James Patrick Connell – Imagine… (Release date: Sep 5, 2025)
“Imagine…” by James Patrick Connell begins with an unusual spoken word performance, providing the basis for a track that combines complicated musical architecture with an almost surreal storytelling. Behind the words, an explosion of math rock precision and progressive metal complexity creates its own colorful, developing drama. The instrumental background is compact, vibrant, and full of surprise changes; each measure appears to offer a new rhythmic or harmonic change. Musically, there are times that recall the technical expertise of bands like Watchtower and Sieges Even, but the addition of spoken word brings the composition to a more theatrical and philosophical level. It’s as much a performance piece as it is a song, requiring attention to both the lyrics and the complex timings. From a production logic, significantly boosting the music in the mix would help to balance the spoken word and music, allowing the full impact of the guitar work, bass complexities, and drum interaction to come through. Despite this, the technical performance is error-free, with precision and passion coexisting in a controlled storm. It’s the type of song that rewards repeated listens, as both the plot and the sophisticated music reveal new aspects with each playing.
I absolutely LOVE this ❤️