Guppy Fish -: The Fall of Man

2020 Athens, Greece.

Private Press

Rating 90/100

https://www.facebook.com/Guppyfishband

https://guppyfish.bandcamp.com/

Although ‘Guppy Fish’ was founded in Athens at the later part of 2011 it wasn’t until the early part of 2014 that they released their first recorded output which was an EP album entitled ‘Constant Motion of Vanity’. And it is only now after some six fallow years later they release their first full-length album ‘The Fall of Man’ Such a long gap between recordings is unclear but suggestions are that it was a question of getting the right mix of musicians together with a common goal and a similar direction of musical intent.

One thing for sure they have achieved a really strong balance of different progressive rock styles with superb nicely projected vocals and interesting instrumentation. There is a whole wealth of drama packed into the music and some truly excellent two-part vocal harmonies. In fact, the entire album is packed with interesting and subtle changes of direction saturated with excellent bursts of lead guitar and underpinned with forays of excellent organ and piano. It is very unusual for an album to have such an overall musical diversity and yet retain a regimented semblance of order such that every single track fits nicely into place maintaining a focussed sense of direction. Furthermore for the music to encompass the technical complexity of a progressive ideal and yet incorporate the melodic flair and freedom of what could be deemed a more popular music form, can be considered to be extremely brilliant writing in terms of musical composition.

This honestly is a brilliant almost top score album from start to finish with even more enjoyable musical discoveries that reveal themselves with successive plays. Certainly a real treat not knowing what to expect and being greeted by a labyrinth of superb guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and very effective and emotive vocals. A great asset to any record collection and a band to keep an eye on. Every track a winner.

Manos Tzanoudakis: Vocals, Piano, Keyboards
Kostas Kokkalos: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Xenofon Tsantilas: Bass
Vaggelis Kardamitsis: Drums

Guest appearance: Kostas Ntokos – Bass on “I don’t like your face” & “Above the Sky”

Mixed by Mikko Chris Vlachos at Eightyard Studios
Mastered by George Bokos at Grindhouse Studios