THE BOOK OF HOURS

A debut that may just be one of the revelations of 2025, a full-on instrumental tornado of old-school progressive magic, in a modern sheen that many will find quite orgasmic. Kai Olsen is the musician behind the project, fluent on both keyboards as well as guitar chores and with the help of fellow Vikings who need no introduction, the ridiculously talented bassist Jonas Reingold and Mattias Olsson on the percussive side of things, aided by Andreas Sjoen. "The Book of Hours" exudes past sonic glimpses of such legendary artists as Trace, Rick Wakeman, Par Lindh, and Hamburger Concerto-era Focus, starting off the escapade with 3 shorter tracks to be followed by the magnificent title track 4-part suite. A sensational old-fashioned progressive that will stand the test of time, a sense of musical eternity and universality that cannot be denied.

As the title may indicate, "Flute of Peril" is a suave baroque inspired entrance into the heart of the sunrise, the magical flute doing its fluttering best to enchant the spirit with infectious beauty , as if renewing the past with the present, birds cawing in the background, pastoral mellotron and delicate acoustic guitar (a surefire combination) decorating the mood. A church organ and electric guitar passage elevates this into bliss. The ingress of classic prog sensibilities is furthered on "Levitator", a resolute build-up of pace and harmonious melody that sets the cruise control on full speed ahead, laced with keyboard bombast, guitar heroics and intricate percussive elements. In the latter half, the pipe organ makes its spiritual presence felt with a crowning cathedral of magnificent sound. An ideal segue, the solemn "Burial Mound" imbues some sonic dramatics in compliance with the sensational fretless bass solo from Jonas, proving once again his immense mastery of the instrument. An almost Gregorian feel in the background stamps this little track with immense appeal.

Dipping into the classical pantheon, the ornate piano takes charge initially on "The Book of Hours Part 1", layered with assorted keyboard colorations for good measure, namely synthesizer and organ in the Rick Wright school of ivory tickling, tick-tocking clocks cooking up a sonic squall, as the fretboard riffs start acrobatically flipping into the nucleus of the rhythmic pulse. The gorgeous piano re-enters with grave mannered gentility, alone within the black and white tumble, a spotlight Wakeman-esque tour de force. The athletic bass leaps forward as the synths follow in obedience, garnished with a vast array of detailed fluctuations, the sombre memory of the preceding piece being remembered. This is mesmerizing, as Jonas kills it once again with a whirlwind display of technique and awareness. An orchestral outro with lush strings and woodwinds becomes the final countdown to ecstasy. Passing the baton to the organ to lead the way on "Part 2", Olsen shows off some incredible wizardry on his arsenal of keyboards , furthering the symphonic components to mythical heights, a glittering display of vigor and passion. Subtle use of contrasts of light and shadow, glimmers of Saharan dunes with just a hint of reflective commitment, and some playfulness as well, in order to keep things in perspective. The fluid synth work is off the charts brilliant, the electric guitar being the perfect companion, perhaps even the wilful lover, with attention paid to more ambient cinematographic expressions that suite the music perfectly. The elegant piano returns for a final curtsy, leading headfirst into the beastly pulse of "Part 3", coming across as an instrumentally only tribute to Triumvirat's magnificent album Spartacus, what with the powerful drum procession , as if leading the charge through the hallowed gates of Rome. The mid-section relies on sublime guitar work that needs to be highlighted, all subtlety and feeling, eventually gearing back into the full throttle thrust at the beginning. The final third has some massive Carmina Burana-like choir involvement which, frankly, flings this piece into outer space. Brilliant stuff indeed. The final stretch on "Part 4" encompasses all the various attributes previously mentioned, as would befit a grand finale! As such, its all there for the ears to consume, starting off with lacing delicate harpsichord segments that give the intro a distinct Baroque/Renaissance feel, a moment of silence ensues before shepherding the listener into deep space rock realms with glittering synthesizer flutters, bold bass guitar vectors and screeching guitar flareups that dives into the farthest void. A spectacular ending to a monster album.

I always hesitate to give any debut the full 5 star treatment but this, my dearest friends, colleagues and fans, cannot deserve anything less that 5 timely tomes.

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