NATHAN FROST / SYNECRON (2013)

Nathan started playing piano at age 3, and started playing Pong shortly thereafter. Picking up a high school girlfriend's bass, he cofounded Strychnine -- an all-originals progressive metal band in Vancouver, British Columbia -- where he played bass, keyboards, and sang whenever he wasn't programming videogames, studying music theory, and slouching through classes.

After putting the music through the Derek filter (including inspired arrangements involving his custom Hammond B3 organ setup, modern and vintage hardware synthesizers, and other keyboard wizardry), Sherinian introduced Nathan to another of his musical heroes -- drummer Virgil Donati (PlanetX, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth) -- and some of the best performers in progressive metal today: drummer Marco Minnemann (Tony Macalpine, Kreator, Paul Gilbert), and guitarists Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, Alex Argento, Creation's End) and Taka Minamino (Derek Sherinian).

"Synecron" is an instrumental album that contains 6 tracks, over 8 minutes each, and it's about a 'dark', sometimes melancholic, sounded progressive metal stuff with some strong heavy fusion-heavy electronic pinches that makes it a very interesting purchase all the way. For example, the first track, "Empire Rising, 2000 A.D." is by far the most impressive tune here. It contains some really amazing guitar lines combined perfectly with the inspired keyboards of the mighty Derek Sherinian plus the grandiose drumming by Marco Minnemann and the result is this excellent track! Huge stuff! "Singularity" is another highlight here!  It's moving somewhere between progressive metal and heavy fusion and it can be characterized by its great arrangements and its breathtaking solos!! "Samsaara" is probably the 'darkest' track here; it's a piano driven song that contains a melancholic, dramatic in most of it, vibe but overall it can be described as another strong moment.

Bottom line is that "Synecron" is a very interesting album; it's a music journey through Nathan's world that includes great arrangements, virtuosity performances, inspired rhythms, a melancholic vibe but most of all well-crafted tunes! Check it out!!!
Heavy Paradise's Rating : 8/10

Track List :
1. Empire Rising, 2000 A.D. - 8:09
2. Singularity - 9:33
3. Empire Falling - 10:24
4. Samsaara - 8:56
5. Consilience - 6:43
6. Empire Rising, 505 A.D. - 8:16

Line-up: 
Nathan Frost - bass, keyboards
   With
Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, PlanetX, Yngwie Malmsteen) - keyboards on 1, 6
Virgil Donati (PlanetX, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth) - drums on 2, 6
Marco Minnemann (Tony Macalpine, Kreator, Paul Gilbert) - drums on 1, 3, 5
Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, Alex Argento) - guitars on 1, 2, 6
Taka Minamino (Derek Sherinian) - guitars on 1, 2, 6