MYSTIC SPIRIT

It's something of a tribute to this very long lived group that each album is quite readily recognizable as theirs, especially since the vocalist seems to change with every release. Harald Lytomt's lead guitars, in a CAMEL-esque vein, and the blend of symphonic prog and Norwegian folk melodies, provide the continuity. One improvement over "Tidings" from eleven years earlier is that the termini of each song are no longer the province of wailing female vocalists. The two opening numbers are especially strong, with Eirikur Hauksson of MAGIC PIE supplying very GENESIS- like vocals and pleasant changes of pace and atmosphere, and the brief "Unwanted" is simply divine, while "Creepy You Crawl" is a harder rock number that contrasts favorably with the overabundance of moody or mellow offerings.

Unfortunately, apart from the aforementioned and a few notable passages in the longer tracks (see "Earth to Earth"), the beneficial effect is somewhat dampened due to excessive run time, similarity of musical motifs and rhythms, and prevalence of lyrical themes around person legacy and immortality. Lytomt has been exploring these vexing questions since at least the prior album, but here enters an interminable loop only saved by a hard stop. Had "Mystic Spirit" been pared down to 45 minutes, it might have offered the listener the opportunity to transcend the mundane rather than go mad trying. 3 stars for the controlled release version.

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Posted Tuesday, October 31, 2017 | Review this album | Report (Review #1818041)

Real "progressed" music for the band Listening to their music from the first album, I can say that this 6th is really progressed music for the band. It is obvious that the vocal changed the atmosphere of their music, but still you can hear that norwegian trad melody in the guitar solo which is ... (read more)

Report this review (#1107087) | Posted by Katsuhisa | Saturday, January 4, 2014 | Review Permanlink

Wow, what a thrill it is discovering a new album that one cannot get enough of. Such is the case with Kerrs Pink latest effort, Mystic Spirit. Honestly I was totally unaware that this band has been around for over 30 years as this is the first I have heard from them. This website classifies them a ... (read more)

Report this review (#1076080) | Posted by emperorken | Tuesday, November 12, 2013 | Review Permanlink

Kerrs Pink is a Norwegian prog band which has done six studio records since 1980 and "Mystic Spirit" is their sixth record. I suppose the band has changed their sound a lot since then because this doesn't feel like traditional prog. The cover picture is dramatic and shows beautiful bare tree a ... (read more)

Report this review (#1075671) | Posted by DrömmarenAdrian | Tuesday, November 12, 2013 | Review Permanlink

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