By Andrew Bansal
Based out of Spain but hailing from geographically all-encompassing regions, prog/experimental/fusion group The Great Game clearly know no rules or boundaries when it comes to musical style, and compose music in a manner that potentially appeals to a wide range of listeners. Their 2015 self-titled full-length effort is a shining example of this very trait, engulfing a multitude of sonic landscapes within itself.
Led by composer and guitarist Mounzer Sarraf, the group utilizes the talents of each of its members and as a result has succeeded in a dynamic and diverse set of tunes. Starting with the lively and proggy track ‘Science’, the album goes into the laid-back, funky ‘Religionism’, and explores prog, blues, jazz, reggae and Latin elements through the rest of its duration, with the tracks ‘Bipolaroid’ and ‘Poetry In Motion’ standing out as the most guitar-driven ones. The vocals are very much reminiscent of Pink Floyd and A Perfect Circle, which would draw the prog rock fans’ attention perhaps even more than any of the instrumentation would.
The Great Game’s self-titled album is certainly a stepping stone for the band in their quest to create a niche for themselves, and while the entirety of the album most likely wouldn’t be a rock/metal listeners’ cup of tea, there is plenty in it for fans of progressive variants of the genre to appreciate and that alone makes this a worthwhile release.
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: January 2015
Track Listing:
01: Science
02: Religionism
03: The Turning Of The Wheel Of Dhamma
04: Television
05: Bipolaroid
06: Elhechizo De Hoy
07: Poetry In Motion
08: Hungarian Dream
09: Pax Romana
10: And The Blind Man Lead The Way
11: Elemental Raven Storm
12: Slave Magic
13: The Great Game (bonus track on CD)
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