subsignal
A Poetry of Rain

Joking aside, the German band Subsignal have already reached their sixth album. This time it took them 5 years, the historical bassist is no longer with them, but they made it. It seems like yesterday when Sieges Even announced their disbandment and a new band was announced with the singer and guitarist from that line-up (who remain today the only constant members).

At the midpoint of their career (it's been 15 years already), I expected something different. Instead, “A Poetry of Rain” doesn't change much the sound structure that made them great in melodic prog. They remain in their safe harbor, which raises some concerns about the band's future. The risk that this formula could become tiresome over time becomes concrete. However, within this safe harbor, some shifts do occur and it's not too difficult to notice. The band indeed turns towards grayer and more autumnal territories, as the title suggests. A good part of the tracks really seems to be composed with inspiration taken from the rain. The title is fitting, and so is the choice to release it in late September, right at the beginning of astronomical autumn (often coinciding with meteorological autumn, although this year summer extended into a nice decade of October). Thus, the album becomes the perfect soundtrack for the rainy season, chestnuts, and yellow and red leaves—all seems tailor-made.

A sense of melancholy pervades, reminiscent of the atmospheres of the equally underrated Enchant; some tracks seem to have come out of “Juggling 9 or Dropping 10”. When I hear some sounds in “Sliver (The Sheltered Garden)”, it feels like hearing a mix between “Elyse” and “Broken Wave”, while the acoustic “Impasse” with its regular strumming recalls “Black Eyes & Broken Glass”. Also, “The Art of Giving In”, “Melencolia One”, and “The Last of Its Kind” seem like they belong there. The other tracks, however, evoke more sunlight, but the impression always remains that of an October/November sun beating down on the dry leaves, with dew as a backdrop.

Another characteristic to note is the greater emphasis on Markus Steffen's guitar. The keyboards in this album appear to be relegated to a more marginal role, giving the impression that the guitars are standing on their own, constructing the melodies and sound framework by themselves. Subsignal stood out from the later Sieges Even precisely due to the presence of keyboards, which offered something extra, often providing modern and interesting parts that powerfully inserted the formation into the new prog's pantheon. Here, instead, it seems like a return to the approach of Sieges Even’s last period. However, the presence of mellotron sounds in some tracks is striking, although this does not bring the band closer to the classic prog era.

There is a bit more hard or metal element compared to the previous album, yet they continue to be inserts rather than a solid component. The only album that perhaps could forcibly associate the band with progressive metal was “Touchstones”, but not the entire album.

Regarding the cover, I must say that something more evocative and picturesque was needed to better represent the mood of the album. However, what greets us is a beautiful geometric drawing that cannot be despised at all.

Balancing between tradition and hints of change, Subsignal confirm themselves as impeccable in the field of melodic prog. Even though the scent of the old starts to be felt a bit, despite the timid attempt at renewal; in subsequent albums, in my opinion, a more decisive step forward would be needed.