Subject To Thoughts - To Embrace The Light
Self-Released - July 2006
By Brandon Strader
Mark Mendieta is at it again with his fourth full-length demo with
Subject To Thoughts, entitled
To Embrace The Light. Firstly, it's a shame that
StT can produce four full-length progressive conceptual demos without getting a huge mass of attention and - of course - a large chunk of success and a bit of riches. Secondly,
To Embrace The Light indeed follows
Subject To Thoughts's trend of releasing high-quality progressive music.
To Embrace The Light, the second installment in a four-part conceptual vision beginning with
From Emptiness To Beyond, deals with
Mendieta's personal perceptions of existence. The flow and mood of the music follows that vibe, as at one moment it may be uplifting and very pleasant but then seemlessly fade into a darker, more chaotic sound.
Mendieta's ability to express emotions and create such atmospheres is stunning, and must be heard by anyone who claims to be a fan of (dark) progressive rock!
Possibly the most impressive thing about
Subject To Thoughts's work is that
Mendieta plays everything through his keyboard. Yes, the electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and even all the percussion is played through his keyboard! The timing is astounding, and the sound is nearly perfected. Of course this is still a self-produced demo, so the overall sound is a bit quiet, but everything seems to be mixed to the right place and everything is audible. There also seems to be a bit more confidence in the vocal performance and more dynamics, which is also good. Some spoken dialogue here and there adds a nice touch.
To Embrace The Light is a brilliant addition to
Subject To Thoughts's ongoing musical vision. Let's hope a label decides to pick up this project so we can see some professional studio sound and everyone would be able to get a remastered copy of the full-lengths....
8/10
UM's Review Rating Scale
Official Subject To Thoughts Website
