Act Of Will - Nice Doggie

​Act Of Will

​Nice Doggie
self-released; 2018

3.9 out of 5

By Bill Todde

Act Of Will is the pseudonym of Michael Wilson. The debut EP Nice Doggie was released at the end of May of 2018. Clocking in at just three songs, the EP is nothing but pedal to the metal madness. The EP explodes out of the gate, bombarding listeners with seemingly endless stretches of rolling bass notes, pounding drums, high-flying guitars and a large bed of synthesizers. Each instrument is played with competent confidence as the songs roll from cover to cover at breakneck speeds.

“Prickley Passenger” quickly became my favorite track. The drum work is incredibly technical, laying down a constantly rolling and rotation foundation for the synthesizers to flow over. It feels like watching a waterfall. Chaotic to a point, but the water continues to flow into the river below, even as it becomes weightless and seemingly supernatural.

The addition of the guitar around the mid-point of the song is an even tastier accent, showing itself between explosive drum rolls and during rests in the form of the song. The sharp tone complements the synthesizers expertly before breaking away at the end as the song behind it falls off in a level and controlled manner. The end of the song comes far too soon even though the song is five-and-a-half-minutes long.

​Nice Doggie is an album that rolls all the best perks, traits, attributes and attitudes of progressive and hard rock into one nice package, tied with a bow and set right at your feet. It’s full of explosive energy, incredibly technical work on all instruments involved and competent composition. Some moments on Nice Doggie feel like a Frank Zappa album, some like Iron Maiden, some like Yes, and some are completely unique and exist beyond comparison. While Nice Doggie is only three tracks, further releases from Act Of Will look incredibly promising.

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