Review SUBSIGNAL ‚A Poetry of Rain‘

Subsignal belong to the great progressive rock bands hailing from Germany. Founded in 2007 as a side project following the end of the legendary Sieges Even, Subsignal evolved to one of the main players in this genre.

After having launched their debut album ‘Beautiful & Monstrous’, the band added four additional records to their discography and now it is ‘A Poetry of Rain’ that has the ambition to continue the chosen road into the fields of progressive rock music.

Subsignal isn’t a side project anymore. The band became a constant factor in contemporary and ambitious rock and the newest album helps the band to strengthen this position even more.

With founding members Arno Menses and Markus Steffen being in the driver seat, the band has the toolkit in place to create sophisticated songs with an ease. ‘Marigold’, as an example, comes with great melodies and finds a way into heart and soul of listeners right away. Still there is a lot to explore which makes the song to an attractive journey into sounds. Party reminding a bit of Marillion, Subsignal still found their own trademarks which they evolve over the past years.

Excellent melodies, combined with some harder riffs, like in the beginning of ‘Sliver (The Sheltered Garden)’ and ‘The Last of its Kind’, and the soulful vocals by Menses, that is what the band stands for and they deliver on ‘A Poetry of Rain’. And not to forget the perfectly embedded saxophone parts in the second half o the mentioned ‘The Last of Its Kind’.

The album was created during the pandemic and in a way reflects the mood of the time very well. There is a certain level of melancholy that swings with each of the songs. At the same time Subsignal manage to not drown in endless tristesse.

Thematically the band takes a slightly different approach on ‘A Poetry of Rain’. The roots of the songs on this album can be found in antique sagas which the band transfer to the current days. ‘The Art of Giving In’ for example builds on the saga of Icarus and is built around overconfidence of mankind.

With Yogi Lang at the helm the record also comes with an excellent sound that combines power and a nuanced sound which makes each of the songs even shine brighter.

To sum up. ‘A Poetry of Rain’ is a next highlight in the impressive discography of Subsignal. Sadness and hopefulness never came that close together than on this album. Equipped with an emotional depth and musical savvy each of the songs is a treat for listeners ears, providing with its details a lasting joy.