Spaceman is the solo band of Canadian musician Zach MacDonald, and the new album, “Read Only Memory”, is a strange but beautiful opus, which praises the sonic art of progressive/technical metal, as conceived by Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Coroner, Voivod, Toxic, etc. We are talking about an album of avant-garde, experimental music, which is very difficult to accept. Yet, if you give time to this odd metal album, if you pay attention to its complex structure, if you listen to all these intricate compositions without any reservations or prejudice, then “Read Only Memory” will open for you a door to another dimension, to a brand-new world, where everything is possible and every dream comes true. Here you will find elements from the mad metal science of Ron Jarzombek, the artistic fantasy of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, the quirkiness of Devin Townsend, and so on. The defect here has to do with the production of this amazing album, which could sound a little warmer and less cerebral. Nevertheless, the ones who will focus on the musical worth of “Read Only Memory” will gain a music treasure, so unique and precious. With his extremely progressive approach, Spaceman proves that he is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, who doesn’t fear exploring the uncharted waters of progressive metal. Listen to his songs and cherish some rare moments of musical extravaganza! “Read Only Memory” will be a great companion for all those who treat music as mathematics! Come on, all you metal nerds!
♦ 8/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
