SIX BY SIX – Six by Six (2022)

Now we have here “Six by Six“, the debut album from new super-group SIX BY SIX comprising the immense talents of vocalist / bassist Robert Berry (‘3’, AMBROSIA, ALLIANCE), guitarist Ian Crichton (SAGA) and legendary drummer Nigel Glockler (ASIA, GTR, SAXON).
On paper, this looks awesome… on your music player… even more awesome!
“Six by Six” is a clever, easy listening but regarding 45 minutes of prog-influenced heavy rock, I should say melodic rock with strong proggy arrangements and atmospheres. Berry is a terrific – and very underrated – vocalist delivering colorful performances, while the signature guitar sound of Crichton provides the final touch to an all-around harmonic longplayer.

SiX By SiX’s debut is indeed an inspired album – a melodic prog-infused rock joyride, musically a mix of all member’s past bands – the accessibility of Berry’s solo work and the proggy melody of Saga.
The album opens with “Yearning to Fly,” a funky prog rocker featuring a chunky Crichton guitar riff layered over propulsive Berry bass lines and a heavy drum groove laid down by Glockler. About a minute in, Berry’s muscular vocals kick in, with a lyrical theme that runs throughout the album: “Something inside needs to break free.”
The amped-up track sets the tone for what’s to come, perfectly marrying Crichton’s fiery fretwork and Glockler’s concussive percussion with Berry’s vocal calisthenics, melodic bass lines and keyboard fills.

Standout tracks include the explosive political protest song “China” with its classic riff, the rousing hard-driving rock raveup “Casino” and the power-prog rocker “The Upside of Down.”
These and other tracks on the album – notably “Skyfall,” “Save the Night,” “The Upside of Down” and “The Last Words on Earth” – are wisely built around Berry’s commanding vocals and showcase his facility for crafting radio-friendly vocal melodies over the band’s turbulent and chaotic signature sound.

“Battle of a Lifetime,” the album’s centerpiece, encompasses everything this trio does so well – crackerjack songcraft, top-shelf arrangements and virtuosic performances from all three players. The mini epic opens with a lush synth and a spare electric guitar solo that gives way to an introspective 12-string-guitar-and-vocal introduction. From here, the track picks up speed and runs through a suite of head-on prog excursions and side trips. Along the way, Crichton delivers classical guitar flourishes and Berry offers up brilliant acoustic-guitar-and-vocal interludes that play like sunlight breaking through stormy clouds.

Meanwhile, “Reason to Feel Calm Again” opens with a shrieking guitar intro that sounds like electrified bagpipes. Over the course of the next eight minutes, the trio races through a succession of instrumental and vocal breaks, with tricky time changes anchored by Glockler and Crichton’s soulful fretwork matching Berry’s theatrical, skyscraping pipes.
A single acoustic ballad, “Live Forever,” rounds out the album, featuring a poignant vocal from Berry over intricate 12-string guitar arpeggios and a sprinkling of choirboy harmonies. Clocking in at well under two minutes, it is the shortest track on the album, but is by no means a throwaway. Berry delivers the most spiritually uplifting line on the album: “In this long sweet goodnight, it isn’t the end…we’ll all meet again.”

On the whole, SiX By SiX sounds more like a band of musicians who’ve been working together for years than a new musical collective – a rare feat for any debut album. It also has a surprising live-in-the-studio feel that crackles with energy and power – suggesting these tracks were designed to be performed live.
Here’s hoping this is just the opening statement from SiX By SiX and that Berry, Crichton and Glockler head back to the studio for a second album and decide to hit the road for a series of live shows.
Impressive

01 – Yearning to Fly
02 – China
03 – Reason to Feel Calm Again
04 – The Upside of Down
05 – Casino
06 – Live Forever
07 – The Last Words on Earth
08 – Skyfall
09 – The Battle of a Lifetime
10 – Save the Night

Robert Berry – vocals, bass, guitar, keys
Ian Crichton – guitar, vocals
Nigel Glockler – drums, percussion

Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/SiX-Ltd-CD-Digipak/dp/B0B35GD36H