TILES - "PRESENTS OF MIND" (INSIDEOUT)
TILES - "PRESENTS OF MIND" (INSIDEOUT)
Tiles have been around for a while, and with "Presents of Mind" they may very well cause their first major impact on the progressive rock scene.
Tiles are a US band that have already released their debut album in 1995. "Presents of Mind" (a concept album, lyrically about the way the mind learns to cope with life around it) is a slow starting album. In fact, the first half suffers from a certain amount of moderacy. After the ballad, "The Learning Curve", however, the album seems to shift up another gear and then they're really cooking. The listener is in for climax after climax, starting with the awesome instrumental "The Ballad of the Sacred Cows". Then follow classic prog rock tracks the likes of "Taking Control" and "Safe Procedures", the latter with lengthy instrumental passages worthy of the best progressive bands. Their vocalist beats Dream Theater's James LaBrie, especially because he lacks the exaggerated exhalations. Tiles' "Presents of Mind" is an album that may well bring them a great future.
RK
Written April 1999