Long-time musician and songwriter Paul Maged ignites a sense of artistic legacy, bringing together the pace and energy of pop-punk with a progressive rock thread of musicality and lyricism. His five-track EP Crossroads proceeds to explore the depths of modern life and war amidst a melodic, awakening background.
Brilliant drumlines support the likes of the opener Martyr War, a rock soundscape organic and with accessible, relatable vocals guiding the front-line. It’s an anthem of a tune, contrast utilised well to let those bigger moments hit with severe impact. The lyrics also pierce through with striking imagery and an unignorable sense of lostness that refuses to let up.
The simple and distinct riff of Burn It To The Ground follows with equally anthemic weight – a melodic verse adding a kind of hopeful tune to an otherwise devastating historical account, and a hook that’s as snappy as it is unsettling at its peak. The songwriting is quirky but effective, recognisable but well-crafted for the genre, and these qualities resound throughout the Crossroads EP.
Versatility matters, and is admittedly less frequently found in modern or progressive rock projects. Here we get lashings of it on display, creatively and conceptually, and it’s clear from the shift to the piano and string-led contemplation and poetic wonder of A Sudden Contrast. Here the Paul Maged voice is delicate, trembling but secure in its devotion to the topic. We move from third party suggestions to a deeply personal call out for understanding and connection, and suddenly the title and underlying theme rings loud and clear. A powerful alternative ballad for the central track of the EP.
That opening pop-punk and prog-rock fusion returns to light up the faster tempo and gritty rise and fall of Under My Tree – another metaphorical deep-dive with a huge chorus both performatively and lyrically. ‘I’m alive, I’m alive, I survived’ stands tall amidst the chaos and imagery surrounding it.
Then to wrap things up, a much-welcomed dose of optimism and celebration. Crossroads the title-track captures a level of brightness both in the chord pattern and melody, and reinforces this with imagery and ideas that shine brightly, as we reflect on the journey with possibility and warmth. It’s a familiar style, a mainstream thread of music but with a mildly tribal, world music chant connecting moments to help further highlight the eclecticism of the style – and indeed the realised turning point or potential implied by the very idea of the Crossroads.
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