Syzygy:  The  Allegory  of  Light:       It's  always  great  to  hear  new,  old-­‐school  styled  progressive  rock.  Syzygy,   formerly   known   as  Witsend,   who   last   released   Cosmos   and   Chaos   back   in   1993,   have  returned   with   a   new   name   and   a   fiery   new   album.   Combining   elements   of   Yes,   Jethro   Tull,  Genesis,   Gentle   Giant,   ELP,   and   Deep   Purple,   The   Allegory   of   Light   is   a   churning,   powerful  amalgam  of  complex  yet  melodic  music  that  surely  will  bring  a  smile  to  any  prog-­‐rock  fan  face.      

The  opening  title  suite  begins  with  the  raging  "M.O.T.H.",  a  bristling  inferno  containing  awesome  keyboard  chops  and  textures  from  Sam  Giunta,  and  thick  power  chords  from  guitarist  Carl  Baldassarre.  At  just  over  eleven  minutes  this   is   the  epic   section  of   the   suite,   and  at   times   reminded  me  of   the  more  aggressive  parts  of   Tull's   Thick  as  a  Brick.  "Beggar's  Tale"  is  a  Genesis  influenced  little  segue  featuring  Giunta's  acoustic  guitars  and  lyrics  dealing  with  the  loneliness  of  the  elderly.  The  band  then  rampages  back  into  aggressive  mode  for  the  final  part  called  "Distant  Light",  led  by  the  nimble  drum  work  of  Paul  Mihacevich  and  the  acrobatic  guitar  solos  of  Giunta.      The   "Age   of   Mankind"   is   the   next   suite,   and   is   made   up   of   the   Gentle   Giant-­‐meets-­‐ELP   instrumental   called  "Zinjanthropus",   which   is   twelve   minutes   of   classic   complex   prog,   and   the   prog-­‐metal   tinged   workout   of  "Industryopolis."  The  former  has  all  sorts  of  neat   interplay  between  Giunta  and  Baldassarre,  and  the  latter  has  a  chilling  mid-­‐section   that   harkens   back   to   vintage  Red-­‐era   King  Crimson,  with   ominous   keys   and  bone   crunching  guitar  riffs.  This  is  simply  awesome  instrumental  prog-­‐rock  folks.      "Forbidden   is   the   next   piece,   a   real   emotional,   somber   tune   with   acoustic   guitars   and   Baldassarre's   yearning  vocals.  The  lyrics  here  once  again  deal  with  loneliness,  and  the  band  manages  to  really  hit  home  with  the  feeling  of  despair  and  isolation  after  hearing  the  song.  The  rocking  instrumental  "Lightspeed"  is  up  next,  which  has  a  Steve  Morse-­‐meets-­‐Rush  feel,  and  is   littered  with  Giunta's  power  chords  and  intricate  lead  work.  The  closing  epic  "The  Journey  of  Myrrdin"  is  the  crowning  achievement,  powerful,  symphonic,  and  dramatic.  Mellotron  mixes  with  heavy  guitars,  gymnastic  drum  work  provides  the  backdrop  for  furious  synthesizer  explorations,  and  it  all  works.  At  just  over   17-­‐minutes,   this   is   a   wild   ride   that   combines   complexity   with   memorable   arrangements,   and   is   all-­‐instrumental.  A  perfect  end  to  an  extraordinary  CD.      The   band   also   provided   us   with   a   cassette   copy   of   the   original   Witsend   album   Cosmos   and   Chaos,   which   is  currently  just  being  reprinted  again  in  CD  format.  The  music  there  follows  a  similar  path,  although  the  production  on  The  Allegory  of  Light  is  much  better.  It  is  still  a  great  example  of  complex  symphonic  rock,  and  those  wishing  to  seek  out  the  new  release  should  look  into  acquiring  a  copy  of  the  Witsend  CD  as  well.  Highly  recommended!      Added:  November  19th  2003  Reviewer:  Pete  Pardo  Score:  4  and  ½  stars  http://www.seaoftranquility.org/print.php?sid=1047&content=review