STOLEN THOUGHTS

This 2008 album was the debut from Polish group Retrospective, and is a concept about the growth of a child into adulthood, and the loss of imagination, innocence and carelessness that comes it. I was incredibly impressed with the follow-up 'Lost In Perception', which came out in 2012, but it has taken me a while to look backwards, and I am glad that I did. Musically they have been heavily inspired by their counterparts Riverside, yet there are also elements of Muse and Porcupine Tree in music that is often dark and mysterious. It is strange to think that there are two guitarists at play here, as it is all about bringing the right emotional content to the music as opposed to crunching out the riffs. Łukasz Marszałek on bass is also very much a key player to the band, as he underpins what is going on with wonderful counterpoint, while guitarists Maciej Klimek and Alan Szczepaniak are often matching him. The production on the drums of Robert Kusik is strong and clean, while keyboard player Beata Łagoda uses many different styles, switching to piano when it is the optimum time to do so.

So, the music is both powerful and emotional, and it needs a very special voice indeed to rise over this, and here there is the lustrous rich and edgy baritone of Jakub Roszak. Many singers cut through music like a knife, thin and powerful, reaching heights that many cannot imagine, while here Jakub is a thick carpet ? joined to the music beneath him, and with a power and breadth that cannot be contained. Will there ever be an end to the amazing prog bands coming out of Poland? I certainly hope not

RETROSPECTIVE are a six piece band out of Poland, who have been releasing music since 2007 with that 35 minute EP called "Spectrum Of The Green Morning". "Stolen Thoughts" is from 2008, and is their first full studio album clocking in at under 47 minutes. I look at those two recordings as companion discs, with similar album art as well. The music is similar to RIVERSIDE as they touch on Prog Metal, but often this feels like Heavy Prog just like RIVERSIDE does to my ears. I was really glad to see they released their fifth studio album in 2022, meaning they are still current at least.

This is such an entertaining album and that all starts with the singer Jakub Roszak. I was so surprised to hear those Eddie Vedder-like vocals. I actually think I yelled something out like "Whaaat?" the first time I heard them. He has a deeper voice than Eddie and he certainly doesn't always sound like Vedder as he mixes it up well. This is a concept album about how children eventually lose that innocence and wonder as they grow into adults. The imagination seems to suffer as well. Sad but true. "Stolen Thoughts" is an interesting title for this process. Check out Jesus' words in Matthew 13:19 on stolen thoughts.

We get eight tracks here with "It's Time To Grow Up" the sixth song being the longest at 9 1/2 minutes. It comes across as a celebration of sorts starting with the tribal drumming. Catchy stuff and how much does Jakub sound like Eddie at 2 1/2 minutes. A cool tune with repeated themes and great contrasts of sound. I really like "Stupid Joke" that short second song with the fragile vocals and emotion. Melancholy. The opener "Defend Your Identity" starts off slow and atmospheric before we get a change before 3 minutes as it turns rhythmic. A nice heavy sound a minute later. RIVERSIDE comes to mind with "Sitting In The Red Train". Love the opening bass and determined sound. Check out the vocalist over the last 2 1/2 minutes. He is something!

He reminds me of the singer from MURKY RED with that husky voice on the next track called "Yesterday's Dream", but quickly turns Vedder on us as we get plenty of depth and atmosphere. Some intensity later. "Memories" is such a cool piece with the thunder throughout and reserved vocals. A storm of life. "Snoone" is interesting and mysterious. Spacey with spoken words to a catchy guitar led section. The closer "Asleep" is the second longest song at 8 1/2 minutes. Uptempo and catchy with some killer drumming. More Eddie too.

I'll let you know about their debut EP soon, as I've had it on "repeat" since I moved on from this one.