APHELION

Here is a great opportunity for symphonic prog and/or heavy prog and/or crossover prog fans to get to know Einar Solberg's vocals. He has a vast capacity to go from low to high tones very naturally. The way his chant can be so strong even when it looks like he is almost whispering, I just can't understand, but I love it. The ability to change so inventively the moods and the pace in the same song is outstanding. I suppose this release can satisfy a very broad range of people because the style of execution is very different from the previous albums. Guitars (the two of them) and drums are much more moderate, in spite of the presence of two guitar players in the core of the group. A cellist and a violinist are cited on the nucleus of the group, what is very coherent, because they are essential to the moods of many tracks. And sometimes the cellist performs little solos.

Telling you about the first track can exemplify what I'm talking about. Cello and violin are crucial to introduce a catching mood in the beginning of track 1; they continue setting a growing tension on the background. As to my audition, guitar makes some very brief interventions, only to give the chords a more dramatic feeling. They get a little heavier near to the half of the track (not enough to justify the head banging on the promotional video on youtube; doesn't fit; I'm very happy that they don't play the same way as they move on stage), but soon leave space to the chords again. They gradually introduce more notes during a minute, until it gets to a blast of intensity made by the wind instruments (sax, trombone and trumpet).

On the other tracks the central idea is mantained: exploring the maximum of Einar's techniques, with these brief and precise interventions from the guitars, among with excellent mood phrasings by cello and violin. Nevertheless, it doesn't get repetitive, since there are some interesting details that are added here and there. A synth programming, a jazzy drumming, a rythmic guitar, some chorus... the penultimate track IMO is when they go very high (aphelion?) on inspiration and capacity of reinveting themselves - amazing tunes on acoustic guitar and piano, drumming, battery grows gradually, performing complex harmonies. And Einar also growing until he gets almost supernatural.

At least a 4.7 on a five star-scale.