Konchordat occupy that fine line between prog rock and prog metal. They are not metal but they are a lot heavier than your average prog rock band. Musically I would say they compare somewhat to Enchant. Like Enchant, the songs are more important than the number of notes executed by the band. But that’s not to say the songs aren’t big and epic in their own right.

“Rise to the Order” is a long awaited third album from Konchordat from what I gather. Kudos to Bad Elephant Music for making that happen. The tracks are frequently longer and expansive which will please most prog fans. But often the band use the time to hammer home a hook or chorus than trade endless solos. The band write really strong music and melodies which I found quite refreshing.

All is not perfect however. While the music and playing was great, the vocals from frontman Stuart Martin were strong but the production and mix of them were a problem for me. It’s as if Martin was recorded in a large empty hall with the mic picking up the echo of the room. It’s very obvious when the music stops and starts. His vocal sounds like it was mixed to sit on top of the music rather than mixed to be a part of it.

Also, while I love the music, there are times the lyrics are not great. “Like a Heart Attack” is one of those tracks. I suppose I’ve lost my sense of humor regarding heart attacks since we’ve lost Riverside guitarist Piotr Grudziński to a heart attack. Still, that sort of analogy went out with hair metal in the 80s. Musically, “dream Forever” is like a long lost IQ track but the lyrics have more cliches than I know what to do with.

Konchordat are a very talented band who play a brand of prog that I particularly enjoy. While I would love a remix on the vocals and maybe some lyrics could be re-written or omitted, it still doesn’t change the fact that “Rise to the Order” is a powerhouse of heavy prog rock.

Rating: 7.5/10

Tracklist:
1. Like A Heart Attack
2. Nowhere Left To Go
3. Save Me From The Rain
4. My Energy
5. Dream Forever
6. Statement of Intent
7. Tired and Helpless
8. Temple of the Damned

Release Date: April 29,2016
Label: Bad Elephant Music