SURPASSING ALL KINGS

This is the latest studio album from the Russian Psychedelic band VESPERO. In the liner notes they thank among others BOSCH'S WITH YOU, SULA BASSANA and our own Uwe (Rivertree). I'm not sure how much Uwe paid them to mention his name but it was money well spent (haha).The music here is very melodic, spacey and laid back for the most part. I like the female vocal melodies as well that come and go throughout this album.

"Glass Rainbow (A Sign)" sounds interesting to start as it's kind of noisy with synths, drums and other sounds joining in as it builds.It settles after 2 1/2 minutes with female vocal melodies.Nice.Vocals stop 4 minutes in and the guitar takes the lead. Great sound here.The vocals and guitar continue to trade places the rest of the way. "Salma Simiere (Cross And Crown)" opens with guitar, bass and drums as sounds echo.I like this a lot. Female vocal melodies after 1 1/2 minutes. A change 4 minutes in as it turns intense and the vocals stop.It settles some 5 1/2 minutes in as the guitar comes to the fore and the vocal melodies return. "The Tower (XVI)" features spacey synths with a beat. It picks up before 2 minutes.The guitar leads after 6 minutes. Nice.

"Lino (Similar They Spake)" might be my favourite. We get a beat with bass and relaxed guitar all soaked in a spacey atmosphere. So good.The beat stops briefly 1 1/2 minutes in.Vocal melodies after 3 minutes and a more powerful sound. Spoken words in the background 5 minutes in. "Serata (I.N.S.I.E.M.E.)" has this spacey intro as drums join in followed by guitar and vocals. A calm 2 minutes in then it picks up a minute later. Female vocals before 5 minutes. It kicks in heavier a minute later. Love the guitar.A calm 7 1/2 minutes in and the guitar starts to make some beautiful noise a minute later. "Glide (Like A Swan)" is spacey to start. A beat kicks in around 2 1/2 minutes. I really like the guitar 4 minutes in. "Sever (Surpassing All Kings)" opens with loud sounds and spacey ones too.Bass joins in as well. Percussion around 4 minutes.

Many feel this is their best album yet. A solid four stars. Highly recommended to all space cadets.

VESPERO's second studio output - most of the songs, five out of seven to be exact, are already featured on the predecessor 'Liventure N19' live album ... so I took the chance to compare with care ... which brings to the light that there are some differences concerning arrangement and atmosphere ... can't really say what I tend to prefer now ... the most significant example is The Tower - the opening swirling synth theme is equal for both takes - but then it drifts into different directions. Which even makes it more comfortable for the listener in the end.

Both albums feature the same line-up where I especially want to highlight Natalya Tujrina due to her unique voice and performance, although in my opinion nothing can surpass her vocal presence on VESPERO's live album 'Foam'. On principle the band offer instrumental space rock once again, based on a melancholic trance touch. On the contrary the drums and especially Arkady Fedotov's busy bass lines are often contrasting with a jazzy touch. This matters VESPERO's uniqueness and makes it worthwhile to check their music.

The title track provides the band's appeal as no other - Sever (Surpassing All Kings) is dominated by a melancholic spacey flow and a nervous bass. Unusual, an intended contradiction I'm sure, however not a problem for my ears, so much the more a really excellent trance arrangement. Salma Simiere is a versatile song showing different faces - drummer Ivan Fedotov convinces with a playful performance here.

As mentioned before at least two songs are completely new to me - the more I listen to Glide (Like A Swan) I'm impressed by the atmosphere - at first gliding like a swan on a pond with laxness it moves into a grooving and partially even rocking behaviour then. And the eclectic Serata finally shows male/female vocals and fantastic synth contributions, where even guitarist Alexander Kuzovlev drifts into a jazz rock style in between.

On 'Surpassing All Kings' VESPERO deliver an unique cosmic sound in their own inimitable way ... decorated with some native impressions, often venturing into jazz and even krautrock territories. So for me it's quite easy to claim: each of their albums offers some new aspects and is a recommended experience!

Russian space rock cosmonauts offer up their second studio album in the form of Surpassing All Kings, which incorporates aspects of trance-inducing zeuhl and krautrock repetition to offer an offbeat musical journey. Natalya Tujrina offers a grand vocal performance and Arkady Fedotov's contributions on bass and synthesiser guide the bands through territories ranging from cosmic krautrock to jazz. The various compositions by and large are crammed with ideas, never outstaying their welcome even when they extend to over 10 minutes. With an energetic, twitchy atmosphere, Surpassing All Kings ties a rocket onto Vespero's sound and launches it into the stratosphere, taking it to new heights.