GLIMPSES FROM A LIFETIME - 20:12

You never know what to expect from old cult bands who made new records, a couple of years ago "Autumn Breeze" The Swedish symphonic rockband from the seventies appeared on the scene for a second time with the CD "The Autumn Band" At parts that was a fantastic album, "Massösen" and "Life is just another day" belongs to the very best of their work, but it was also an album that included many different styles of music, that made the whole affair a bit confusing about which direction they wanted to go!?

The answer is the CD I have in my hand right now, and it's very clear, they wanted to go progressive! This very ambitious work with three long suites start where "Höstbris" left us. The record is named 20:12 (for the length of each suite, but also for the year it was written)and the three keymembers Gert Magnusson, Kenneth Halvarsson and Jan Warnqvist are responsible for one suite each.

The first part is "Glimpses of a Lifetime" written by Gert Magnusson, who seems to be the progressive mind of the three songwriters, as you can hear references and influences from "Pink Floyd" in both the music and the lyrics. As usual the fluteplaying is exceptional, but also the guitar part from "William Bellbrandt" shines like a crazy diamond here.

Second part "Demolition Suite" creeps upon you like a massive pumping machine, or an earthquake that shakes the foundations you stand on, with a hint of"Also Sprach Zarathustra" in some way, but this is also the most heavyrocking part of the trilogy, Kenneth Halvarsson, who probably is the "hardrocker" in the band have created a very fateful, but fresh little rockopera on its own inside the whole context. At the end of " Demolition Suite" a sudden breach of softer music appears, like a natural overture to the third and last suite..

Third Part "Suite Avis Fenics" written by the classic trained keyboardplayer "Jan Warnqvist" is a, mostly instrumental, very symphonic piece that makes me think of the late 70s krautrockbands on the "Sky-label" but also Mike Oldfield, it ends the journey in a rather harmonic way that makes one feel that after the "Demolition" Fenix flies into a more colorful world!

To sum up this trip I would say, Before the Storm, The Storm, and After the Storm! I have been through all moods in 20:12.

Peter Wallgren July 2014