Instrumental supergroup creates accessible “gateway” prog for the masses
Nov 25, 2025
DarWin’s 2025 release, Distorted Mirror, is an exceptional display of melodic progressive rock, expertly balancing intricate compositional depth with sheer instrumental firepower. Co-produced by the band’s core, guitarist/songwriter DarWin and legendary drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, Toto), the album is a masterclass in dynamic rock structure. Phillips’ drumming is the foundational element, providing sophisticated, propulsive rhythmic shifts and impeccable timing that drive the entire production… Exactly what you’d expect from a veteran drummer.
Lead vocalist Matt Bissonette (Joe Satriani, and brother to drummer-extrordinaire Gregg Bissonette) offers a warm, soaring tone, creating massive vocal harmonies that provide melodic accessibility against an often complex backdrop. The instrumental firepower is staggering: bass virtuoso Mohini Dey (Steve Vai) delivers a fluid, aggressive low-end that often functions as a second lead instrument, while guitarist Greg Howe (Michael Jackson) contributes dazzling, technical shredding that pushes the music into fusion territory. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) adds dramatic, symphonic keyboard layers and angular solos. While it would be easy for a supergroup of this caliber to descend into a technically dense but ultimately unlistenable spectacle, they instead err on the side of maintaining a powerful and immediate rock sensibility.
The album’s standout track, “Man vs. Machine,” shines by maximizing the band’s collective technical strength within a focused arrangement. The song rapidly shifts between heavy, syncopated riffing and wide-open melodic passages, creating palpable tension and release, a hallmark of successful modern progressive rock. Secondly, it features elite instrumental interplay like the breakdown passage after the second chorus that resolves into a solo showcasing the tightness between Phillips’ drums and Dey’s bass (which is both grooving and highly technical), with Howe’s guitar work arguably the most tight and synergistic moment on the album. Finally, its melodic focus ensures it’s not just a display of skill; the track’s chorus is instantly memorable and anthemic, utilizing Bissonette’s soaring voice and vocal harmonies to grant the complex arrangement powerful and lasting commercial appeal.
Side note: This group reminds me a lot of another band with a similar pedigree, Frost*. If you like this song be sure to check out Frost*’s latest releases Life In The Wires and Day And Age.
Final Take: DarWin’s fusion of relentless musical prowess with compelling melodic hooks makes this song, and really the entire album, effective “gateway” prog-rock for those listeners who like to push the pop-rock envelope without getting overly heavy.
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Here is Mohini Dey herself with a close-up play-through of the bass bridge mentioned above. If you know what to look for you’ll see all kinds of super-cool bass virtuoso shizz… especially the descending run at 3:26 at the beginning of the solo section. Amazing!
