Poor Genetic Material

Poor Genetic Material are a five-man German symphonic progressive band with an exceptional lead singer from the UK in Philip Griffiths, whose father Martin was the singer for Beggars Opera. The music on their 2001 CD Summerland is melodic and atmospheric, in the direction of bands such as Saga or Jadis, highlighted by the 12-minute title track. Their 2002 CD Leap Into Fall is certainly a step forward from their debut, an outstanding symphonic rock album. While we can recommend it without hesitation to fans of Pendragon or Jadis, PGM doesn’t strongly resemble either. Their 2003 CD Winter’s Edge is yet another step forward for a band that by this time can no longer meaningfully be called neo-progressive. The compositions here are quite sophisticated and richly-textured. Spring Tidings (2006) completes the seasons series and continues the trend of steady improvement with each album, making this one PGM’s best. Start with Spring Tidings and work backwards.