Time Signature Docker's alive?!?...

Genre: Nerd rock

Following up on the impressive progressive hard rock debut "The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance" from 2012, Docker's Guild's second full length is a collection of Docker's Guild style covers of themes from science fiction and fantasy TV series and films.

Thus, we are treated to a funky rock version of the theme from the first season of "Space 1999" and a saucy, kinda cheesy, rendition of the theme from "Barbarella" (note that the original version, like the film, is extremely cheesy, so Docker's Guild have simply managed to capture that cheese, for which I congratulate them). There is also an epic metal version of the theme from one of my all time fantasy flicks "Neverending Story" as well as catchy version of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" entitled 'Suspension' (this is another cheesy sci-fi TV show that I really enjoy). Another guilty pleasure of mine is "Flash Gordon" from 1980 (you know "Flash dun-dun-dun-dun-dun aaahhhh ahhhhh!"), and in a suite Docker's Guild tackle Queen's original soundtrack. I prefer the original, but Docker's Guild's version is indeed interesting and enjoyable. Fans of prog power metal will enjoy the progressive metal rendition of the theme from season two of "Space 1999". Among other goodies on the album is a heavy version of the theme from "Dr Who" (which also reminds me a bit of the theme from "Airwolf"). All tracks on the album, although they are cover versions, are performed in the Docker's Guild style of spacey, epic and progressive hard rock.

I think that the best predicate to use here is "interesting" rather than "good" or "genius". That is not to say that the performance and interpretations on this album are not good - because Docker has allied himself with some very good musicians, and many of the tracks on the album are very enjoyable - but rather that the whole concept is an interesting idea and that it is this 'interestingness' which is the main attraction point of the album. So, yes, the musicianship is top notch, and the production is crisp and clean.

The target audience of this album are either old farts like myself, who grew up with the films and TV series whose themes are covered on the album, or perhaps younger members of the so-called geek culture who just happens to like hard rock. Overall, I really like this album, and I caught myself whistling along to 'Suspension', 'Flash Gordon Quite', 'The Neverending Story' and other themes that I grew up with. I was actually very pleased to find that they had covered the wonderful cheesefest that is 'Suspension'. I was disappointed, though, to not find a version of the theme from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and 'The Imperial March' from "The Empire Strikes Back"... oh well, maybe next time.

Geeks and hard rock fans, check out this fun release.

Time Signature A matter of energy...

Genre: progressive hard rock

I don't know which description of Docker's Guild's "The Mystic Technocracy (Season 1: The Age Of Ignorance)" is better: progressive rock with elements of hard rock and metal or hard rock with elements of progressive rock, but that is probably because the elements are pretty evenly balanced.

Evolving around keyboards - which is not surprise given that this is Docker's main instrument - the progressive element is definitely quite dominant, but, not unlike Touchstone, there are plenty of heavy chucking and hard rocking guitar riffs to satisfy many a fan of hard rock. Just check a track like 'The Mystic Technocracy' which rocks hard all the way throughot, 'Norse Cosmogony (Part Two)' which features power metal style double bass drums and a quite epic atmosphere, the odd metered hard rocking main riffs of 'Judeo Christian Cosmogony' and 'The Gem of Love' or the heavy and groovy riff that opens 'The Secret of DNA'. Other tracks are more in the vein of keyboard-based space rock, but still with quite heavy guitars at time (not unlike Saga's recent brand of progressive hard rock). These tracks, I think, are pretty interesting, too, and AOR fans will be happy to know the album is AOR-tinged all the way through.

The overall lyrical theme is one of interplanetary conspiracy in which the creators of the major monotheistic Earth religions are in reality a race of extraterrestrial aliens who are manipulating the Earthlings, through religion, into destroying each other. And, as if by otherworldly magic, this potentially cheesy theme fits the progressive AOR music incredibly well, evading any hint of cheesiness and kitsch, instead giving the impression of a deep reaching and multi-faceted, yet accessible, piece of rock music art.

Fans of the likes of Saga, Genesis, Dream Theater, ELP, Touchstone, Star One, Consortium Project, Phenomena and other progressively oriented rock, hard rock and metal bands should find this album, with its lush keyboard arrangements, spacey sounds, rocking guitars and epic feel, and of course the complex lyrical theme, appealing.