GROOVE THERAPIST – Mr. Funker, The Myth (2016)

Apart from our loved melodic sounds, in this blog we are always trying to present you some interesting music which usually slips under most people’s radar. We have here “Mr. Funker, The Myth” the debut album from GROOVE THERAPIST, a very original combo from Greece.

Perhaps with the band’s name and album title you are guessing about Groove Therapist’s musical style… well, there’s a lot of groove here and a bit of funk, but “Mr. Funker, The Myth” is a Progressive Rock record in the best sense of the words.
Yes, Groove Therapist mixes rock, pop, metal, funk, melodic prog, all into an exciting package.

Their debut “Mr. Funker, The Myth” is a concept album, but I prefer calling it ‘story’. It’s a quite captivating tale about a boy and a somber orphanage, featuring some characters named Mr.Funker, Annie, and Drop D.
All is delivered through 24 tracks, but do not worry, many are short interludes linking the main songs, which are really captivating by the way.
I have to say the narrative structure of the whole piece of work is superb, as keeps you hooked waiting what happens next…

Between the interludes (most of them beatifully arranged with pianos and orchestrations) you find so much varied songs like the funk-metal of ‘Mr. Funker’, the prog metal of “Drop D.” (pretty Avantasia inspired), the groovy ‘Orphanrage’ (in the Savatage vein yet much more melodic) or the Queensryche-like ‘Dreams To Nightmares’.
But Groove Therapist is even more adventurous with the creepy, vaudeville-sounding song ‘The Myth’ which has some Jono in it, even adding some crazy horns. Really original stuff.

‘False Hopes’ has some melodic hard rock feel but also some kind of Allen / Lande vibe (great guitar solo here), then ‘Inner Conflict’ goes to Queensryche late ’80s sound mixed with Arjen Lucassen’s Star One.
I really like both compositions which, like the entire album, is focused on elaborated arrangements and extreme attention to detail.

Groove Therapist is the first surprise of 2016, delivering a wonderfully elaborated album in their debut “Mr. Funker, The Myth”. The band sounds so mature that you think this is their third of fourth record.
The mixture of musical genres is done flawlessly, as Groove Therapist has an homogeneous sound overall but they surprise you track after track with something new.
I you loved Swedish Jono superb albums, but also Avantasia, Lucassen works, Queensryche, Savatage and too many other influences to mention, they you should try Groove Therapist’s debut now.
Captivating.

01 – Once Upon A Time
02 – Overture
03 – The Girl With The Sad Eyes
04 – Little Annie
05 – In A Dark Alley
06 – Mr. Funker
07 – Terrified And Ashamed
08 – Drop D.
09 – The Punishment
10 – Orphanrage
11 – A Strange Dream
12 – Dreams To Nightmares
13 – An Unexpected Morning
14 – The Myth
15 – Cautious Thoughts
16 – False Hopes
17 – Storm Breaking
18 – Inner Conflict
19 – Facing The Truth
20 – Mirror Of Reality
21 – Awareness
22 – Final Act
23 – Closure
24 – Whispers

Haris Lolos – Vocals
Yiorgos Kalodoukas – Guitars , Background Vocals
Kleanthis Konstantinidis – Keyboards, Kazoo, Vocals
Katerina Koti – Bass, Background Vocals
Thanos Kalodoukas – Drums, Horns, Background Vocals
guest musicians:
Marika Papazoglou – Background Vocals

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