Philedelphia, Pennsylvania natives In The Presence Of Wolves‘s debut album ‘Thalassas’ certainly made a tangible presence amongst the progressive rock community back in those heady days of 2014. Back when the grass was green, birds sang in the sky and all was the bastion of a shining utopia (hindsight gives one hell of a perspective…) It was a revered record, and one that certainly put the band on the radar of the progressive rock fan. They took their time to gestate a new release, but 2017 is the year that the band release their latest: a five-track EP known as ‘Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape & The Cage‘. So how does it stack up?

First, a little context. ‘Of Two Minds…’ is stylized as a concept record that encapsulates the band’s “personal confrontations with mental illness, emotional struggle and the five stages of grief” through a short story concerning twin brothers. The first, suffers paranoid schizophrenia, whilst the second does not and the record explores the second twin’s grief at his brother’s suicide. Heavy duty, stuff. Yet the chaotic nature of the EP’s sound is oddly harmonious with the inner turmoil one endures when suffering a mental illness or emotional turbulence.

Sonically speaking, the five tracks contained on ‘Of Two Minds…’ mirror those of the Five Stages of Grief. There’s a little something about each which matches up rather neatly that indicates a rather careful consideration and delicate craft employed by In The Presence Of Wolves. Opener “As We Speak, Pt. I” begins gently with soft piano and sweet vocal harmonies that hints at a willing ignorance of the situation, whilst the Coheed & Cambria-influenced bounce of the hard-hitting “The One Who Fell To Earth” swings wildly with energetic riffs, licks and furious drumming. It all adds up so well.

And so it goes on, right through to the dispirited sounds of “M.U.A. (Manipulation Under Anaesthesia)”, with its downbeat melodies and sombre clean guitars interspersing the brief bursts of energetic rock. There’s a cleverness to behold with what the band have done and it makes for something of an engaging listen. With that being said, the EP should really be listened to as one suite rather than five separate tracks. Granted, they marry nicely to those aforementioned stages and so have their own distinct voices, but on their own they can feel a little isolated. Whether it’s the slight tumultuous nature to In The Presence Of Wolves’ music is up for debate, but there’s touch of disconnection about the place that doesn’t offer an immediate hook to the five tracks on offer. Repeated listens are a must.

That’s not to say that there’s an absence of the good stuff. The clean arpeggios and jazz-influenced softer passages of “White Noise” are splendid, whilst the upbeat rock that juxtaposes these carries an almost-infectious uplift to it. Without doubt the sort that will fire a delightful little mosh session in the pits when played live. Yet the gem would have to be the final third of “The Ape & The Cage” – a wonderful, dazzling example of near-euphoric progressive rock sensibilities that blends a solemn clean passage to a thumping rock finale. Couple this with the concept at hand and it carries a certain extra gravitas that makes for a fascinating experience. Well worth the wait.

A lot can happen in three years (just ask 2016), but for such a complex band as In The Presence Of Wolves, it’s necessary to use the time wisely. After the success of their debut album, the follow-up was always going to be a challenge to match (ask any artist, ever), but the band can rest easy at night knowing they’ve done themselves justice. It’s not perfect, with the eclecticism occasionally negating any memorability on initial listens, but ‘Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape & The Cage’ is a worthy sophomore release. It’ll need plenty of listens to fully appreciate, but good things can take their time to develop or appreciate, so set aside an afternoon and enjoy.