THE NEW CRUSADE

I was first made aware of Konchordat last year when I was given a copy of their first album 'English Ghosts', but was left rather underwhelmed by much of the album. It would seem however that the band have gone through something of a metamorphosis, because their latest offering 'The New Crusade'is nothing short of outstanding. The title track is some 14 minutes in length but never seems to drag. A nice combination of prog, hard rock and absolute majesty at times. the end section actually made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. 'A coming of age' is next up, 9 minutes of pure neo prog, just how I like it. At times it reminds me of Rush, at other times Genesis and even It Bites spring to mind. Next up is the insane 'Panic Room', which is my favourite track on the album. Again around 9 or 10 minutes in length, Panic Room rocks like nothing else on the album. Its heavy prog but without ever diving into 'prog metal' territory. 'Heaven's Gate' is actually different to the rest of the album in that it's only around 5 minutes long and actually quite, ahem, commercial sounding but still with a nice prog feel to it. Back to the heavier stuff for track 5, 'Scars Inside', which reminds me somewhat of Queensryche with lower vocals. Heavy guitars combine with a lovely and fitting keyboard riff. Finally we have 'Time to Go' which again has the kind of end section that made those hairs stand up. Beautiful guitar work too, especially in the middle of the track. If I am honest, i have to admit that I would have liked to have heard some more virtuoso keyboard work, as at times they seem to play it rather safe in this department. That's certainly not intended as a criticism, but I'm a keyboard player myself, so its just one of the things that I listen out for. I mentioned at the start of this review that the band seem to have gone through something of a metomorphosis from the first album. By this I meant that the sound is so totally different that its hard to compare the two. The most obvious change is the new vocalist, who, for my ears is just far superior to the first. His voice, although not the greatest by any means has strength and character, which I felt was sorely lacking on 'English ghosts'. The overall sound and feel is much heavier, but as mentioned before, never getting near the 'prog metal' stable. If you like your prog to rock but still have feel, heart and emotion then you won't be disappointed. The New Crusade is just a great album and I'm glad that I chose it for my first ever review. If the keyboard work had been a bit more prominent and technical i would hav awarded 'The New Crusade' 4.5 out of 5, but I think 4/5 is a very fair award for what is, for me, a top quality album.

'The New Crusade' is Konchordat's second offering and so far has been played every day since it dropped through my letter box. We are gifted with almost an hour of hard hitting progressive hard rock, which is made up of 6 tracks, the longest of which is the  epic 'The New Crusade', clearly a song about war, but,after reading the lyrics on their website, is by no means anti or pro war. Maybe from the perspective of the soldier in battle. Amongst others are 'A coming of age'and 'Heavens gate' which i hear quite regularly on Morow.com. The heaviest moments come in 'Scars Inside' and the incredible 'Panic Room', which at the moment is my 'track of the month'. This only leaves the final track, 'Time to go', a very moving, epic and beautiful piece. The lyrics reminded me of the passing of my mother, and how she left with such dignity and pride. This album, I feel, given the right support and luck should give Konchordat a good push up the prog ladder. If 'The New Crusade is anything to go by then Konchordat have a very bright future ahead of them. I'm already looking forward to album number three.  

Another good band from the homeland of neo prog.

It is no doubts neo prog is a deriative from symphonic prog, with some added spices. Something it seems like Konchordat has taken to their hearts. Their brand of neo prog has taken a lot from symphonic prog bands like Yes and Genesis. But the sound is still unmistaken neo prog and is based in the 1980s scene. Pendragon is a major influence here.

The music is also pretty heavy at times and that is another neo prog dna profile. Their reliance on the verse-refrain-verse formula at times is also a give away. But there is also a lot of free form symph prog here.

The best song on this album is the Panic Room epic. That is a good piece of symph meets neo. The rest of this album is also very good. I have a bit of a gripe with the 1980s sound and the vocals which I am not a fan of. I am also missing some cracking superb songs here too. But by all means; this is a very good album which all neo prog fans should really check out. This band is onto something and I have put them down on my notepad as a band to follow.

3.5 stars

This album is definitely for neo prog lovers.

But neo classic prog .

Simple neo prog..with no surprises...no touches of the modern prog(atmospheric...some crossover ,some RIo... all musical or rhythmic additions that the modern neo prog bands are incorporating)

This album is quite beautiful ...but as I said nothing original here.

If you like Knight Area you will like this one ..but in the level of an average album of Knight Area.

Nice songs and arrangements...some bombastic keyboards...good singer (similar voice than KA singer).

So a repeated formula for the traditional neo prog artists but a good work nevertheless.

Influences: Pendragon,IQ,and specially Knight Area

3 stars(3,5 stars really).

Take a look.

I accidently found the website of Konchordat andi had there the opportunity to listen to two of the tracks from this album. I pre-ordered the CD instantly.

In other reviews of this album i read that this album is seen as solid Neo-Prog with no new influences. In a way this is true. But this music touched me in a very nice way. And that is what music is all about: touch your emotions.

The first track is a nice mix of neo-prog and pieces of hard rock, with an epic end. It is the longest track of the album, but i enjoy every minute of it. Then, almost fluently, the second track "A Coming of Age" starts. The tempo is a little higher and there is a nice mixture of guitar and keybord. The third track "Panic Room" is absolutely insane and for me the best of the album, with a fantastic rhythm. With "Heaven's Gate" the music goes again in a mix of neo-prog and hard rock. "Scars Inside" is for me the track that least impressed me, but good nontheless. This track makes me hope that their next album contains a bit more atmospheric sections, combined with the rougher sections in the music. The last track "Time to Go" is again a piece of music that touches me as very nice and a worthy end to this beautiful album.

Four stars, and well earned.

Konchordat's first album, English Ghosts, showed a lot of promise, though was not without its flaws - with The New Crusade the promise is fulfilled, and the flaws all but dispelled.

The sound is clean, bright and contemporary - hence, I suppose, the 'neo' tag, but as the band would tell you themselves that's where they come from, having been involved in progressive rock bands during the 'second coming' in the 1980s. Stuart Martin takes over on lead vocals, with a much more 'rock' voice than the departed Lee Harding, and that dictates the tenor of the whole record. Guitars and keyboards mesh seamlessly, without one overwhelming the other, underpinned by a tight rhythm section of (mostly) sampled drums and the rumble of Steve Cork's Rickenbacker. If I've one criticism of the production it's that the 'drumming' is a little robotic in places, but it's hardly a major problem, and doesn't detract from the overall feel.

As good as the sound it's the songs that matter, and this is where The New Crusade shows a real advance on the first Konchordat album. Steve and Stuart demonstrate that they're masters of both the epic (Time To Go, Panic Room and the title track) and the shorter song (Heaven's Gate, in particular), packed with killer tunes that stick in your head and make you smile.

4.5 stars, if I could award halves!

Before writing this down, of course I had to check my copy of their 'English Ghost' debut from 2009 again. I still find it a good starting shot, however a bit conventional though. Now considering them on 'The New Crusade' with an updated line up there is some obvious improvement to state. Overall this sophomore album comes more professional, the sound is clearer. Musically I find this less pathetic, more lively - visually it diverges from the debut's rather dark mooded appeal, the cover art appears quite typical for genre albums now.

KONCHORDAT's core are Steve Cork and Stuart Martin on this occasion. They have produced this album on their own, supported by Liam Green using Roland V drums, he makes a great job too by the way. The guitar is often focussed on riffs, which are serving a heavier edged backing. Keyboards are lushly deployed, often dramatic so to say, not that virtuoso as known from typical symphonic productions, but definitely a strong element nevertheless. Furthermore Stuart Martin is responsible for the vocals, more expressive and this consequently implies another positive change concerning the whole production.

The title track is an epic with shifting time signatures and moods, definitely entertaining. It all starts with ambient/psychedelic appeal - causing suspense definitely - and then changes to a typical uptempo groove alternating with vocal dominated episodes. 'Through the years we learn to face our fears' - with A Coming Of Age they are obvisiously reflecting their life experience coupled with some wise advices - addressed to the younger, by the look of it. And this song now shows the guitar coming out of hiding with more initiative.

I especially like the swirling organ and acoustic guitar shining through on Heaven's Gate where Panic Room rocks in particular, featuring some heavier Riverside sentiment - and at the very first time I really thought Mariusz Duda is shouting in between. Some reminiscences which are thoroughly legitimate I would say. This also applies to the nice terminating song Time To Go which - excellent sentimental (solo) guitar work inclusively - comes close to IQ in my opinion.

Apart from that 'The New Crusade' is an independent neo prog production for sure which grows with every spin due to the multi-variant compositions and an extra portion of melody. There is every indication that Stuart Martin has a large share here concerning this successfull effort. Although running shorter as the debut, the songs are more essential, well balanced. I've listened to a bunch of stylistically related music in the meanwhile, however this is still enjoyable - keep it up, folks!

If you love your neo/symphonic prog to death, then you should probably stop reading and go get the new Konchordat now. Otherwise, better spend your money more wisely.

Don't get me wrong, I don't loathe this album, it is a decent, professional effort. I can listen to it and occasionaly enjoy one or two passages in the songs. But, overall, I find the music rather uninspired and boring. And hardly original - these songs sound like they have been recorded 20 years ago but released just now. Add to this some weaknesses in the vocals department, a rather monotonous choice of keyboard sounds, and a general flatness in the execution from all instruments and you have an album that I'll be surprised if anyone but the die-hard fans of the genre will dig.

I think I could best describe 'the new crusade' as 'prog with muscle'. You get just under an hour of hard hitting, edgy heavy prog that seems to fall into a nice area of between neo prog and hard rock. The keyboards are quite in your face at times, but not over powering. The first song is 'the new crusade', a 14 minute epic beast of a song full of power and fanfare. 'A coming of age' seems to be the sole venture into classic neo prog rock. Influenced VERY heavily by genesis i think. 'Panic room' is the fastest and heaviest song on the album with a monster opening riff and more time changes than i can remember and finishing with a beautiful, stirring guitar solo. 'Heavens gate' and 'Scars inside' are the shorter and probably my least preferred songs on here. Then finally we are blessed with a masterpiece of modern progressive rock. 'Time to go' is simply wonderful. Very emotional to the point of me needing to turn it off the first time i heard it. A beautiful delicate piece of music that simply builds and builds into an ending to die for. Choral, majestic and VERY moving. I simply love this song. 'The New Crusade' deserves to be a massive success, but I fear it won't get the exposure that it deserves as many of our best bands don't. You owe it to yourself to at least give them a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed. A very well deserved 4.5 out of 5

'The New Crusade' - Konchordat (5/10)

Konchordat received some recognition a couple of years ago when they released their debut, 'English Ghost'. A band that certainly knows what it wants, this dual partnership is intent on letting the now-aging sounds of neo prog live on. Certainly inspired by bands like Pendragon and Marillion, there is a sure audience for Konchordat, but the lack of innovation and cheesy execution results in a fairly mediocre impression from me.

From start to finish, the two main ingredients in Konchordat are the synthesizers, and the vocals of Stuart Martin. The 'neo prog' scene has always been heavy on keyboards, but Konchordat almost entirely centers their sound around them. Adding the melodic aspect to this band's music are the vocals, which perform in a fairly straightforward neo-prog fashion; anthemic, highly theatrical, and brooding. What this results in is a sound that is best described as 'dramatic', but also rather thin, and cheesy. Throughout the course of 'The New Crusade', listeners are barraged by the same passe synth textures, and Martin's nasal voice is not strong enough to leave me wanting more.

The album does begin off on a pleasant note; the epic title track has a tense vibe to it that fits the album and song's title perfectly. There are moments where the arrangement is further fleshed out as well, which is all to the band's credit. The synths sound rather thin still, but times where harmonies are used give Konchordat a somewhat classical feel. For fans of dramatic, very British melodic prog rock, 'The New Crusade' should do well, but as a relative outsider to this sort of music, I am seeing so many bands doing this sound better than Konchordat. There is strength here, and though Martin sounds too much to me like a disciple of Genesis, his vocals should not disappoint the majority of listeners. The music is good, but tame by today's standards, hence a lukewarm rating.