Ice Cycles

Platypus | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 14, 2000)
• Original Release Date: March 14, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Inside Out U.S.
• ASIN: B00004R8QG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,477 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Oh God

2. Better Left Unsaid

3. The Tower

4. Cry

5. I Need You

6. 25

7. Gone

8. Yoko Ono

9. Yoko Two-No

10. Yoko Three-No

11. Platmosis

12. Yoko Againo

13. Yoko Outro

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heavier, darker than first, March 17, 2000

By 

"marzullo" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ice Cycles (Audio CD)

For those of you who don't know, Platypus is Ty Tabor, John Myung, Rod Morganstein, and Derek Sherinian. If these names mean nothing to you, first go check out King's X, Dream Theater, and Dixie Dregs. Then come back, because although this is a great CD, it does not surpass the work these individuals have accomplished in their primary bands. That said, Ice Cycles is heavier than their first ("When Pus Comes to Shove"), but less diverse. This is not necessarily a bad thing--the guys sound more like a band than a side-project. Sherinian's keyboards garner a little more attention this time, and only two tracks are instrumentals. In my opinion, although all four musicians are excellent, the real reason to buy this CD is to hear Ty Tabor. This guy just keeps on getting better. He has a distinct vocal style that fits his highly personal lyrics perfectly. And unlike the last two King's X albums (and even his own solo disc), Ty rips it up on guitar. A friend of mine once described Ty's solos as "water" coming from his guitar. Best cuts--"Oh God," "Cry," and "Partial to the Bean."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 Stars, February 13, 2001

By 

spiral_mind (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ice Cycles (Audio CD)

I have to take issue with one of the previous comments, which reads: "if you're a Dream Theater fan you won't like this album." Allow me to clarify that statement a little. If you think Dream Theater is the be-all and end-all of metal, and expect everything to follow the same sometimes-excessive-'prog' stylings, then you won't like it. If you can accept that there exist all different kinds of music, and can handle a little variety, then it may be worth a listen.

This one, to repeat some other comments, is much darker and slightly heavier than the first Platypus album. It leans toward the recent King's X sound (Dogman onwards), and there's very little similarity to DT or the Dregs. In contrast to the first album, the instrumental section is weaker (although listenable) and the vocal songs are the more coherent ones. The highlights ("The Tower," "Oh God," "Cry," "Better Left Unsaid") rip with some of the most intense playing we've heard from these guys in a while. The others, "I Need You" and "Gone," lapse a little into cliches and aren't quite up to the same level.

Not everyone will agree, but I personally prefer the first album for its variety and more positive mood. Ice Cycles shows them coming together as a collective group, albeit mostly under Ty's influence, and has less of the scattering of ideas that marked it as a side project. Worth a listen for fans of hard (not necessarily prog) rock, but it's not quite as exceptional.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice work!, April 1, 2000

By 

"brucewayne" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ice Cycles (Audio CD)

This album not only shows off the fine instrumental talents of this foursome, but it also is a better representation of Ty Tabor's thoughtprovoking lyrics. The band also sounds much more comfortable with each other, making for a little bit better album than their first release. "Oh God" and "The Tower" are my favorite tunes on the album. Lastly, Ice Cycles includes over 15 minutes of instrumental tracks that really rock!