[Review] Treiyer – Scars (Journey Through A Lifetime)

Treiyer is a band led by session player Gabe Treiyer, offering a quality Progressive Rock. The band’s debut release titled “Scars (Journey Through A Lifetime)” is available from November 15, 2021 and boasts the collaboration of guests such as Steve Hackett, Jakko Jakszyk, Steve Rothery, Gabriel Agudo and others. This debut album contains 10 medium-length tracks, proposing a journey through Gabe’s life, among his experiences, secrets and visions. The “Life’s Fanfare” opener is an intro of just over a minute characterized by keyboard sounds rich in effects, then transformed into a Prog with massive riffs and a solid rhythmic session. Follows “In The Beginning” with ’80s hues with powerful bass lines and a gritty vocal, a Rock that mixes melodic features and Prog passages. An engaging track with a good mix of solos in the instrumental section in the second part, enriched by tempo changes and accelerations. “Games” is another short passage, just over a minute in which soft arpeggios intertwine, permeated by a dreamy atmosphere. With a tighter rhythm begins “Wake Up,” with an elaborate rhythm and a refrain that immediately catches on, re-entering the context of Pop Prog. In the second part the theme is developed in an instrumental section that sees the guitar as the protagonist in the solo together with the keyboards, closing the song in crescendo. Here we are at “Enter The Black Hole” where we find Jakko Jakszyk as a guest, where the beginning features electric guitar and keyboard sounds. Intrinsically instrumental, this piece showcases excellent technique and allows players the freedom to perform in tight solos, as well as the ever-changing rhythm session is very elaborate. a mix of Prog and virtuosity of good workmanship. “Serious” begins with an intricate bassline, a solid rhythm session and the guitar that alternates arpeggios with more massive riffs and biting solo interventions. The vocal is warm and expressive, while the music has references to ’80s Prog with a modern key and good mixes between keyboards and guitar. The instrumental parts and the solos are very interesting. In “Scars Pt. I” we find Steve Hackett as a guest on guitar, a track with a modern sound, made up of acoustic and electric guitar arpeggios that intertwine. The rhythm session is very current, the vocal here too is very expressive and the intensity increases with the passing of the minutes, with an excellent guitar solo in the final. A delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio opens “The End,” a sweet track that is very intense, touching and in the form of a ‘song.’ Rich in pathos, it offers an emotional solo in the central part to close with the return of the singing. The melancholy electric guitar opens “Scars Pt. II,” where we find Steve Rothery as a guest with a vocal rehearsal full of pathos. Softer in the first part, the track is a musical crescendo that also offers a good sustained guitar solo in the middle instrumental section, leading us to the finale. The final track “Back To The Light” begins with percussive drum sounds, a melancholy vocal that continues in crescendo as the song flows. The track leaves us with a feeling of hope as in the title and a good solo in the central part, to then return in the second part the vocal that accompanies us at the end. A delicate and introspective album, well composed and performed, which explores a softer territory than Prog sounds while not missing the instrumental and solo parts. The band makes use of the collaboration of numerous high-level guests who are an added value to this already good work. A listening recommended for lovers of Prog sounds with a more delicate and light touch, but still of a good level with many interesting ideas.

Tracklist

01. Life’s Fanfare (01:16)
02. In The Beginning (03:44)
03. Games (01:22)
04. Wake Up (03:41)
05. Enter The Black Hole (Feat. Jakko Jakszyk) (03:45)
06. Serious (03:50)
07. Scars Pt. I (Feat. Steve Hackett) (04:53)
08. The End (04:24)
09. Scars Pt. II (Feat. Steve Rothery) (04:09)
10. Back To The Light (04:44)

Lineup

Gabe Treiyer / Guitars, Keyboards, Programming, Lead & Backing Vocals
Paul Parisi / Lead, Backing Vocals & Harmonies
Nino Aranda / Bass & Backing Vocals
Javier Battaglini / Drums

Guests:
Jakko Jakszyk / Lead Guitar on “Enter The Black Hole
Steve Hackett / Guitar Solo on “Scars Pt. I
Steve Rothery / Guitar Solo on “Scars Pt. II
John Zaika / Lead Vocals & Keyboards on “Serious
Gabriel Agudo / Lead Vocals on “Scars Pt. I
Dagarod / Lead Vocals on “Wake Up” & “Back To The Light
Malcom Galloway / Orchestral Arrangements on “Back To The Light
Michele Saint-Lary / Speech on “Scars Pt. I

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Author: Jacopo Vigezzi

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