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Hot on the heels of their last self-titled release is Somewhere Else from Scottish progressive metal oddballs Garden. Their last release was an interesting, if specialist effort, which I found to suffer from some recording issues as well as that of their approach favoring violins, saxophones, flutes and the like - as opposed to the guitar. Somewhere Else does little to change up their established sound, and whilst it's still rough around the edges, I'd definitely say Garden have made an improvement.

Those in the market for a guitar-driven release likely won't find much to sate their appetite here, and even when the guitars are utilized, they're carried via a thin, stilted tone with slight overdrive. Some of the riffs are cool, but a lot of time they stand as a canvas for the pianos, violins, and wind instruments to swirl in and around. As was the same with their last release, these instruments are exceptionally well done and arranged, kind of like a big band trying their hand at metal. Samuel Bradley's vocals do a good job of carrying the music across the release, with a humble, melodic approach that is really in touch with a lot of the British prog bands.

With a better recording and stronger material Somewhere Else is certainly a good release although I'd certainly prefer a more prominent guitar presence. Garden doesn't particularly serve up a lot in the way of riffs, and as such I feel their appeal lies further outside the realms of heavy metal than the average progressive metal act. Those who enjoy the avant-garde would do well to give Garden a listen, as I think they're on to an original sound that certainly has potential.