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Epignosis - Still The Waters CD (album) cover

STILL THE WATERS

Epignosis

 

Symphonic Prog

3.32 | 61 ratings

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Marty McFly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Of course, I'm tempted to give good rating just because it's the one I'm talking too, the one (etc hundreds, of at least tens of words I can say about him). Because it's hard to choose whether to rate this as normal commercial prog album (from someone I don't know, for example Jethro Tull), or as album from someone whom I can talk about as my colleague (so familiar element takes place in this case).

I'll do something in between. Robert is multi-instrumentalist, I always rated better those artists, who managed to do everything by themselves (not considering Tasha "bring-another- beer" Brown, if I'm correct by assuming that it's his wife. It can be also mother, daughter, or other relative, of course. I should ask). It really pleased me. I was expecting something amateur-like (sorry, but you know - this is something I've never encountered before, because a lot of my friends have their own bands and, their sounds is, well, average, so I thought that in this case there will also have to be added big share of fandom element. But no, it's not needed, the album is good by itself.), instead, I'm pleasantly surprised with quite high- standard and original symphonic (even acoustic at times) prog with one exception, I don't like drums much here (especially in A Pearl In a Field). But forget about them, they're not so important, as I can hear rhythm well and this needed feeling of them is here. This song is very calm, there's no doubt about it. And when in the middle part there's this gentle guitar playing, I instantly though about my very special girl Mary and why I love her doing the same thing so much. Watching her, smiling and just listening this very special moment. I like doing it and in this track, I'm recreating these happy memories (at this moment, as I'm sure she'll be as glad about it as I am)

Vocals are good, maybe there's little bit problem with how loud they are mixed, I would welcome they sounding more prominent (first minute of Move, later on they're more clear to be heard, but after some listening, I think [maybe, more like I suppose] that it can even be intention, as the voice is in fact becoming louder and louder as song moves towards the end). This one ain't (am I using slang right?) bad. Actually, I see it as a hard candy, something that's promising, but also challenging (I hope this words has no other meanings,, but if it ha, just think about just in terms of these two words, challenging and promising, that's all [folks]). OK, let's end this sentence and start new one. It's like The Mars Volta albums, they're good, but you have to find your way to them. You can't apply normal approach, because you'll fail. Many times I was trying to read a poem at the same speed as book (so about one A5 page/minute) and I constantly failed. So I though that I'm not good at reading them, but it all was just in my head, only thing I had to do was to change my approach. So I did and now I enjoy poems (even especially lyrics are hard for me), as I like to write them myself. Happy end for Marty and for this song, let's say that I found my way to it too. Think of it as a journey (after all, the title is "Move", so it can be about journey). And it's progress, captured into this song, as it goes from the weak/calm sounds to strong/wilder in the end. Well, wild in terms of this album (don't expect death metal, hooray)

But let's back to the beginning and think about title track, Still the Waters for a little while. Quite calm one with synthesizers providing background for dreamy landscape (like sitting on one of these flat topped hills, with just wind and your imagination providing these synths and just you and your guitar. Of course, guest starring the endless desert of memories, experiences and lifeless life (you know how magical desert can be). I must confess that this is purely my mind, how it's reflecting the music, voice (but no lyrics), because I'm not so good at poetic analysis (so I rather let it to have an effect on me in my own way, as I'm good [I think] at feeling things), so lyrics can be about something completely different. But you know, interpretation can be. This track, nor this album doesn't rock. It induces, it makes you think and mostly - feel the music. It's not raw rock like Led Zeppeling was, nor so melodic like Genesis were. The way of this album is different.

Fourth one, An Everlasting Kingdom, where story of king is presented to us (where are the fairies ? Without them, it's way too misogynist. Or fair maidens, even better). First I was surprised by somehow electronic modulated voice (not exactly Cher-style, but there certainly is something). But as song slowly flew away, it become normal and not so immediate. Actually, this song is full of electronic sounds, even synths are different, which brings us to interesting combination (also, just my interpretation), medieval (for some, medievil - game maniacs already know what's going on) and modern age sounds.

So to sum up, everything's pretty good, except minor faults in drum element and vocal changing (of tone, there seems to be slight problem he has, but maybe it's just me. No, I wouldn't do better).

But beware, this is not album for all occasions. It works better when you're more tired (let me explain it. When I'm refreshed and full of energy, I usually am listenin' metal, or some heavy stuff. This at times possess elements of post-rock, especially the trait that you have to feel music to understand it better). But not only when you're exhausted, but also at night. It's special time of day and many of us can actually work more effective at night, so even they have energy, this works better than during day, as you have to focus on it.

I even made a song about him >:-) wanna hear it ? (my first smilie in review)

And another one, indeed that my decision is influenced, even it's not blindfolded rating (as I'm trying to counterweight it), but it would be foolish to deny that I'm not affected. Well, it sure helps that he wasn't blackmailing me, trying to threated to my (imaginary and merely theoretical) children, abducting my (as well imaginary for now) wife, trying to bribe me (thinking forward) with Chinese Yens and doing other tactical (and persuasive) things, such as trying to run over my cat with car, or even (completely insane) having my cat to scratch my eyes in case I won't rate with 4 stars or better. Nothing of this is true (I'm glad, even some of these could be quite fun for me), because

It surely helps with my decision to 1)Hear it many times and still like it 2)Having support from my girl who also likes it 3)Knowing him, so this author-listener equation is affected (no denying here) 4)Writing so many words also helps. 4(+) Fu(c)king A as they say in one country (which I'll rather not mention, but even Mike Portnoy is using this word)

EDIT: Yeah, I edited this, making this review 3x longer and also added one star. And I even didn't wrote anything about last two songs yet. Oh, of course I sincere apologize to The Wife, as No Offense (in this case more like Offence) intended (because the law applied by me was to use every ammunition to make joke). Good to know that this is person that I can call friend.

Marty McFly | 4/5 |

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