Issue 2024-056
Anandammide — Eura
As I listened to Anandammide's Eura, and the camp fire was eventually lit, I entered a subtly illuminated world of enchanting aural colours. This gentle and often captivating album wove a bewitching spell that stroked and caressed my emotions.
The principal composer and vocalist of Anandammide is Michele Moschini. He is perhaps best known for his involvement with the Italian band Floating State and their Thirteen Tolls at Noon album which was released in 2003. More recently Moschini has been involved with Anandammide. The group released their debut album Earthly Paradise in 2020.
Eura follows from and develops Anandammide's style and sound and does this very successfully. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's patchwork of folk tinged melodies and earth fired compositions are easy on the ear. However, its astute lyrical message is equally stimulating. The album deals with contemporary topics like war, environmental concerns, and humanity's place in the world.
There were times when the music reminded me of artists such as, Gryphon, White Willow, William Drake, Amazing Blondel, Donovan and occasionally even Syd Barrett.
However, there is much about Anandammide that is very distinctive. This is due in no small part by the skilful use of the cello, a range of subtle keyboard parts and the measured use of drums. This mixture frequently creates a contemplative essence that is at the heart and core of everything. It also provides an often-spacious backdrop for the tunes to thrive and daintily brush and touch a wide range of senses.
Singer Lisa Isaksson makes an important contribution to three tunes Her evocative harmonies and sensitive warbling offers a perfect contrast to Moschini's heartfelt delivery that colours and washes many of the pieces.
During the title track her voice elevates proceedings. Her distinctive voice creates a Slapp Happy / Dagmar Krause type of vibe. This ensures that this tune is undoubtedly one of the albums many highlights.
The title track also features a tasteful guitar solo performed by Lorenzo Castgiego. Even more satisfyingly, the title track, is also enhanced by some fine flute and organ embellishments. This combination of instruments and voice works well to create an inviting and engaging psychedelic folk ambience .
Audrey Moreau's flute is featured predominantly in several of the pieces and his lovely tone adds an enchanting sense of pastoral tranquillity that compliments the lush and tuneful nature of the songs.
It is an uplifting album. Its melodies are just simply beautiful. I found the charming I Am A Flower and the poignant tones of Dream No 1 especially gratifying.
Despite their delicate melodic splendour, many of tunes, have a melancholic and mournful feel. The lyrics of I Am A Flower illustrate this point:
I am a flower blooming only for an hour a fading flower still wondering why all that lives must slowly die
The combination of musical prettiness and lyrical gravitas works well throughout the album It adds to the overall effect of the compositions and helps to increase the impact of the reflective thoughts that they contain.
The songs are carefully constructed and tightly spun. There is nothing about the performance that is raw and unrehearsed or improvised. Despite this, the tunes sound fresh and are impressively delivered. All the instruments work well together to create a graceful and distinctive ambience.
Eura does not contain the type of music or musical style that I routinely listen to. Maybe, that is why I found it so captivating and beguiling. It certainly reawakened my appreciation of psych folk and unleashed the inner folkie within me.
I should clasp that moment again before it rains !
With that in mind, I had better gather some fresh tinder for another camp fire session
Slung-sparks spit! Fire-flares in a warm glow!
Wish me luck, as I journey once more, amongst and within the kaleidoscopic tints of Anandammide's thought-provoking, but thoroughly delightful melodic world.
Armed Cloud — Nimbus
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Armed Cloud's fourth studio album Nimbus, and it comes along with a bribe.
Well, not an actual bribe in the truest sense of the word. But like with their previous album Torque Armed Cloud have invited Pater Ploeper Brewery in Baarlo to craft another limited edition beer speciality, aptly named Nimbus Saison, to accompany their beautifully cared-for VIP promotion package. A tasteful gesture that I, on behalf of DPRP's internal office of intense enjoyment (also me), thirstily needed to confiscate upon arrival.
After pouring the bottle of liquid gold into a tasting glass especially developed for optimal perception of taste and fragrance nuances, one of the perks of my day job, whilst admiring the eye-catching artwork by Sammy Ariëns, I did once again feel tempted to discover analogies between the delightful palate pleasing components of the complex beverage and the exquisite adventurous nature of Armed Cloud's music. One analogy for instance being how the brew's tangy flavours and spicy notes perfectly represent Daan Dekker's raw and highly expressive peppery voice characteristics. And the way in which this thanks to the intoxicating viscosity of melodies and Marcela Bovio's (Ayreon, Stream Of Passion) sweetly divine angelic vocal cords results in a meticulously well-balanced flavour combination of heavenly harmonised prog metal perfection in the album's first single Angel Of Frost.
The band, by the way, comprise the aforementioned Dekker (vocals), Remco van der Veen (keys, synths, backing vocals), Boris Suvee (bass), Rico Noijen (drums) and the now fully integrated Kay Bouten (guitars).
Trying to sip along as the music progressed this however soon became an impossible task. For by the time the intense metal extremities of Demon I, Demon You bashed my senses, I became aware I had drank the lot. An effect effortlessly achieved through the beverage's appetisingly sweet medium-bodied deliciousness and its exceedingly refreshing taste which ultimately proved to be the ideal palate cleansing match for Numbis's ferociously hot prog-metal galore. Hopefully Pater Ploep has the recipe safely secured for a second unlimited batch for I'd sure like to indulge some more.
By which I don't mean the crafty beer alone, but also the excellent complementary Nimbus itself. As their darkest COVID pandemic influenced effort thus far, Nimbus not only showcase an exceptional growth in sound and concise song-smithery. It also demonstrates a major upgrading shift in heaviness. One the band themselves associates with the brutality of Korn, Pantera, Avenged Sevenfold and the catchiness of Voyager and Amorphis.
In light of the groovy battering ram of power / speed / thrash-metal melodies explored in the mightily impressive Demon You, Demon I, I would to add names like Angra, Judas Priest and Anthrax. It is highlighted further by a luscious bass-driven bridge and synth that advances into succulent Dream Theater interplay with djent riffs and a phenomenal growling performance by Dekker. As it adds even more melodic seasoning, it's no wonder that once this combustible composition, reminding me of ENMA, was finished I desperately needed a refill.
Later on, the marvellously exciting Nimbus manages to please in much the same compelling manner with heavy and complex, yet highly accessible, Magnum-like melodic charges that sparkle with interaction of synth and guitar, on a foundation of dexterous rhythmic concrete.
Starting it all, though, is excellent opener Safety Word. A composition which straight out of its starting blocks gives Carl Lewis a powerful run for his medals with a mouth-watering degustation of tightly performed complexities, interplay chemistry and a dynamic blast of catchy melodies, injected with ravishing riffs and omnipresent synth runs. With every member fully focussed on successfully creating a song greater than the sum of its parts, it's Dekker who seriously impresses here with his clean melodic deliveries and otherworldly vocal excesses. Addressing recent COVID (in)securities in this song, I get the distinct impression from his anger filled growls and vented screams that Dekker firmly tapped into his unresolved imprisoned toddler days frustrations. An imprint strengthened by the cradle of soothing melodies that caressingly ends the composition.
Ominous and menacing with stylish contradictions in atmosphere and focus on melody, the band relentlessly thunder on with masterly composed songs, given shape by vigorously impressive technical performances. Next to the spine-chilling Angels Of Frost, this leads to a spectacle of exquisite Eddie Van Halen extravaganza in Desolation. The Ones Who Are Lost brings a pirating AOR-ish sound with catchy melodies and groovy prog metal enriched by moreish synth escapades and excellence of melancholic guitar. And Handless Thief yields acoustic finesse and easy accessible riff-based melodies, brought to life by a multitude of tantalising synth movements and a brief moment that oozes Thin Lizzy.
Highlight amongst these tracks is the grand Stitches which, after an anticipation building atmospheric entrance with compelling ease, soars through epic symphonic melodies that in spirit reflects Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche. A majestic melancholic guitar solo and enthralling proggy synths add further captivating prog-metal dynamite allure.
All of the above then suddenly comes to an acoustic halt with White Wine. This intricately construed composition perfectly demonstrates strength of harmonies and hears a wonderful mood change in Dekker's voice as the song progresses. For me though it ever so slightly overstays its welcome and doesn't fully tap into Armed Cloud's strength. Something the full-bodied Grand Cru nature of Social Sludge most impressively does. It is designed with odd time signatures, atmospheric synths, memorable riffs and a sublime vocal performance by Dekker. In this oeuvre highlight, Armed Cloud pull out all the stops one final time. Through formidable instrumentation, interplay and a slowly built momentum that ends on a high with synth parts and grandness of guitar, it ultimately is a brilliantly mature composition that delivers in spades.
Okay. I didn't entirely succeed in keeping drink-comparisons out of this review. And the fact that Armed Cloud's alternative prog-metal at first sip stings and zings, and then after multiple appetising gulps smoothly pleases and indefinitely sings probably doesn't do this any favours as well. But please do yourself a favour and check out this formidable album. In ascending line with the already impressive Torque, Armed Cloud have once again presented a highly enjoyable collection of outstanding and expertly executed songs. It bursts with energetic prog metal which, contrary to the relative short expiration date of the accompanying Saison, offers guaranteed lifelong entertainment. A super result I gladly raise my glass to. Proost!
Paul Lesinski — Across The Light
I was approached via the main office if I would be interested in reviewing Paul Lesinski's latest album whereupon a CD would be mailed out to me. In the meantime I have had a number of decent plays of his fourth offering and despite not having heard any of Paul's previous work, I may have to rectify that when time allows.
Quite often when I volunteer to review albums from totally unknown musicians, there can be an underlying danger in as much that the contents can either be surprisingly brilliant or downright disappointing. I am pleased to report that this album is far from a disappointment and while not quite an essential masterpiece, it certainly embodies much of what we progsters like to hear with our music.
Quoting directly from Paul's own media release material, “This is hands-down my best work,” said Paul. “We took great care to get everything right, from every word written and sung, the musical construction, performances, recording, mixing, mastering and even the artwork and overall presentation. If this is the last thing I ever do, I'm going out on a personal high note. But now I want the world to hear it!”
The pleasing point of those few sentences from Paul is reinforced when playing the title track. This is one insanely great song and helps to reinforce Paul's message right throughout the whole album wherein he discusses self-reflection, societal challenges, personal struggles and the desire for change. This is backstopped by yet another brilliant track called October Wind which has become my favourite from the album. Pure magic!
Paul is responsible for all songwriting, vocals, guitar, synthesizer / sequencers and is ably accompanied by long-time musical partners David Kendall (drums, vocals) and Mike Budd (bass). Paul has honed his craft over a four-decade period during which time, he fronted the Pink Floyd tribute band Floydian Slips together with releasing three previous albums and an EP of original music. Understandably, that saw him develop a strong following in his home town of Portland, Oregon. During the earlier parts of Paul's career, he toured relentlessly with a previous band called The Strangers, playing 900 shows in 17 states of America and Canada over a 5-year period. If that is not being dedicated to your craft, then I really don't know what is.
Whilst not overly complex, the band's music is often very accessible and just easy to absorb and enjoy without requiring too much head scratching from the listener while trying to work out what is going on. The songs all flow seamlessly together and are delivered in tasty, bite sized chunks that will have you singing along in no time. From the lilting piano that opens the first song to the blistering lead breaks in Show Me and the thundering riffage from Across The Light, you can appreciate why Paul is so proud of his latest work. If that wasn't convincing enough, the scorching synthesizer runs that enhance the remainder of that song will ensure the listener is captivated throughout.
Despite Paul's impeccable career and contribution to the music industry over a very long time, sadly I could not find any mention of him on two crucial music websites, being: Rate Your Music and ProgArchives.
Despite Paul being a very busy guy, I would recommend he approaches both sites to have his music catalogued on their database as the traffic that would emanate from those esteemed sites, would certainly be worth the effort.
This album would definitely be of interest to fans of David Longdon, Alan Reed, Galahad, Martin Barre, Lee Abraham, Steve Unruh, The Watchmen and Nick Magnus. This is a really nice album and a worthy addition to your collection!
Meanwhile Project Ltd — Sir Mandrill
Meanwhile Project Ltd are a duo from Köln in Germany. This new release is their third. following up 2020's Marseille. Sir Mandrill is a mix of highly melodic art-pop, Canterbury style psychedelia and alt-pop but has an overall progressiveness. Sir Mandrill is a conceptually themed album about how “humanity seems increasingly divided, opinions are drifting further and further apart...the focus is on the question of what essentially defines us as humans and how we are always similar despite all our differences. Sir Mandrill is the wild monkey that lies within each of us and tries, with supposedly civilized behaviour, to conceal how thoughtlessly and impetuously we actually think and act.”
The duo met in their first band Lunatic Skydance. They compose all the music and lyrics. M. Adam (guitars, keyboards) and M. Birreck (lead vocals, guitar) are joined by a few guests on various tracks (though no drummer is credited). They are the epitome of a cross-over band with concise songs, not overly complex but very interestingly arranged musical palette.
The album starts with a short psyche infused track with backward vocals and violin and cello (Louise Ullrich and Muriel Bonn respectively). This moves into the superb pop-prog of Overbalanced with Birreck's warm vocals and densely layered guitars, strings and a nice guitar solo. On the faster Bumps & Bruises there is lovely filigrees of slide guitar, trumpet (Christoph Gantefort) and a hint of David Bowie in the piano and part of the vocal line.
Meanwhile Project Ltd (promo photo)
The piano-led ballad Different Lenses is quite delightful. It gets a little overshadowed by the absolutely terrific Catch-22 that opens with forceful piano chords, lithe bass and a synth solo, love this one.
I won't track-by-track this super collection other that to say what follows Catch-22 is a cracking set of songs with a folky acoustic ballad rubbing shoulders with uptempo pop-prog and pysche. There is also the flamboyantly prog riffs of Without Any Diving Suit.
Meanwhile Project Ltd's Sir Mandrill is a delightful, hummable melodic collection that puts me in mind of Supertramp, Kevin Ayers and a more short form Gazpacho. Probably not an album for the metalheads amongst us but anyone who need more earworm melodies to drive you nuts then step right up.
Meer — Wheels With Wheels
Having become somewhat obsessed by the Norwegian group Meer, anticipation was high for this new collection of songs. Would they be able to maintain the quality displayed throughout the excellent 2021 album Playing House? I am more than happy to declare that they have indeed, and if anything have surpassed the delights of that most delightful of releases.
The eight-piece line-up remains the same (although I think a couple of marriages have occurred in the intervening years and so names are not entirely consistent!) with Johanne-Margrethe Kippersund Nesdal (lead and backing vocals), Knut Kippersund Nesdal (lead vocals, backing vocals and keyboards), Eivind Strømstad (guitars, additional keyboards, programming and backing vocals), Åsa Ree (violin and backing vocals), Ingvild Nordstoga Sandvik (viola and backing vocals), Ole Gjøstøl (piano, organ, keyboards, programming and backing vocals), Morten Strypet (bass and backing vocals) and Mats Fjeld Lillehaug (drums, percussion and backing vocals).
The keen-eyed amongst you will have noticed that all eight members are credited with backing vocals, and it is the ability of the band, much like their fellow Scandinavians Moon Safari, to create layers of harmonies that elevates the material to a whole other level. However, unlike Moon Safari, Meer have the advantage of two outstanding lead singers in the Nesdal siblings. Knut is the more technically accomplished of the two, but even he cannot beat the sheer passion, force and exuberance of sister Johanne-Margrethe.
But the group is much more than its two singers. Although Gjøstøl plays a variety of keyboards, his main instrument is piano which combined with the violin and viola of Ree and Sandvik respectively, imbues the music with a keen orchestral edge while the guitar, bass and drums, as well as the electronic keyboards, maintain the rockier side to things.
Things begin with Chain Of Chains, the piano and strings creating a calm yet mysterious atmosphere before the drums kick off with a solid four-to-the-floor beat. The lead vocalists blend harmoniously until we reach the first chorus where multiple layers of singers add dynamism. The instrumental middle eight has a decisive proggy edge before a final chorus brings things to a crashing end. Behave starts with Knut singing solo an unusual but charming melodic pattern before blossoming out into a delightfully energetic performance from the whole band.
The sound is a lot fuller than one would think the line-up would achieve and is high drama indeed. A more sedate Take Me To The River calms things down for a while, with the first three minutes giving the vocalists and strings an opportunity to shine. Then an arpeggiated guitar kicks in and from here on to the end it is the instrumentalists to the fore in an exciting passage that displays the accomplished abilities of the players.
And on it goes! I would run out of superlatives and repeat myself endlessly if I continued on a track-by-track basis, so I shall restrain myself to brevity and selectivity. Just watch the video for Golden Circle, the first single from the album, to experience the energy and exuberance of the group let loose. Aside from the piano intermezzo World Of Wonder it is the shortest song on the album but contains everything one could want. To What End has a more ambitious arrangement but is a vocal tour de force, while Today Tonight Tomorrow is simply a gorgeous song culminating with a wonderful guitar solo from Strømstad.
However, the best is saved for the final third of the album, made up of just three songs. Mother tugs at the heartstrings; Something In The Water is darker with a sharper edge; and This Is The End is the epic that the album has been building to. Make a list of positive adjectives, summon up even the most obscure superlatives and throw them at This Is The End. They will all stick.
Truly, Meer deserve to be considered one, if not the most promising bands in prog at the moment. No bull, they are tremendous and I love this band. So should you.
Traels — The Abyss Within
Traels, or Træls, are a new band from Belgium, and the history of the members hints at progressive metal. The music is mixing modern prog metal that is swerving into djent areas now and then with intricate rhythmic riffing, and into atmospheric prog at other times, while post-rock is an almost constant element.
The dreamy atmospheric part brings in a dose of melancholy and bluesy underlayer that give a more emotional value that is not rare but also not very common, and to me, it is very welcome. The different elements will appeal to different types of fans across the spectrum of prog to prog-metal and the cross-over with post-rock. It might be too diverse for some people comforting themselves in the smaller corners of our beloved genres but that's how taste works.
Opener Dark Energy Dark Matter is to prepare you. The proggy intro bursting into pumping post-rock, a melodic part with vocals, an epic chorus, and very proggy break — several important elements of this album already showed up in the first three minutes. Fans of Opeth should definitely take notice.
The highly melodic Enigmatic Resonance is less complex and has elements that remind me more of Enchant-like heavy prog. Essential Anxiety has more modern prog-metal as heard in Day 6 and the likes with progressive riffing. The epic chorus is awesome. It gives drummer Van Acker the chance to show off some more chops and fills. While all of them are more than proficient on their respective instruments, it is clear the compositions have the highest priority. No excess in solo spots, everything serves the songs.
Tracks 2 and 4 are quieter and moodier, and together with the short Paradoxes Of Evil have been perfectly placed in the track sequences. The latter also serves as an intro to the most progressive track of the album, Evade Emotional Collapse, which has a place for all the musical elements the whole album has on offer, packed in a compact suite of sections. A beautiful and, most importantly, emotional roller-coaster.
The vocals by drummer Jason Van Acker are not unlike Neil Howell, which from that review you can see I quite like. When there is a rougher edge when he sings heavier sections, especially on Deceivers Demise, the bluesy, dark, and emotional elements are highlighted. He also reminds me of a heavier version of Matthew Still of Timothy Pure in moments like this, where it adds to the intensity of the experience.
The cover needs some attention drawn to it, by the way. Guitarist Korneel Lauwereins is a graphic designer by day and was responsible for every step of the design and artwork, and I love it. It fits the music — dark, with lighter elements, and lots of details when you pay attention. That's a reason to buy the LP version!
When you bring together experienced people, you know the quality is going to be high. Playing, recording, mastering — top-notch, simple as that. The Bandcamp release can be downloaded in 24/48, of course. The musical contents are always uncertain when you combine people from different areas, but in this case they made an album of different styles and moods while making it sound like a beautiful, cohesive unit. Impressive album!