CORVUS STONE

An internet project, which actually started through Facebook, installed in 2011/12 by BunChakeze's Colin Tench, guitarist Pasi Koivu and Petri Lemmy Lindstrom on bass, the leader of Progeland.Ideas came and went, proposals for adding musicians in the process were set on discussion and thus the first album begun to take its final form.Blake Carpenter of The Minstrel's Ghost and legendary drummer Robert Wolff, previously with Micah and Raven [USA], jumped in to help and the line-up was expanded with the acceptance of drummer Victor Tassone, guitarist Stef Flaming (borh of the Art/Folk Rock act Oceans 5) and John Culley from Cressida, also on guitars.Different parts of the album were in this way recorded in Sweden, Finland, USA, Belgium & UK and the self-titled debut of Corvus Stone was launched in 2012.

To talk about influences and musical styles related to this album is almost impossible, as Corvus Stone scan so many different sounds and sights that their debut is characterized by a positive inconsistency.Positive because the music is generally well-crafted, interesting and atmospheric, incosistent because the exhibition of so many different moods result to an absence of cohesion.24 tracks as a whole and let's start unfolding the sound here, where all tracks have something in common: They appear to be based on 70's Prog Rock and Classic Rock, but composed in a modern way.I can hear shades of PINK FLOYD mainly in the vocal pieces, which appear to be low-paced with cool guitar solos and atmospheric keyboards, while some other tracks with organ and keyboards in the forefront next to some quirky electric guitars come close to a BRIAN AUGER style of playing, a mix of Jazz-Fusion with keyboard-based Prog Rock, filled with good solos and rhythms.Then there are these more symphonic tracks with the Neo Prog touch, close to the sound of THE MINSTREL'S GHOST, based on flashy keyboards, extended instrumental themes and elaborate melodies, followed by some more rockin' pieces with a more pronounced electric guitar and even some ethnic and Latin tunes towards a SANTANA-like style, albeit much more modern and heavier.In several tracks a MIKE OLDFIELD vibe is also displayed, mixing atmospheric backgrounds with acoustic sections, based on acoustic guitar and mandolin with a definite bucolic edge.The 11-min. ''Cinema'' seems like a good recollection of the band's sound, combining the PINK FLOYD/OLDFIELD-like hypnotic textures with more energetic themes based on keyboards and washing the whole stuff with ethnic overtones, orchestral grandieur and CAMEL-esque guitars.

More like a collection of songs and instrumentals than a tight Prog release.Rather incohesive as a result, but you have to admire this group of musicians, who can play almost every possible style out there.Recommended, consider it as a tribute to Progressive Rock history and a good listening experience is guaranteed.