An Absence Of Empathy is the latest release from multi-instrumentalist Henning Pauly under the “Frameshift” banner on Prog Rock records. That statement alone should give the potential purchaser an idea of what to expect on listening to this CD. Having worked on the last Frameshift release with Dream Theater’s James La Brie, this time Mr Pauly ropes in an unlikely choice of vocalist, in the shape of former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, to stamp his authority on the world of prog rock. 

As seems to be the norm with this genre of Rock, Frameshift’s latest is a concept album, dealing with the subject of violence and all the multitude of ways that it rears it’s head in this society of ours. The subject matter at hand is viewed through the eyes of one individual, who is both perpetrator and victim of the various subjects on offer. 

On the musical side, the CD opens up with some Metallica style riffery and throughout the course of the twelve tracks on offer (and yes for the proggies out there, two of them are over nine minutes long) we get shades of everything from Broadway Musical to Thin Lizzy (Black Rose era) to the Carpenters and all stations in between, showing off the virtuosity of Mr Pauly, who is responsible for all of the musical landscape with the exception of the drums, and we get to hear the full range of Sebastian Bach’s vocal talent, from the full blown Bach attack, to the closet thing you’ll ever get to a Sebastian Bach spoken word track. 

The varying musical styles on this CD can be sampled on the band’s website (www.frameshift2.com), albeit minus the addition of Bach's vocal tracks which, if your not familiar with this genre of the rock scene, is useful to listen to, as it gives you an idea of what this is all about. 

If prog rock is your thing, then you’ll love this, both to listen to and to analyse, as I’m sure it has all the augmented 7^th’s and diminished 4^th’s any self respecting proggie could shake a stick at.

Let us know your views on 'An Absence of Empathy'

Track List

Human Grain
Just One More
Miseducation
I Killed You
This Is Gonna Hurt
Push The Button
In An Empty Room
Outcast
Blade
How Long Can I Resist
When I Look Into My Eyes
What Kind Of Animal

Line Up

Sebastian Bach - Lead Vocals
Henning Pauly- All instruments except drums
Eddie Marvin - Drums