GLOBALYS

Finaly I got the chance to listen carefuly to Globalys music in past week or so. Got the CD this year , I was very glad because was released in a small amount of copies more then 10 years ago and quite hard to find today, so here we go..This belgian band really surprising me big time, I never thought that they will sound so good on this demo release how they call it or 03 . 02 . 01. The aalbum was issued in february 2001 as a demo with only 4 pieces, long ones with eleaborated and intresting passages. At first and second spin I was amazed to see that this is indeed a demo, because the band sounds so tight and inventive like they were playing for years. Eclectic side of progressive rock with clear influences from symphonic prog and aswell canterbury, like when combine Caravan with Genesis and Camel most of the time but with originality on every piece. Warm and elaborated mucis with nice passages, keybords and guitar have an important role here. What is shocking to me is that they sound very much like in the glory days of prog, like this album was released in the mid '70's, only the year of release betrays this fact that is not a '70 band, intresting and fascinating in same time. All 4 pieces are very good, complex and well performed with a plus on Meeting, very nice atmosphere and musicianship. Also something to mention is that the keyboard player Bertrand Vanvarembergh will find him later on on belgium neo prog band Madelgaire. So to end now, this is one of the most unknown and undiscoverd progressive rock beautys from Belgium, recommended for sure to everyone intrested to discover lesser known bands but with big potential right from the start. 4 stars easy, pleasent and enjoyble from start to finish.

Seems like Gobalys have many friends.In fact i met them when Philippe Cereza left the band, they were seeking a new guitarist. It was finally Pascal Hanson who got the job before Philippe Cereza finally got back. As said before their music is typical symphonic prog like Yes or Genesis early days. I saw them live several times and trust me these guys know what prog and rock means. They used to start their gig with the awesome "Kashmeer" from Led Zeppelin and even it 's not prog(?), it really feels good. After this very nice demo, we are still waiting for their first album but due to many line up changes(guitarist and more recently the keyboardist Bertrand Vanvarembergh who joined Madelgaire) it takes time..

Well I do not know who entered Globalys in the Archives but it was NOT my doing. I was waiting for them to finish their first full-fleged album still this year!! Yes they are my buddies , the band I have assisted until recently and I was not keen to introduce them myself for fear of being called impartial! This album was actually intended as a demo as they were programmed on two festivals in the following months. This got recorded quickly (in ONE DAY on the 3rd February 2001 chence the title 03.02.01) and under major stress , but the results are outstanding , and I own one of the handmade copy dutyfully signed by all five then-members who have a very kind word for my involvement. This demo was so successful that they were asked to print some due to the demands so they went ahead with 500 copies.

Of those four tracks , the track I most cherish is Meeting which their first composition and the reason why the guys of Prog-Resiste (a francophone Belgian prog fanzine - also friends of mine) actually decided to book them in the afore-mentioned festivals. This instrumental track is starting with a very delicate Camel-style ambiance and slowly develops into a devilish 5 rythm (reminding me of the best Caravan moments) with Christpohe Allard Pounding the skins as if his life depended on it. Philippe Cereza and Bertrand exchange lines until the famed finale where Bertrand sizzles with a superb organ solo!

Eagle And Bacon (a play on the famous English Breakfast) is based upon an asian fable about a small eagle chick having fallen out of his nest but raised in a chicken shack, somehow feeling his destiny is elsewere. This is a full blown track with a superb 13 rythm (first written by previous bassist Patrick but developped further by Dom Renga ) that settles in the middle but really develops at the end when Bertrand drives us to extasy with an all-too-short harsichord solo , before Olivier finishes his lovely story.

Keep Time is definitely a more straight forward and harder edged track and was about internal friction within the group , but not anything worse than all groups experience.

But the real icing on the cake is the track that was finished just before recording time , This Mind Is Mine. Somehow , they did really come down to gell in my mind with this track. It is really subtle with countless reminders and recalls of different musical passages elsewhere in the track, this track constantly evolving but staying on a superb level of beauty. Starting in fast rythm (and already hinting subtly at what is to come later) , the first verses are dealt at 100 mph speed before Philippe Cereza takes over with a superb guitar solo (his Gibson is a hommage to both Hacket and Fripp) and the track coming slowly to a halt ......... only for the band to pick up one by one in the most spine-chilling manner, first Bertrand and his piano (reminding us a bit of the best Ratledge) soon doubled by Olivier and his absolutely marvelous melodious voice), Philippe and Dom entering without you really noticing as this is so subtly done and finally as Christophe (who had already added small percussions ) , then the track explodes in the most orgasmic 7 rythm with Olivier really singing (yelling) his heart out. This evolves in a minor chord progression that should normally calm you down but does not simply because of the sheer beauty of the arrangements before a finale almost as grandiose as The New Jerusalem (as Sure As Ege Is Egg) on Supper's Ready (by You Know Who).

Voilà!!!!! This review was written as soon as I discovered someone had entered them in the Archives , so be assured it is written on the spur of the moment , and no long planned strategy from me. All I can tell you , is that the music has a slightly Canterbury feel , but is very symphonic also , and anyone who has heard them , can simply that they sound like no-one else but themselves. This is about their favorite compliments they could wish for. I will not give them five stars because this record is perfectible (it was only a demo and all tunes have immensely progressed since - they are bound to come out under new versions on the coming album) but I will award them another halfstar making for a total of 4,5 stars!!!! Really!!!!!

BTW: none of the Globalys member know of this review and I am not about to tell them either. I am curious to see how long it will be before they find out!!!!