NUTCRACKER IN FURY

Since I listened the AVIVA debut called "Rokus Tonalis", was expecting a second album that could ratify the quality of the band, or better said Dmitry Loukianenko, who except for an uncredited guitarist played all the instruments

Last week I found he had released "Nutcracker in Fury" so, bought the album and was impressed by the radical changes, in first place, the band's name is changed to AVIVA OMNIBUS, he's supported by Yurij Molodoy and Andrew Pruden in the guitars, Mamina on he bass and drums plus Vika who plays a second keyboard and violin.

But more important, his time Loukianenko forgets all the Emerson influences and presents a much more radical album which combines not only the well known Symphonic component,. but also a strong Heavy Prog element, Fusion and even traces of Avant.

But lets go directly to the album, which is opened with a weird introduction called "Sisoehtopa" that after 58 seconds of strange sounds leads to the surprising "Overture in Fury", that makes honor to it's name, because hardly anybody has reinterpreted TCHAIKOVSKY with such rage. The track starts very close to Heavy Metal and Avant, strong vibrant and full of dissonances that remind me clearly of FANTOMAS, the elaborate violin performance adds complexity to an already complex song, what a change from the formal Symphonic debut.

"Heavy March" is the strangest version of "Nutrocker" I have ever heard, being that from the well known chorus they jump to different conclusions as if selected randomly (well only the effect, because nothing is left to luck in the album), really spectacular, specially for the keyboard work.

"Children of the Damned" has more than evident Electronic touches, not really my cup of tea, but being as impartial as possible nobody can't deny the excellent arrangements done by Loukianenko. The vocals are pretty decent and sound well despite the distortion and..........some growls!!!!!

"The Frozen Doll's Town" starts as I expected all the album to sound, with a sober piano introduction that grows in intensity as more instruments keep joining, some sound effects add a bit of mystery and the usual dissonances collaborate with the complexity required not to break the atmosphere. Around the middle again AVIVA OMNIBUS gets closer to Prog Metal but jumps again into Electronic passages, seems Loukianenko and his band are trying experimenting, another good track.

"Dance of the Tea Giants" is even more contradictory, but by this point nothing surprises me anymore and this is good when you talk about a Prog album, the capacity to present something radically new is one of the bases of Prog, and this guys are able to do it perfectly.

The only thing missing is an acoustic track, and "Flower Fewer", provides it, most surely the strangest version of the "Waltz of the Flowers" I ever heard, with sound effects, shouts, conversations, but the soft atmosphere is respected despite all the strange things that happen in the background, breaks all my schemes, but that's also good.

"Coda Coda" is more Jazzy (Is there anything this guys don't include in this album?) and flows perfectly from start to end....well almost perfectly, because some radical changes and changes of style are really mind breaking.

When I read the name "Apotheosis", I expected a strong and vibrant closer, but no, this is the most calmed and softest track in the album...well at least until the band prepares the "grand finale" which makes honor to the name.

If I dared to say this an absolutely original album, many people would jump to the roof and ask how in hell can a new version of ·Nutcracker" could be original...Well, I suggest this people to listen i"Nutcracker in Fury", I'm sure they will be surprised, being that this album is absolutely different to anything you could expect. Something more dramatic if you heard the sober and formal debut, probably one of the most radical changes a band has tried from a debut to the second album.

Three stars for the music and one extra star for the unique sound and capacity to blend genres makes four solid stars.

Psychedelic take on classical Cajkovskij opera (or ballet by Tchaikovsky if you please), "Sisoethepa" is, by my opinion, quite strange intro. Sets the mood for entire album, indeed, but could be better. From this album, I expected rock approach to classical music, something more like metal perhaps, but result sometimes don't please me much.

"Overture in Fury" is well played (for a classical-rock song). Maybe too much of electronic sounds, but I can get over it (first seconds for example), but I understand that it can be for better psychedelic atmosphere. "Heavy March" is also without bigger flaws, but it's quite sad for me, because I would rather see something less artificial, this kind of modern synths using, but something so big like this project doesn't exist. It's just 70s prog lover in me who wants it back. After these two tracks, main theme ends and gets here less known ones.

"Children of the Damned" starts as groovy track, in slow rhythm, with 3:07-3:27 done on modified voice and clear to see use of samples. This reminds me that this record is little bit oversampled, but as I said for many times, in the end it doesn't matter too much. "The Frozen Dolls Town" shots (amongst other things), at 3:42-3:58 beautiful example of synth strings. These high tones are well performed. But when I hear name "Dance of Tea Giants", I imagine something different, much softer and weaker (like tea) than this fury (fury as name of the album, of giants (as the name of the song). Are these sounds in the middle monkey screams ? Or is someone from band so creative that he done it himself ? Applaud, very playful song. Even in Porcupine Tree style, sometimes heavy, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes tender.

"Flower Fever" melody was my favourite as classical "Waltz of the Flowers", now it's remade into combination of electronic themed song, some parts sounds like they're combined with sounds of the tavern and then, something, are these strings ? Well, more like synths, but it sounds so faithful reproduction. "Coda Cold" leaves synths almost completely and enters more rockingly sounding music, which I welcome. In last third it again returns to take its toll. "Apotheosis" is something of calm outro, where we can think about wonderful musical (box) show we just heard.

4(+) stars for crazy (furious) Nutcracker.

I have gotten a huge dosage of scepticism towards Russian symph prog projects. Most of them, if not all of them, contains one nutty professor on tangents which creates symphonic music based on old classics. Sooner or later.....make that sooner, one of these nutty professors is going to blow this planet to pieces. You have all been forewarned.

Aviva is one of these bands with a nutty professor at the tangents. Or rather a massive talented musician who has got good training in the excellent Russian music environment. Russia probably has the best musicians training in the world and that shows. Well, at least in the symph prog genre. The name of the excellent musician and tangent player in Aviva is Dmitri A. Loukianenko. He may be or may not be a nutty professor though. If you read this, that is a compliment and not an insult.

The name of this album gave me impression that this was another "rock up a classic" album with minimum input from the band. My enthusiasm for this album from the outset was not present. I am glad, very glad to report that I was in for a huge surprise.

Yes, the play from Tchaikovsky get some decent feature during the forty minutes long album. But Aviva spins their own take or even own music around this world famous and much loved piece of music. Aviva's own music takes up 70 % of this album and they only returns to Nutcracker now and then as they use Nutcracker as the narrative, the story teller on this album. That certainly raised my eyebrows and made my sit up an take notice.

Aviva treats Nutcracker with due respect and I have nothing but praise for that. So let's move onto Aviva's own composed music. Let me point you to the name of the album. The album title Nutcracker in Fury describe the music here almost perfectly. The music is very heavy at times and Dream Theater is a good reference to some of the music here. There are also others more tender, pastoral themes and melody lines here too.

The end result is a great album with a lot of intricate details and melody lines. It is an album with a long longviety and life in my stereo rack. It is also the best Russian symph prog album I have ever heard too and that by some country miles. Aviva and Dmitri A. Loukianenko deserve a lot of credit and admiration for this great album. 4 stars

In 2007 the progrock world was pleasantly surprised with the instrumental debut album Rokus Tonalis by the Russian musical project Aviva, led by Russian keyboard player Dimitri A. Loukanienko who played Grand piano, keyboards, bass, samples and programmed drums and percussion. The music on Rokus Tonalis has strong echoes from bombastic keyboard driven prog in the vein of ELP and Japanese Gerard featuring a powerful Hammond sound, fluent piano runs and flashy synthesizer flights, very spectacular. The song The Valse At The End Of Times delivers a guest-musician on guitar, he gives a very powerful touch to the music with raw and propulsive guitar work. Some tracks sound quite experimental with soaring keyboards and weird voices. That about the first album.

On his next album Nutracker In A Fury (2008) Dimitri changed the name into Aviva Omnibus and he is accompanied by two guitarists, a bassist/drummer and a second keyboard player who also plays violin.

The sound is similar to his debut-album but even more bombastic and spectacular and the compositions are more elaborate and balanced. I am absolutely delighted about the exciting propulsive rhythms with spectacular work on synthesizer and guitar like in the tracks Overture In Fury (lots of flowing shifting moods, a varied keyboard sound, fiery guitar and sensational synthesizer flights), Dance Of The Tea Giants (very dynamic interplay, sensational sounding keyboard runs and guitar riffs that alternates between prog metal and King Crimson in the Red-era, how propulsive!) and Coda Cold (swinging and propulsive rhythms, ELP-inspired keyboard work and a heavy guitar solo). The track Heavy March includes organ runs that are paying tribute to ELP's Nutrocker (based upon Tschaikovsky's Nutcracker) and exciting bombastic keyboard play and heavy guitar work, simply sensational!

Although it's obvious that Dimitri is inspired by Keith Emerson, he succeeds to sound original with his varied and modern souding keyboards and the use of many samples (like singing African people, steel drums and lots of voices). Some songs sound mellow like Flower Fever (sound collage) and Apotheosis (great final part with sumptuous classical orchestrations). But in general Aviva Omnibus their sound is bombastic with lots of exciting propulsive rhythms and spectacular work on keyboards and guitar.

What a thrill to listen to Nutcracker In A Fury, highly recommended, especially to the many aficionados of keyboard- driven progrock!