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http://www.rockheavyloud.com/2008_Galexia-Galexia.html
Galexia - Galexia
Looking at Galexia’s debut, the first question that may come to mind is what kind of man is 19 year old Kenneth Joseph Spaziani to succeed in – at such an early phase of his career – gathering for his first LP such names as Arjen Anthony Luccassen (Ayreon, Star One), Damian Wilson (Threshold, Aina, Star One), Joost Van Der Broek (Sun Caged, After Forever), Gordon Titsworth (Images Of Eden) and other names, twelve in total, mostly connected to Progressive Metal’s many incarnations, besides Indie Rock and other genres.
“Galexia”, a story about an opiate addict, is not your usual Prog Metal conceptual album. Spaziani readily uses many musical references that make this album perhaps less progressive per se but indeed very Experimental and even Industrial. Here, loops and samples abound, some scratch also, plus quite altered vocals, both contemplative and desperate, alternating with explosions of thundering distortion, creating a mix many will frown an eyebrow at.
“Galexia” is also the schizophrenic experience I’m sure it set out to be and if the lyrics are frequently short, the focus is indeed on the way they are vocalized in very unusual ways. Listening to it, I’m sure it’s quite like being in one alternated state of mind when your own voice sounds like belonging to another distant and outside world, filled with echoes and confusing cacophony. The repetitive nature of many of the songs, in what I’m concerned, ends up adding to the general feeling of despair and imprisonment that addiction brings with it when, even with all the alterations it makes to your psyche, it never really leads you anywhere.
Be it the haunting chanting in “Asfixia”, the depressive ballad “Recidivate” with Damian Wilson or the industrial hammering of “Pins/Needles” is a diversified journey through a troubled mind and will hardly be something like anything else you ever listened to. It’s perhaps indescribable and quite impossible to categorize in all its original details, so the only way to understand it and have a sense of what to expect is to actually listen to it.
Of course this blend isn’t for everybody. Some would even hesitate in calling it “metal”, but “Galexia” is unique and impossible to imitate, extremely rich and a solid indication of the potential of this 19 year old man who feels like he has his eyes set in higher flights. There are some rough edged to polish in terms of coherence and accessibility, but the future looks bright and fans of originality have something to rave about.
Thank you to Kenneth Joseph Spaziani for making it possible to review his amazing album. - Rock Heavy Loud Magazine
Discography
2007 Europe, 2008 USA = Galexia - Galexia
2009 Europe, 2009 USA = Galexia - The Maze
2009 Europe, 2009 USA = Galexia feat. Knowledge - The Haze (A side project where I performed and recorded all the instruments and collaberated with a rapper) *which by the way stayed in the top 25 sellers on amazon for 43 days*
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Bio
Kenneth Joseph Spaziani is the one man and one man only behind the Industrial Progressive Rock band Galexia. Signed at age 16 he began working on his debut album which took 3 years to write and record and featured three of europe's biggest metal star singers on the album, Damian Wilson of Threshold, Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon, and Marko Eskola of Farmakon, after the buzz from these big names the Debut sold Gold status in european countries and the next year Galexia released "The Maze" a more complex, experimental album of which Kenneth sings on all tracks with no guest stars, the song "The Maze" became a widely played radio single off of this album. also at the same release date a side project called "Galexia Feat. Knowledge" was released which is Galexia on all the instruments with a Rapper named Knowledge writing all the lyrics and recording vocals in Galexia Studios.
Currently working on my third official Galexia album titled "Narcotize" due out in 2010 which expands upon the experimentation of The Maze with more of a mainstream side to it.
Every reviewer of Galexia's material has proclaimed that it has to be "heard to be understood" as it "cannot be put into words what genre the music is, as every song molds so many styles into one its amazing"
Imagine a blend of Nine Inch Nails, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Chroma Key, Nirvana, all put into a sonic blender of static and precision.
It is music that is masterful in its creation featuring songs with over 30 instruments at one time.
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