b r a n d o n

Paatos are a group that takes the now-familiar subgenre of melancholy Scandinavian symph-prog a bit into the trip-hop and electronic vein, with alternately mundane and exotic results on their debut album, Timeloss. That album was something of a revelation, offering enough pretty, traditional fare to keep symph fans happy while at the same time exploring new directions both subtle and extreme. Not enough ink has been spilled about "Quits", the closing track of Timeloss, which was the most effective meshing of electronica and prog ever done. (I use the rather definitive phrase "ever done" with some confidence here.) Kallocain continues the trend of mixing traditional symphonic prog paradigms with subtle new directions, but not to the extent that I would like. While the album does share some vague affinity with trip-hop in its sleepy beats, it lacks the dark edge that makes the best trip-hop work. Petronella Nettermalm's vocals are used a lot here, and while she sings very prettily, her voice lacks any kind of punch or intensity. Most disappointing of all, the band completely avoids mining the fertile ground prospected by "Quits" - there are no adventures into drum 'n' bass and certainly no epic, noisy, chaotic denouements. I won't say that Paatos played it safe with Kallocain, but they certainly kept it closer to the vest than I would have expected based on their debut. Hell, "Won't Be Coming Back" sounds exactly like Landberk circa Riktigt Äkta. So what we have here is a competent, maybe even very good, symphonic prog album with some trip-hoppy beats and breathy, pretty female vocals. (Oh, and a rockin' first track that explores territory unfortunately never touched again over the course of the album.) Kallocain should have a very strong appeal to prog fans of many shades, particularly those who take to groups like Porcupine Tree and other softer, less edgy types. Those, like myself, who were looking forward to something genuinely new and innovative will be disappointed. review by Brandon Wu — 9-28-04 —