THE GODDESS OF DARKNESS

Excellent symphonic rock! The Japanese female power trio did here their best stuff, always in the vein of their other albums: great and powerful melodies based on fast keyboards (including the loved Hammond, Mellotron and synths). Bombastic and full of energy, ARS NOVA's "The Goddess Of Darkness" wll satisfy all prog fans and, specially, ELP lovers.

ARS NOVA are an all-female trio from Japan. I was introduction to their music at the 1995 Progfest in Los Angeles, and I left that night impressed with the band. Not only have the three musicians mastered their respective instruments, but the keyboardist's compositional skills are impressive. "Goddess Of Darkness" is considered one of ARS NOVA's strongest album to date. Obvious influences include ELP, IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO, and GOBLIN. The keyboard-based music is quite intense and in-your-face, and it tends to feature a sound that is uniquely Japanese in nature. Their bassist, who unfortunately quit the band a couple of years ago, is impressive here. She plays complex lines, on a Rickenbacker bass, that would blow-away most Chris SQUIRE fans. Along with Marc Miller, bassist of YEZDA URFA, I'm surprised that she hasn't been mentioned in the bass community. Overall, this is recommended to fans of intense keyboard-based prog.

Atypical for Japanese group this KB trio even though all female (and babelicious), does not escape all of the clichés started by ELP, Refugee, Triumvirat and later on Thonk , Steamboat Swtzerland. There is one number that I particularly liked on this one but the rest left me quite lukewarm/tepid, but I am at pain to say which one as my copy of this album seems on permanent loan to a friend . I saw this band in Verviers (east Belgium) and they must have been in a horrendously horrifying night , for they asked for a reverse and opened the night , with the other band (whose name I forgot probably because we left at the end of Ars's concert) closing up. I think they had just lost their bassist , and had a second KB player who tried to fiddle about a bass guitar as Keiko was visibly tired , intimitated , and reading her introduction text in an extremely tired english. Only the very spity, energetic drummer (scantily dressed) saved the night from being a total disaster. A night best forgotten. Apparently , the next time they came, it was much better.

I'm amazed, a few years ago a friend told me about these all girl trio but somehow I forgot all about it, and never heard anything, a couple of weeks ago I got this copy at a flea market, somehow remembered having heard something about Ars Nova. Didn't hear it then and somehow the CD went into a portfolio I rarely use which usually is in the trunk of the car. Today before leaving the office I was cleaning that portfolio when I saw it, so after leaving the office and as soon as I got on the car pushed the CD in. I didn't know what to expect, it started and right away I've got caugth by what I was hearing, a 50 minute drive in haevy traffic was wiped away so I didn´t noticed it, by now it's the fifth time I've heard the album, and can´t stop.

Since the first time I heard Inferno from Metamorfossi or Dawn from Eloy, I hadn't been so impressed by a group previusly unknown to me.

Can´t tell yet which piece I like better but the bombastic, intricate sound of keyoards, together with that precise drumming and bass makes this one CD a must have for anyone that likes Symphonic Progressive Rock, certainly it reminds of ELP, Il Balletto or Metamorfossi, but a hint of Wakeman and even Ayreon can be tracked down. Now these girls know how to compose and play MUSIC, and with their own style do.

Well maybe later I'll do a review the way it should be done with descriptions of the music and so, but now I leave you with the next advise, if you see this CD, don't hesitate, BUY IT.

An all-female trio, and yet they are not inferior to ELP as it comes to powerfully laying out a huge carpet of sound. The bombastic energy is self-evident. Don't look for something original here. The playing is impressive though, and Keiko Kumagai brings this massive attack of notes up to such speed as if she is being pursuited by some life threatening fairy tale monster. Still, it keeps being enjoyable for diehard ELP fans only.

Bombastic Prog

That's the word. Either you like it ot hate it. I belong to the second option, though I appreciate ladies' technical abilities. You won't find ANYTHING more here - neither originality nor melodies. Recommended for ELP and ELP-related bands fanbase, but even they may not like what they'll hear. Seriously - this is a time when the heart and soul are betrayed to the speed and masterity. Not recommended for those who prefer music over skills.

Ars Nova is a band (i use the word "band" in an euphemistic way) formed, in this album, by 3 Japanese girls, lead by Keiko Kumagai, the girl behid the keyboards (yes, more than 1 keyboard); in other albums the member are 2, 3, maybe 4, but always leaded by Keiko (she's a genius, so, there's no problem at all)

This album has the classical ELP formation, and monopolized by the keyboards, but no a bad monopoly, as Wondows, with terrible results for your RAM, no, here is for good, an armonic monopoly: a good bass, great drums, but the keyboards is the principal very body of it.

It begans with an oppressive introduction, wich gives us some chorus, harmonies and strength, we can heard some voices (from the keyboard, of course) wich take you to some ritual for bring Cthulhu back, and then we can heard the screms of horror form someone who saw what was coming, silence, listen my friends, what's coming: Kieko was unleashed!, we found gamos of tunes, changes of rhythms, go and back by abysses and paradises, madness, sanity, and go back to madness, as a friend told me "between screems and angels"; i think that's a good definition to this song.

The second and the third songs are great songs, Wakeman must be excited when he listens these songs, while the cd is running, the quality grows, something essential.

The 4th song is more relaxed, more symphonyc, but excellent.

Then the 5th and last song comes: after surviving the abisses, to have seen gods born eons ago, after a walk by the wonders of the world, just to see how they turn into a face twisted, a parody of what the were, by covetous and destructives gods, just like their names; in this end we aproach to the ecstacy, the songs growns in intensity every secound, until we need to set free the tension, but, how?, it just grows!, but no, i sais keiko is a genius: she brings an end that, in unskilled hands, would be an accumulation of tension, but here it becomes in a moment of total distension, at least we can die freely: we know that the pace will never came, the chaos reign, something like a comunist goberment, but, in spite of all that, we saw the beuty of the destruction and we could understand why 1+1=10

One of the best albums i've ever heard, belive me, if you like the soloists works of wakeman this album will like you!

A excellent symhonic album in style of what ELP did in the past but with some great ideas add. The first track is the best from here, and shows how extrordinary is that girl named Keiko Kumagai, that's why she was invited to play keys on some Ayreon pieces later on. Maybe is not an absolute essential album in prog history but for sure is a great one to add to your collection. I give 4 stars, because is one of the fiew instrumental albums i can listen whole at once and not be bored by any piece. Maybe the weak point in here is the - Akiko Takahashi who plays on drums, she's to cold, rigid, no real feeling when she drums, and has no real skills like other drummers in prog. She plays without intrest. With all that i give to this album 4 stars. Try it, worth.

There are some pros and cons for this all-girl Japanese band.

On the pro side one has to admit that their ELP-ish music is way better than the one of their model in these mid-late nineties. They are bringing the fans (to which I belong) to the sounds they have forgotten (unless they endlessly listen to "Tarkus") for so many years.

When it is played with such brio, I am keen to forgive this "tribute band" attitude and if you are ready for an ELP encounter, I can only recommend this album to nostalgic persons but not really to the ones who are expecting creativity.

To appreciate this release, you need to be open-minded in terms of derivative work but even if the keyboards sounds are great, the rhythmic section just sound shy in comparison with whom you know. To recreate the pompous side of ELP is not difficult. To add all their subtlety, Keith's classical approach, Gregg's smooth vocal work (at least, one can't reproach "Ars Nova" to imitate this, since they are an all instrumental band) is another challenge.

There are some beautiful and flamboyant passages in this album of which "Isis" probably combines most of the characteristics I have outlined a little earlier (of which the most significant part is the great piano work).

On the cons side, the lack of originality of course, the average song writing and the diversification. At the time you listen to "The Gorgons", you might feel like a bit of reliefto get closer to the end of this album. Because too much is too much.

Even if I was a profound lover of those fantastic keys moments distilled by the master, their equivalent are not on par in terms of inventiveness. A good representation of works already performed, by skilled musicians.

Three stars for these Japanese godesses.

I have the Japanese version which has a different track order and album cover. There's no question this is bombastic instrumental music inspired by ELP. Not my favourite kind of music but I tip my hat to these three ladies who can play with the best of them. It's almost too much the way the tempo and climate changes so often, and of course that bombastic element isn't something i'm fond of. Having said that I love the bass playing and the organ work.

"Morgan (The Fate Awaits Inevitible)" is the longest and my favourite song on here. I really like the sound of the organ that comes and goes that reminds me so much of Swedish bands like SINKADUS and ANGLAGARD. The song starts off mellow then bang an explosion of sound after a minute. The bass is incredible. "Fury (The Daughter Of The Simoon, And The Simoon)" is uptempo, bombastic and furious. Some sampled mellotron on this one as well. It does settle briefly before kicking back in.

"The Gorgons (Never Look At Her Eyes)" opens with pulsating sounds, and check out the powerful organ, drums and bass that take over 1 1/2 minutes in. It settles 3 minutes in. Drums before 4 minutes. Love the bass 4 1/2 minutes in. Outbreaks of bombast after 6 minutes is impressive. Is that bass after 8 1/2 minutes ! Too much. Some great organ work to end it. "Ainsel (A Mad Little Girl)" is one song I don't like at all. Lots of samples and piano in this one. "Kali (In The Name Of Demolition And Massacre)" is a great closing track. The organ early with deep bass lines is amazing. Some screams in this one too.

I feel this is worth 3.5 stars. Lots to like but there are also many sections that do little for me. Worth a listen for the Hammond and bass alone.

Tragedy - I only say this word.

How should the scene go, with three talented HEROINES?

In the first track Morgan, Keiko's keyboard say gracefully to us that our fate should be already formed stably and we cannot struggle away from here forever. The first few phrases may let us enter into the dark area of our mind. The synth string sounds and rumbling guitar ones are active, aggressive and so violent I feel. I can understand Keiko can 'imagine' the tune fit for her solemn and spiritual imagination about the land of the dead. Meanwhile about the tune itself, their play are completely steady and united without any blur. That is, Keiko's imagination is not fuzzy but strict and stable. Let me say, yes, the story is really the story and should go ahead without hesitating - should make clear visions in our brain. Not only by the approach of heavy rock but also of classic, they can play flexibly and make 'visible sounds' as it is said. Fury has very speedy stream of sounds and heavy riffs. Absolutely we can shout THIS IS FEMININE POWER! Strong and soulful intention of three ladies is only one - really an impressive bodyattack with strangling sounds. Forgive me but this song always reminds me they play with sweat gushing out. :-) More heavy and darker scene has come here by The Gorgons - a messenger from the hell. Well indeed Gorgon is a goddess, with an ability letting a people looking at her be a stone. But why? From The Gorgons here we can feel some tragedies. We, altered into stones, can weep with some teardrops. What weird, but graceful Goddesses they should be! Keiko's keyboard, Kyoko's bass, and Akiko's drum can shout, cry, and whisper with complex words to us. Ainsel gets started with dry and scattered piano noises. Avantgarde keyboard sounds follow and develop. Hm, some classical melodies we should have heard somewhere before...should knock our brain continually. May not be relaxed by the song - although there are much classical essense with their passion. I see, their passion itself should be suspicious - it should make us anxious fully. Kali should be suitable for the last track of this album. Again very speedy keyboard solo and heavy bass sounds can let us palpitate speedily. And painful scene should face the death with some parts just like Zarathustra by Museo Rosenbach.

No fantasy, but spiritual tragedy. Watch, not listen.

Listening Japanese Symphonic bands is always an adventure and a risk, even when most of the musicians are highly skilled and the compositions based in the power of the keyboards are absolutely attractive for the traditional fan of the genre, there's the problem of the language (Not in this case, being an instrumental album) and the complex eclecticism of their sound, being that for Japanese creativity is not making something radically new, but making better what already exists.

In this line, they usually take influences from everything that may enhance the musical experience, normally they choose between Italian Prog with AOR leanings of ELP oriented sound with extreme pomp.

"The Goddess of Darkness" by ARS NOVA is in my opinion the peak of the style, Keiko Kumagai is a well trained keyboardist, with great dexterity in the Moog. Mellotron and piano, she is clearly influenced by the powerful sound of bands like ELP or TRACE, but adds an extra doze of brilliance and pomp, seems to have horror to silent spaces,. because she covers each instant with music and sounds.

But the band wouldn't sound the same without the rhythm section formed by Kyoko Kanazawa (Bass) and Akiko Takahashi in the drums, with whom they work as a metronome and form a power trio capable of big things.

Wanted to review each and every track, but it would take me hours and mare space than the one available, because here are so many complex characteristics in a few minutes of music, so I will choose the three songs that impressed me more.

The album starts with the sober and impressive "Morgan - The Fate Awaits Inevitable", after a delicate intro, the band morphs into a some sort of tortured ELP where the massive use of Synths will attract any Symphonic fan, it's almost unbelievable to see the fragile Keiko Kumagai hitting the keys with such fury, the song is like an Emersonian nightmare with echoes of Bartok and Janacek, of course the strong drumming enhances the effect.

The structure is amazingly complex, the changes are so radical that nobody will expect what comes next, pure strength and musical skills.

If Morgan broke schemes, "Fury - The Daughter And The Simoom After The Simoom" is even harder, this time ARS NOVA sounds closer to a formal style like in the case of PAR LINDH PROJECT, again no time for rest, the band bombards us with sounds and elaborate music from start to end, never taking the foot of fuel, seems like this band only knows to give all they have without rest.

This time some Baroque passages take the listener for surprise, and to make it harder, Kumagai makes the Hammond shout in pain blending the tortured screams with clear piano sections, and as surprisingly as it started, the song ends.

"The Gorgons - Never Look at her eyes" is a bit softer, more fluid but this doesn't mean the song is free of drama and strength, trying to describe it is futile because it's so dark mysterious and elaborate with an amazing piano and orchestration, but at the same time contradictory, few moments of calm and again all the strength they are capable of , really versatile band with an out of this world keyboardist.

I use to avoid Japanese Prog because of it's excessive eclecticism, a mistake I will make no more, this album is essential, so any rating bellow 4 stars is irrational.

I have Musea version and I admit that for who I know Ars Nova is a copy of The Nice/ ELP (P as Palmer, P as Powell)! And nothing more! "Kali - Demolition & Massacre" is not a normal song because this song not have melody but only a series of musical figures and it is a battle for a normal listener, as a pure ELP song, in my opinion. But Musea version have a diverse sequence of compositions (not present "Ainsel" but present "Isis") so it is difficult to judge this album because in real fact Made In Japan version is another album respect to Musea version. In my opinion Musea version is great, as a little gem if you are ELP fan.

"The Goddess Of Darkness" is an instrumental album, that is great also because is written and made by a female trio. But, in my last opinion, the similarity with ELP is the reason because i am not proper a fan of Ars Nova and because I think that Ars Nova killed ELP!