan will have a clue of what I’m saying. Then comes “Sublimation” with that fast paced rock that reminded me a lot The Doors’ “L.A. Woman” with piano giving the lead. the By the way, “Sublimation” is n’t the only track that reminded me of The Doors in the album. The track gives an up on the vibe of the album. Inspired guitar solos. The typical sound of the keyboards from 1970s Prog Rock is here with “Up in the Air” which also has a great taste of 1960s music. I’d say that the track sounds much more 1960s Heavy Rock with some Psychedelic Rock than Prog Rock, if I’m allowed to. The tone of the guitars tell a lot about it. There is also a certain sonancy of The Turtles in it.

“The Maestro’s Tale” is a cauldron of 1960s and 1970s influences. Even Bread appear here with the track “Antidote.” It’s the kind of album for the fans that like not only Prog Rock but who also likes other Rock subgenres.

What Strange Beasts “The Maestro’s Tale” was independently released in 2021.

Track Listing:

  1. Dear Maestro
  2. Sublimation
  3. Up in the Air
  4. Junkyard
  5. You Are Lost
  6. Rainsong
  7. Antidote
  8. Debris
  9. The Field
  10. Crater
  11. Onslaught
  12. Long Grass
  13. Venom
  14. 68 Camino
  15. Eyes on the Road
  16. Drift
  17. Precipitation

Watch “Dear Maestro” official video here: