Artificial Light Attraction is probably a prog rock, rather than a prog metal band. Scratch that -- they are definitely a prog rock band, with a mere handful of distinctly metallic moments and riffs. I would hate to turn away a potentially decent band on something so thin as a rock / metal distinction, especially for an underappreciated and non-mainstream (when last did MTV play a rock song more complex than the latest Evanescence?) genre such as prog rock.

This is essentially the brainchild of one Yves P Schaub, who is responsible for guitars, vox and bass, accompanied by Jan Stucki providing loops and samples, and a guest drummer. The songs are kept to a reasonable length, leaving little space for tangential six string onanism, and are strongly melodic -- as are the pleasant clean vocals, with nary a grunt to be heard. (I did say it was a prog rock album!) The bass is surprisingly prominent throughout the record. It did seem surprisingly sparse for an entrant to a genre that is not known for its lack of excess.

_Fragile Skin_ is likely to have an appeal to anyone with a liking for Dream Theater or Rush (whom they are reminiscent of on several passages) and is a welcome and mature self-financed release.