LOST HUMANITY

Guitar player, arranger and composer Daniel Eliseev grew up in communistic Bulgaria, when he was 10 years old he listened to The Beatles, his mother loved to play their music, and he started to be interested in music. When he was 13 classic progressive rock began to play an important role in his development as a musician, especially the albums Going For The One by Yes and Three Friends by Gentle Giant. This along his appreciation for Genesis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, The Beatles, Van Der Graaf Generator, Kansas, UK, Rush, Allan Holdsworth, Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips. In 1995 Daniel started his professional carreer with the band Avalon, then followed by playing in numerous . Since 2013 he focused on one side writing and producing his own author's music, and on other side in developing his own private music school Infinity. In 2018 he released his first solo album under the name Daniel Eliseev Project (D.E.P.) entitled Night Shadow. I wrote on Prog Archives: 'Wow, what a debut album, so dynamic, varied, so many interesting musical ideas and surprising musical twist and turns, performed by outstanding musicians, highly recommended!' Due to the corona pandemic it took a while before Daniel released the successor, entitled Lost Humanity, early 2021. This second studio release of Daniel Eliseev Project is instrumental featuring 9 musicians from 5 different countries, Daniel plays all guitars and keyboards. The music was composed in the period 2016 - 2019, and the work on the album itself started in the summer of 2020.

I am impressed by Daniel his awesome work on the guitar, often powerful and heavy, but at other moments also mellow or even dreamy. The arrangements are tastefully and the climates alternate between dreamy, swinging, bombastic and heavy. Daniel his guitar meanders wonderfully through the pleasant shifting moods, supported by guest musicians on saxophone (on the tracks Curved Path and Prayer For Life) and percussion (congas in Autumn Mood). My highlights.

Curved Path (6:21) : First a dreamy atmosphere featuring a fusion guitar, then turning into a dark King Crimson inspired sound with blistering guitar and powerful drum beats. Heavy guitar work rules now. Halfway back to more atmospheric, and finally again a heavy King Crimson inspired sound, very dynamic and compelling.

Shambhala (6:42) : Now a slow rhythm with swinging bass and tasteful mellow guitar layers, then powerful blend of fusion and heavy guitar, and finally hypnotizing atmosphere. The changing atmospheres sound very flowing.

Mirror World (7:11) It starts with a mid-tempo that contains a lush guitar sound in again a varied and dynamic blend of fusion and heavy, the guitar work is outstanding, to me it sounds as a kind of Heavy Jazzrock. Finally the climate turns into dreamy.

In Search of the Truth (6:52) : The final composition is my favourite one, also because it features omnipresent keyboards. The catchy beat and propulsive guitar ' and keyboard sound reminds me of Jeff Beck, pretty exciting. Halfway the mood shifts to dreamy but in the end the heavy and dark King Crimson sound rules again, with blistering guitar, wow!

In comparison with the previous effort Night Shadow this new, entirely instrumental album sounds less elaborate, eclectic and keyboard minded. Because Daniel has chosen to deliver a Heavy Fusion, guitar-oriented album, if you are up to this musical approach this is a fine album to discover.

My rating: 3,5 star.