Greg Amov - "Gecko Highway/ The Dark Within The Dark/ The Noble Gases" Review

Artist/ Band: Greg Amov
Title: Gecko Highway/ The Dark Within The Dark/ The Noble Gases
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2001, 2005, 2009
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Greg Amov was better known in the Los Angeles progressive music scene. He was also a part of an internet based band/project called Systems Theory. Sadly Greg passed away on November 3rd, just days away from his 50th birthday. I didn’t know him that well but his colleagues, especially Steven Davies-Morris, always spoke highly of him. Both, Steven and the other third of Systems Theory, Mike Dickson have placed three of Greg’s solo album up for a free limited time download.

Musically, Greg could be categorized as electronic soundscapes with some tribal beats similar in ways to Peter Gabriel’s work (Security & Passion).He carefully crafts various sounds to sound like a full band or orchestra.

The Dark Within The Dark - a collection of songs based in the dark ambient style. Very close to sounding like a soundtrack to an art film. Longish tracks dominate the album with my favorite, “The New Worship Of Old Gods”. It has such a hypnotic repetitive theme going on.
Gecko Highway - has a more colorful theme going on. Quite a contrast to The Dark With The Dark, which shows the versatility Greg’s musical mind was. Dominated by most “shorter” songs this time around, yet containing two tracks over the 10 minute mark. One of those long songs, “Ma Belle Egg Shell”, reminds me a bit of Tubular Bells yet something completely different.
The Noble Gases - a bright theme on this. While it has seven tracks, it flows more-so than the other two releases. Depending on your point of view, it can be looked at as a ’suite’. This album, to me is the most progressive of the three. It as previously mentioned, has a brightness to the overall compositions. This of the three is my favorite.

It’s been reported that more of Greg’s work will be released in 2010. Hopefully by then listeners will have fully digested each of the three albums. I was told that in the early part of 2010 there will be a short run of these albums available as professional cd-rs. Someone like myself would rather enjoy the music while looking at the booklet or the security of a CD to be played on other devices than a computer.

All three albums are surely worth the attention of fans of such electronic bands like Tangerine Dream or Radio Massacre International. Fans of soundtracks may also be drawn towards these releases.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on December 29th, 2009

01. The Dark Within The Dark [9:22]; 02. And Still To Wander [8:36]; 03. Tokyo on Third [6:58]; 04. The Cathedral at Ys [4:26]; 05. Mists and Memory [7:20]; 06. The New Worship of Old Gods [16:12]; 07. Nightfall on Io [13:24]
'Gecko Highway' Tracks:: 01. The Flooka Sat On My Head [8:36]; 02. Gecko Highway [7:52]; 03. Ma Belle Egg Shell [9:27]; 04. Interlude I [3:56]; 05. A Quiet Mountain [4:52]; 06. Tail Wags Dog [5:58]; 07. Drums of War [8:01]; 08. Interlude II [5:58]; 09. The Black River of Kel [9:52]
'The Noble Gases' Tracks:: 01. Helium [4:02]; 02. Neon [10:40]; 03. Argon [5:26]; 04. Krypton [9:04]; 05. Xenon [6:25]; 06. Radon [11:10]; 07. Group Zero (The Noble Gases) [5:20]