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Lifestream - Alter Echo CD (album) cover

ALTER ECHO

Lifestream

Crossover Prog


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4 stars LIFESTREAM was born in 2006, influenced by dinosaurs such as PINK FLOYD, YES, KANSAS and MARILLION for the 80s. A varied sound in the neo and prog of yesteryear on a melodic slope and heavy incursions at the turn of well-driven breaks; an album, their 2nd, concept in 3 parts on two worlds in decline which want to seek in the other a better, utopian in view of the confrontation between two worlds without real exit for one and the other. The singing in English to report, no RPI in short, let's go, I'm tempted to 'leaf through the pages of this opus'.

Ego "Landscape of Loneliness" progressive intro, just to say that we are in the right place; it takes off all of a sudden with heavy riffs and very juicy keyboards on the neo 80 period, beautiful toned voice forward; it continues on a heavy AOR with tempo changes that do not leave you alone, especially through the use of keyboards and other synths helping us navigate the 70s, 80s in a few seconds; title fresh, engaging and varied despite this; the finale gives pride of place to Alberto's guitar on a floydian register before folk choirs à la JETHRO TULL come to pack this river title. "What Went Wrong? » continues and engages on CAST, JETHRO TULL for the riff, for this nervous, rhythmic, hard'n'heavy prog side without naming it; the softer break, very airy and this guitar which distills pleasure, which brings back to a sound of the new millennium. "Habitat" spatial interlude on a LIKE WENDY, a SOLAR PROJECT with narrative voice-overs and fat synths, flooding... the space; monolithic in fact with this accented bass. "The Long Way Home" goes on a latent ballad, melodic sweetness rhythmic with a Hammond behind, coming to flirt with the great slows of yesteryear, Paolo's voice also having something to do with it; those who made your bride melt in your arms. Choirs and a guitar solo ignite the second part, Alberto is really very comfortable in this part. "Rebirth" continues on a melting-pot track with choirs, AOR prog riff for those who couldn't stand this drawer which has its qualities; a station wagon with a musical saw? an air in crescendo which allows a guitar solo after those of the keyboards on the MARILLION era. "Cryosleep" closes this first part with an instrumental piano at the base supported by Alberto before Andrea puts her synths in COLLAGE mode to note the typed "fat" of the synth notes.

Omnis 'Out of the Caves' change of atmosphere for the second act with drops of water, percussion and oriental sound as a preamble. "Pillars of Creation" continues, screaming voice, heavy riff, new-wave electro synths; jerky rhythm; cymbal then cavernous didgeridoo introducing a surprising folk tune, limited to dancing to it, if possible then it starts again on a muffled tune, on a finale of the thousand and one nights, the most innovative and progressive (10/10). "Cradle Lullabuy" bells in the distance, a choir, birds, bucolic. Acoustic folk title like I think of CANDICE NIGHT all of a sudden, scratched notes and dreamy voice for the interlude. "Seasons Passing By" continues on the interlude for this simple but effective piano ballad, quite mysterious, latent, dreamlike. "Losing Control" comes to end this second act with a title stamped 70, used, choirs and rhythm on carabineer and complex GENTLE GIANT, on the rock and jazzy border; old-time title for voice; break pads with xylophone then a spleen guitar à la MARILLION in the final, surprising and explosive.

Echo "Awareness" on a piano ballad at the start, supported by the narrative limit voice which distills a soft, has-been, acoustic guitar melody then jazzy variation again with a final sax giving a dreamy atmosphere, title which passes into a concept if not surprising, in short bringing "Alter Echo" which concludes the third act and this album with the 2nd long title in the western intro, à la MORICONE; snub to JETHRO TULL just for the warm, rising voice; slow warm evolution, soft and fat keyboards, those that fill the air, like those of ANGE too. The metronomic tambourine launches a crescendo in slow motion, ideal in fact to give room for Alberto to release a dithyrambic solo which makes your hair shiver, your hair, what's left of you; and the cry of Paolo half-warrior, half-archangel comes to end the title.

LIFESTREAM sent us on an exciting journey, full of guitar-keyboard intertwining and evocative atmospheres; a concept album about two worlds divided by time, a music separated by time from the dinosaurs that she took as a basis and in which she puts her stamp to make it more captivating; a new sound paradoxically between jazzy melody, heavy prog rhythm and instrumental luxuriance. It's not a joke, without having it chronicled I would have missed it, being on it I applaud the one who gave me the opportunity to chronicle it.

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Posted Friday, February 24, 2023 | Review Permalink

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