In 1998, Thinking Plague created some commotion with "In Extremis", and I had the pleasure of both reviewing the album and receiving feedback from the band's first mate, Mike Johnson. For the sake of order: I still regard that album as one of the most important releases of the 90s, especially because TP's kind way of bridging formalistically composed rock and more traditional symphonic prog worked on unlimited terms. This was an unprejudiced conglomeration as good as anything.

Since then, bassist Bob Drake and drummer Dave Kerman have left, and there has been some apprehension over the musical consequences of this move. Two of the most individualistic sound creators of rock naturally leave a profound mark, and it is only natural that a new setting is created when two such gifted musicians sign off. On "A History Of Madness", the group's long-standing accordionist Dave Wiley is the one handling the low strings, while David Shamrock (ex Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum) fills the chair. Both are first-class technicians, if not with the same degree of instrumental personality as their predecessors. As a consequence, the ears are more directed towards the foundation in composer Johnson's visions, and one detects, in a sense, quite a few surprising elements here.

For example, that TP's sound is further from their sources this time. There are frequent references to Art Bears and HCow, to Yes and KC, but first and foremost "A History Of Madness" reflects mentality; this is apparently the most "serious" progressive release to capture a post 9/11 trauma. Johnson's thoughts on the "occidental constitution" comprise more than the usual questions on self-inflicted guilt and Nemesis, they go underneath the matter in order to read the tiniest print of the membrane - what, for example, does the acknowledgement of senselessness for us as a species mean?

Ambitious, in other words. At the same time, TP moves on a superios musical level, which gives substance to these kind of words. We do not in this case deal with lyrics set to music, they trigger and complement each other. In a way, this is a concept album through the fact that the aura of apparent confusion, which opens the work, is reflected in the entirety. There is not a lot that resemble traditional melodies, and the phrases that are closest to touching a regular tonal formula ("Rapture Of The Deep", "The Underground Stream") do appear as the most human moments. "Least Aether For Saxophone & Le Gouffre" is a dual-part piece starting with four minutes of lonesome solo saxophone, and glides into a pitch black ambient construction, one of the highlights of the album. In the same class is the unusually faceted "Lux Lucet", the one track most resembling "In Extremis".

This is authoritative music which will not appeal to the man in the street, and is not meant for him either. But we are talking relatively now, for even the "prog community" has its "street men". Where I would not hesitate to recommend that they try "In Extremis", "A History If Madness" is best judged by the well prepared listener.

© 2004 Tarkus Magazine

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