The new prog supergroup Nova Collective, encompassing the bands Between the Buried and Me, Haken, Cynic, and Trioscapes, is soon releasing The Further Side. They play some damning good tunes, as demonstrated in the video above, and in the other ones that they’ve published, but everyone calling their music ‘new’, ‘pushing boundaries’, or ‘next level’ is only putting their musical illiteracy in broad daylight. Here’s why, in a relatively short rant.
Using jazz in progressive rock and metal is far from being a new idea, you fucking idiot! It was already popular in the ’60s and ’70s, and only dwindled in popularity because music has since been used as a money-making opportunity, where talent is – at best – second in importance to sales. Let’s be honest, music in the ’80s and ’90s generally sucked! Of course, you could say that come bands did come out in these decades, that’s true, but they were very obscure – and still are, for the most part. However, with the recent resurgence of jazz fusion in progressive rock and metal, you young twats praise the shit out of them because all you’ve ever listened to is Colors, From Mars to Sirius, and Fear of a Blank Planet. And you’re like ‘Holy shit! This is a thing I’ve never ever heard so it’s the best thing ever and they really are pushing the boundaries of the genre and I’ll just throw my fucking wallet at their most expensive pre-order bundle and tell all the Facebook groups and subreddits I’m a part of how amazing they are and I will defend this opinion to my dying breath even if someone with actual musical knowledge comes up and tells me it was actually a thing 40 years ago BECAUSE I’M A FUCKING FANBOY!’
But, you see, you’re dumb, and you’re wrong.
Stop making a fool of yourself; Chick Corea, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Return to Forever are only three examples of that sort of thing happening in the 60’s and 70’s.
Nova Collective and The Pitts Minnemann Project are only two examples of modern-day fusion done good – excellently, even! -, but give praise where praise is due. They are talented musicians, writing and performing great compositions in the spirit of jazz fusion, but with a modern edge to it. Calling what they’re doing new is like complimenting someone on their restored 1966 Chevelle SS by saying it’s ‘brand new’, and ‘something I’ve never seen’, and ‘pushing the boundaries of what cars are and look like’… You’ll just look like you know nothing of what you’re talking about, and that’s how you look like now.
Prog Talk 