The more adventurous Progressive Rock fans out there will certainly find much, on many levels, with which to engage.

Write some songs, gather together a group of friends who happen to be accomplished but not "name" musicians and who don't necessarily know each other. Eat, drink, be generally merry for a few weeks and an album is made. Or at least that's what Paolo Vallerga, who is basically The Experiment No. Q, did and this self-titled release is the result.

It should be bonkers really, shouldn't it? And it is. It should be a disaster really, shouldn't it? And actually no it's not! Instead an initially difficult album to penetrate slowly through complex, melodic, shred-infused yet song-based compositions begins to snare you in. Liberally spread through what really is a collection of guitar solos of the burning variety and keyboard crescendos of grandiose proportions are more reserved, vocal-led moments where at varying times Kevin Zwierzchaczewski, Linnea Vikstrom and Nalle Pahlsson bounce quite stunning performances off each other. These interesting opportunities to take a breath not only stand as captivating, wide ranging, Progressive songs in their own right, they allow the more expansive and often instrumental tracks to hit all the harder for not being lumped together as one long challenge of endurance.

Instead 'Romatiquesque' for example hits as a bright burst of riffage, with the odd throaty growl (the vast majority of vocals here are clean – and excellent) and a fiery guitar solo which runs the gamut from Yngwie Malmsteen-like madness through to Steve Vai-like otherworldliness. However for all the more exuberant tracks do make a lasting mark, it is still the beautiful and more refined 'Unpainted Leaves', or 'The Dream Of The Whales' which live longest in the memory through good old fashioned strong song-writing.

There's no denying that some will find this a step too far into wide-ranging and uncompromising Prog. However with influences as far and wide as Yes, Riverside, Dream Theater, Within Temptation, Rammstein, Spock's Beard...and so the list goes on, impressive artwork and a hardback book presenting the whole package quite superbly, the more adventurous Progressive Rock fans out there will certainly find much, on many levels, with which to engage.

Steven Reid