VIDRADA

This Kiev based band is getting a fair amount of recent attention, having gone through the long and necessary measures to fine-tune their craft, ever since forming in 2006. A very eclectic string of influences permeate their brand of melodic crossover prog , with dabs of neo-classical, jazz, folk and atmospheric soundscapes, sung entirely in Ukrainian. Bruce Soord of the Pineapple Thief has been working with this combo for nearly a decade now, helping to refine their sound into a style that can proudly claim to be unique and beguiling. Led by the talented Volodymyr Agafonkin , and Olena Nesterovska on viola, ably assisted by the usual prog configuration of electric guitars, keyboards , bass and drums. A guest string trio as well as choral involvement make this an all-around thrilling ride. Their previous two releases "Elehia" in 2009 and "Son" (2017) garnered high marks from the prog community, and this new one will easily climb up even higher in the ratings, as it's an exceptionally passionate musical journey. Obviously, any music emanating from a war zone cannot help camouflaging its tragic despair, especially one that has dragged on way too long to make any sense. The melancholy (already a cultural trait in Central and Eastern Europe) drips from every sweltering pore and serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life.

The innocence expressed on "Children" certainly engrains the mood, as Agafonkin's mellifluous voice caresses the soul, delicately lacy instrumentally and lyrically serene, and proving that every language has the inherent ability to sound beautiful when expressed with passion, atmosphere and melody. Halfway through, Oleksii Perevodchyk's raging riffs signal a heightening of tensions as the playground suddenly morphs into a battlefield, the singer using his acoustic guitar to restore the temporary lull, as the orchestrations lumber into the fray, elevating this magnificent opus to a symphonic pinnacle. "On Distance" the faraway rumble of detonations never ceases, a proper reminder that danger lurks every second and that proximity or even refuge means little comfort in the grand scheme of things. The war is dealt with not as a political soap box to espouse some lame agenda (any military historian will agree that modern 21st century warfare cannot last for three or more years, unless there is a reason for it). So, the message here remains purely entrenched in the human cost, and this neck of the woods certainly has a long history of inherent fatalism, going back centuries. "Hurricane" describes the whirlwind tragedy of everyday life that has lost its material purpose, replaced by the will to survive at all costs. The cyclical melodic structure adds to the turbulence, a sizzling electric guitar sortie only defining the sorrow. Finding shelter from the tempestuous winds of war, "Refuge" portrays the eternal warmth of loving embrace, a moment of temporary sanctuary, of eschewing all the pain and anger, finding solace in protective isolation. It also offers the dream of eventual hope that all this needless suffering will end one fine day. All of these sentiments are expressed both instrumentally as well as vocally, as the symphonics attempt to paint a brighter future.

Here comes a major stylistic shift that will encapsulate the remainder of this opus. It begins with "After the War", a title that still resonates as some surreal faith in ensuing salvation. The mood now shifts into more introspective realms, the pain still prevalent but with a flicker of light on the horizon. "Time" underlines the notion of patience, a trait largely disappearing from our media frenzied material world, the melodic piano playing a pivotal role in expressing the drama and the courage to persist and vanquish. The valiant guitars keep the angst undaunted and heroic, the piano reflects like a drop of rain on a lake.

The album is now led down the path of epic, and grandiose finality, two colossal tracks that really seal the deal . The 9 minute "Truths" is without any doubt the culminating apex of all the preceding emotional exhortations, the hyper melodic arrangement building up into over-the-top orchestrated madness, Agafonkin channeling an almost operatic delivery, intensely ardent and heartfelt, as the track drips into the most profound ocean of melancholy. The track progresses into a maelstrom of colliding extremes, with colossal echoing voices crawling into the snarling guitar phrasings , one extreme voice in particular entering the spotlight. The finale is a calamitous eruption of veracity. Brilliant piece of music. "Don't Give Up" is not a reworking of a Peter Gabriel classic , but it definitely relates to the notion that surrender is never an option. Neither is war. If no one ever needed to greedily attack, there would be no need for defiant defence. The last tune has optimism all over it in layers, either vocally, chorally, or instrumentally, an overarching neo-baroque segment leading us back to the opening track playground where all children unite in playful interface.

4.5 Embracing Raindrops

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