Nathan Mahl ~ Canada ~ Ottawa, Ontario

Heretik Volume 1: Body of Accusations (2000)

As noted in the The Clever Use of Shadows review, I was an early adopter to the progressive rock sounds of Nathan Mahl. So when Heretik Vol. 1 showed up, I picked up a copy relatively not long after release. I was very pleased with the contents, shelved, and then subsequently ignored the band for many years. I really don't remember the circumstances as to why I did this, though I suspect I was already becoming cognizant of the "too much of the same thing" phenomena that plagued me for years. It was only later in their career that I reacquainted myself with Nathan Mahl. By then I wasn't too keen on their move to a more modern type of progressive rock, that I largely rejected as a whole. My review of Justify, well, justifies my position. Because of this, I never went back to the second and third part of the Heretik series. While I'll continue to make no serious effort to do so, if I ever do get a chance to nab them on the fly, I'll be happy to check them out.

And that's because Heretik Vol. 1 remains a thoroughly enjoyable listen. The album is chock full of old school prog, and it's Guy LeBlanc's keyboards, both analog and digital, that carry the day. The 70s influences are undeniable, mostly from the bigger name UK prog stars from Yes to Genesis to, especially, Camel. The latter group he was to join in the same year. Not to take away from Mark Spenard's guitar work, which is also noticeably strong. Vocals are a weak point here, delivered by LeBlanc, though they are hardly dominant and the album is primarily instrumental. I do agree vocals are necessary for the purposes of flow and sound differentiation. But a more dynamic singer is needed for the complex compositions. I remember discussions "back in the day" (as in 2001) complaining about the drumming (back then all the prog fans complained - about everything it seemed - which is why I dropped out of the "community"). It's my understanding that LeBlanc had to step in last minute for this duty as well. I think he did an admirable job, and no concerns from me. Keeper this one is.

Ownership: 2000 Mahl (CD). Booklet with lyrics. Acquired in 2001.

2001; 2009; 3/9/13; 8/5/26 (review)
 

The Clever Use of Shadows (1998)

I've always liked Nathan Mahl - or at least the early albums. To this day I think Parallel Eccentricities is one of the hidden gems of the early 80s. After that album it seemed Nathan Mahl were a thing of the past. Which is why I remember being quite pleasantly surprised to hear LeBlanc resurface first with Mahl Dynasty and then again with Nathan Mahl. The Clever Use of Shadows was a great comeback, and due to its relative popularity, Nathan Mahl were to be a fixture of the progressive rock scene throughout the 2000 decade. Like the Odessa album I just commented on, The Clever Use of Shadows is yet another album buried in my collection that I couldn't recall anything about, and yes, it's been about 21 years since I last heard it. But this past week's listen put a smile on my face, and reinforced why I enjoy so much their first two albums. The compositions are dense, yet very melodic. It's mostly instrumental, but never showboaty, repetitive, or dull. Not an easy thing to accomplish, considering most instrumental prog is just that. Guy LeBlanc is no longer with us, but his musical legacy will be around for many years to come, as new generations will discover the quality within.

Ownership: 1998 Mahl (CD). Liners from Guy LeBlanc detailing each track. Acquired in 1999.

1999; 5/10/20 (review)

Justify (2014)

Nathan Mahl's latest album is a mix of instrumental heavy fusion and song oriented rock. The fusion tracks are all impressive in their sound textures and technical acumen, but seem nothing more than a skeleton structure for showboating solos. There's not much in the songwriting department I'm afraid to say. Meanwhile the vocal cuts are of the modern variety with annoying emotive vocals, and boom-boom-bash drumming - all over a slick-as-a-butter-dish synthesized production base. These vocal tracks really pull Nathan Mahl away from what they do best. Not a bad album at all, but disappointing for a band with a legacy such as Nathan Mahl had.

Former ownership: 2014 Unicorn Digital (CD). Acquired in 2014.

8/14/14 (review)

Other albums I own: Parallel Eccentricities

Albums previously owned: Exodus

5/10/20 (new entry)