Thoughtfully arranged and imaginatively constructed,just a dash of Fracture-era Crimson, heavy grooves in epic cinematic spendor - Progression (USA)

A cosmic blend of Indian traditional influences, mixed together with some heavy metal and space grooves. The music features wailing guitar solos, crunching power chords, moments of solo sitar, agile fretless bass playing, and rock solid drumming - Expose (USA)

Three brothers making some of the best instrumental progressive in years. Bill Kopecky's sitar work lends a distinctive middle eastern flavor to the proceedings here. This is as good as anything released on a major progressive label in years - Sea of Tranquility (Volume 4 Number 3 1999)

Fretless ace (and Scouting Report vet) William Kopecky has joined his two brothers for this soaring set of India-influenced prog rock. William's snaky melodies and burnished tone are two highlights - Bass Player (August 1999)

While listening to their intricate Middle Eastern-seasoned instrumentals punctuated by sitar, one might guess this brotherly trio hails from somewhere a bit more exotic than... Wisconsin, of all places. Because the band weds distorted guitar to Middle-Eastern ambience, I cannot help but think of "Saudi metal" or "Sri Lanka rock" as descriptive (and admittedly clumsy) terms. But note that they cannot be categorized as "prog-metal", which implies a sound more metal than prog; Kopecky is the reverse. Bill Kopecky is a demon on the fretless bass, which shares equal time with guitar as a lead melodic instrument. Joe's guitar tone is crisp, crunchy, and his style owes little to standard guitar-hero pyrotechnics. Electronic drums are integrated into the sound without overdoing it; Paul uses them only to color the music when necessary. His approach is refreshing: he's not your usual "boom-crash" drummer merely marking time, nor is he a Portnoyesque double-bass thrasher. His cymbal usage is creative and sometimes reminds me of Bill Bruford's intro to "One More Red Nightmare". All compositions save one are instrumental. The structures of most are usually unpredictable, but the price of inventiveness is that it occasionally doesn't work: a couple of pieces do feel a little unresolved. With the exception of a track or two, the album's mood leans toward the darker side. "Sky-Blue Hair" is probably the best example of the signature Kopecky sound, featuring a catchy melody on the bass framed by soaring guitar effects, then interrupted by heavy tangents spiraling off in different directions. To their credit, the disquieting "Birdsong the Color of Pyramids" genuinely works - normally a narrated poem is a surefire recipe for disaster. Using the desert rather than the ocean as its setting, this piece is mildly reminiscent of The Doors' "Horse Latitudes" in its tone and delivery, but not as intense (happily, Joe's voice is Wisconsin-accent-free; otherwise the mood would have been altered). To close, the acutely atmospheric "Al-Aaraaf" leads the listener on a slowly winding sonic journey across the Sahara and up into space. Very highly recommended! - Gary Varney (reviewed 7-27-00)