ALBUM REVIEW: Future Now - Utopia Awaits

FUTURE NOW (England)
"Utopia Awaits"
(Independent)
Release date: June 24th 2019
Genre: Progressive metal, melodic heavy metal

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FUTURE NOW began taking shape as far back as in 2009, when guitarist Jaz Hunter auditioned for Flesh That Burns, the band that drummer Charlie Mckenzie-Stewart was in at the time. They were two souls that wanted to explore and play the same kind of music, and spent the following decade writing music together. Eventually, Riko Burrows heard the material that they had written, and offered to add his voice to the recordings that were released on the band's debut album "Utopia Awaits" in June last year.

Although performing as a three piece on the album with Burrows seemingly appearing as a session member, FUTURE NOW has later on expanded into a full band in quintet form and are ready to embark on live work as well as writing material together.

In addition to its own independent release, "Utopia Awaits" was released as the soundtrack to a book with the same title. The album consists of an intro and thirteen individual tracks, and clocks in at over eightyone minutes. Far too long to this writer's personal taste, but we'll give it a go.

The album goes in many sudden directions in terms of variety, tempo, time signatures and texture. Musicianship and instrumentation is of course impeccable and precise, but the intensity becomes a bit overwhelming at times, which makes an album at this length quite a challenge.

To conclude, this listener has no difficulty acknowledging the creative and performing talents that have produced this album. There are pieces and arrangements on here that are pure brilliance. The album was produced by the band themselves, and the sound and production is right for their genre.

As a whole, "Utopia Awaits" is not among the easiest ones to get into, but for the trained ear I have no doubts that FUTURE NOW's intensity and technical flair is met with a heartfelt welcome.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Remnants
2. Creation Of Man*
3. Dying Universe
4. From Legend To Myth
5. Pillars Of Creation, Pt 1*
6. Born Into The Underworld
7. Wisdom Of Harmony
8. Past Present Future
9. Pillars Of Destruction, Pt 2
10. Stand As One (Foreign Lands)
11. Utopia Awaits
12. Time And Time Again
13. Sky Racers
14. World's Apart

*Added to the Subterranean Noise - 2019 playlist on Spotify.

LINE UP:
Jaz Hunter - guitars
Charlie Mckenzie-Stewart - drums
Riko Burrows - vocals