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Kompendium - Beneath The Waves CD (album) cover

BENEATH THE WAVES

Kompendium

 

Crossover Prog

3.77 | 118 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

sussexbowler
3 stars To suggest that 'Beneath the waves' resembles 'War of the Worlds', is surely far from the truth, and will disappoint those who expect so.

After all, the only narrative is provided at the beginning, and at the end of the album. If it's about one person's 'journey', then, musically at least, it certainly doesn't feel like it is.

My first thought was that it sounded like a 'Stage musical'. Not really a Prog. album at all. It's never musically 'emotional' enough.

Think of an album like 'The Lamb lies down on Broadway', and it is a musical journey. Each part of the story is reflected in the mood of the music. You 'feel' the places that Rael visits.

Quite frankly, there are no such moments in 'Beneath the sea'. No, this is more like dipping your toes in the water, rather than having to swim. We are entertained, rather than immersed.

Slightly-flavoured Celtic music, Big-hair ballads, Opera, and even the sound of Enigma. They're all here! It's all probably slightly pretentious, in all honesty.

But there's a lovely flow to the album, and I don't think that there's a weak track on it. It's entertained me for a month now, and I'm still not bored.

The title track is probably the best song, but it takes time to finally stand out, such is the quality. The sound quality is great too.

In the context of 'Prog.', it's a very, very good 3 stars, but I don't think that it challenges musically enough to reach 4 stars. It doesn't reach anywhere near the heights of 'the Ninth wave' (the second half of Kate Bush's 'The Hounds of love' album), for example.

Push through the facade, and you will find a pleasing journey. But I imagine that our lead character consumed a soft drink rather than something a bit stronger...

sussexbowler | 3/5 |

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