ESYLLT

I thought I'd try something different this time 'round: I feel like reviewing an album that is not new, but deserves your attention all the same. As my biography states, I run a page on Facebook called The PROG Mind. Well, I get all kinds of music sent to me there, and Dam Kat, the singer for a band named Children in Paradise, introduced me to her band's first album. I want to say right now---I'm ever so grateful.

Children in Paradise's debut album "Esyllt" was released in 2012, so it's not overly old. However, it's definitely one of those albums that flew under the radar. This French band has quite a style of progressive rock, infusing it with atmosphere, cinematic style, and Celtic flavor. If there's one thing that I'm a sucker for, it's Celtic elements in music. And Children in Paradise deliver on ALL fronts here. "Esyllt" is a wonderful work, full of gorgeous melodies, incredible ambiance, ethereal soundscapes, and an emotional connection that one will not find often.

I have to laugh as I look at the list of influences this band claims. Everything from Dead Can Dance and Pink Floyd to Howard Shore and Led Zeppelin is present, and I laugh because I love almost every band they mention! First and foremost, I can hear Pink Floyd and Dead Can Dance, but the mighty Tull and others are definitely present, as Children in Paradise display a dark, moody, folksy atmosphere in much of "Esyllt". However, it isn't dark in the creepy sense, but instead it's blackened with tears and depth of topic.

The band pulls all of this off with an array of instruments. First of all, Dam Kat's voice is the centerpiece. Her voice is a celestial palette of emotion and feeling, and you can almost hear her tears. She makes this album what it is, and I believe she has become one of my favorite female singers. Just as important, though, is Gwalchmei's guitars. This is where the Gilmour influence is evident, as he plays soaring, complex solos with ease. These guitars only add to the emotion present, and are easily one of my favorite parts of the album. Patrick on drums, Stephane on bass, Loic on pipes and whistles, and Jean on the keys all add their own touches to the mysterious music, from the folksy vibe added by the pipes to the pure beauty added by the keys. The band feels tightly knitted already, and no one is competing for showtime. This is a band with emotion and art as their goals.

But what about the album itself? "Esyllt" is a variety of legends and myths, from King Arthur to Tristan and Isolde. I love this sort of thing, and so I was excited to hear how the band would portray the stories. The band outdoes themselves in crafting music that just seems to fit. Right away, they give us the sad "Little Butterfly", the sacred "King Arthur's Death", and my favorite track, the supremely emotional and sorrowful "My Son". The heartache and the pain in the deaths of loved ones are only matched here by the sublime music and emotive guitars and pipes. Each and every track on "Esyllt" is a treat, from the haunting "The Battle" to the hopeful "I'm Alive". And, as the ethereal atmospheres swirl around you, you can't help but feel the spiritual and inspired nature of the music as a whole. It's truly a mesmerizing experience from beginning to end.

As of now, Children in Paradise are working on their second album, and I, for one, can't wait. I can't wait to experience the sounds and powerful ambiance again. This band has something truly special and truly unique here, and I can't get enough right now, either of the amazing vocals or the musical perfection. And, so, Children of Paradise, certainly influenced by many of my favorite bands, are certainly not caged by their influences. They, on their very first album, have created something new, beautiful, and unforgettable. This, my friends, is an album to own and share with those you love. I know I will.

The debut release of heavy, Gothic Celtic-oriented music from this French ensemble from Brétagne.

1. "Little Butterfly" (4:19) indescribably, deliciously seductive. Almost from the opening notes I am completely under their spell: both Dam Kat's voice and diction as well as the deeply-engaging music. What an opener! (10/10)

2. "King Arthur's Death" (7:37) both PORTISHEAD and RADIOHEAD come to mind with the opening of this song, but the power chords of the chorus and instrumental sections and smoldering hot electric guitar work on Pat O'May's solo belie a different, deeper element that cannot be compared with anyone that I can think of! (14/15)

3. "My Son" (6:05) with this song my comparisons of the dangerous, Siren-like singing talents of Ms. Millot are growing closer to those of Elizabeth Heaton (which is about as high praise as I can muster from the group of artists this 21st Century has to offer). A piano-founded song with more sultry-seductive vocals and fiery guitar pyrotechnics. The music, however, is a little too blues-rooted for my preferences. I love the injection of Uilleann pipes. Too bad it was saved only for the end. (8.875/10)

4. "The Battle" (7:44) the music here is a little more unpolished with several sound choices that seem to reach back to the 1980s and some questionable compositional and sound engineering choices. At times it feels as if Dam Kat's vocal track is getting buried by the levels and thickness of instruments. I find myself excited by the transition after Kat's "O happy" lyric to a fast-paced "Heavy Celtic Rock" motif--where the Uilleann pipes get a chance to shine again. Unfortunately, the section (including the vocal) play out as if something from a beginning garage band who've only learned a few simple early Black Sabbath chords.(13/15)

5. "Esyllt" (5:50) tender and ominous singing accompanied by piano play that sounds as if it comes from a dated computer-generated piano. When bass, drums, rhythm guitar chords, and harp join in at the end of the second minute things improve. I love the mix and presence of the harp. The music starts to ramp up, get heavier, while Kat's singing seems to sink its teeth into one's neck with increasing courage and conviction. Has the bite from a vampiress ever felt so welcome?! Incredible vocal performance! (8.875/10)

6. "Silent Agony" (6:02) another opening that reminds me of PORTISHEAD, the presence of harp from the very start is even more welcome and suggestive than on the previous song. On this song Kat's voice seems to lilt and flutter around the room like a butterfly. Or a bat. She is so talented! The music is rather simple rock but offering a nice palette of instrumental sound choices, which helps. Then you get another pretty nice guitar solo from Pat O'May to smooth things over in the third and fourth minutes. (8.875/10)

7. "Don't Forget Me" (6:58) though this song starts out rather unremarkably at the end of the third minute the band moves into a very cool, completely different and nuance-loaded motif--one that puts on display the more creative talents of the band's musicians. Kat begins singing again in the sixth minute in a rather conspiratorial kind of voice that reminds me of some of Rickie Lee Jones' early tender vocals. It ends up being one of the album's stronger songs. (13.75/15)

8. "I'm Not Scared" (5:08) Uilleann pipes and low organ chord notes introduce this palette just before Kat enters singing in what is almost an a cappella stage musical style. Early Robin Guthrie guitar chords begin keeping time while Kat switches to her upper registers. Metal power chords enter with drums and active deep bass while Kat oscillates from airy upper voice to lower sultry. Another pretty unique yet engaging song. (8.875/10)

9. "Look Around You" (7:26) the highlights of this rather sedate almost-Americana-like song are 1) the parts where Kat provides her own angelic, k.d. lang-like harmony background vocals, 2) Pat's Steve Vai-like guitar solo in the fifth minute, and 3) Kat's clear investment in her vocal's delivery of the song's message in the sixth minute. Enchanting. (13.375/15)

10. "I'm Alive" (7:06) Unfortunately, there is nothing very special, inventive, or engrossing about this song (except for maybe the dreamy keyboard work). Even Kat's vocal fails to engage or hook me (and I can't really figure out why). Nice bass-and-drum rhythm pattern created in the fifth minute. (13.25/15)

Total Time 64:15

A-/4.5 stars; a very intriguing and promising debut album--one whose emotional music is very difficult to categorize. Highly recommended for all you other progheads to judge for yourselves.