ATTACK OF THE MARTIANS

This is a four piece USA prog rock formation. Some members have played in the prog rock bands PYE FYTE (a 'vintage' keyboard heaven) and A TRIGGERING MYTH and on GENTLE GIANT covers albums. The music on their debut-album "Attack of the Martians" is a tribute to the sound of EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ("Trilogy"-era). Despite the fact that some members played on GENTLE GIANT covers albums, ECCENTRIC ORBIT plays keyboard leaden prog rock with strong echoes from ELP, the "Trilogy"-era. The five dynamic compositions feature a propulsive rhythm-section as a base for sumptuous keyboard play with a leading role for the Hammond organ and Moog synthesizers, flight after flight. In some songs we can trace the sound of the Fender Rhodes electric piano (imagine the legendary intro from "Riders on the Storm" from The DOORS), the Wurlitzer piano and the swinging clavinet. The strong title-track (3 parts) contains a bombastic duel between the Moog and Fender Rhodes. The even longer, very alternating track "Forbidden Planet" (4 parts) starts with a spooky and hypnotizing climate, followed by lots of changes of atmosphere and tempo delivering many waves of a violin-Mellotron and runs on synthesizers, concluded by fragile piano play. Along ELP, this composition also evokes ARS NOVA and other ELP-inspired Japanese bands like SOCIAL TENSION and DEJA VU. The music on this instrumental CD is beyond original but sounds exciting.

Science fiction has always been a welcome and approprite theme for concept albums in progressive rock. The two forms just seem to marry well and suit each other. That's one of the great things about this band's self-produced debut; a wild and wacky homage to the classic sci-fi films of the 1950s and 60s. Then of course there's the music, which is a syn-phonic lover's fantasy come to life.

Eccentric Orbit is the Massachusetts quartet of monster bassist Bill Noland, his more than able wife Madeleine on wind-controlled synths, powerful drummer Mark Cella and the solid Derek Roebuck on keys, and a more wonderful blend of fun and musicianship I do not know of. The players don't appologize for their serious take on the absurdly space-age, and play with glee the five cuts like a B movie score raised to glory. 'Star Power' sets the eerie tone with an ancient-sounding mellotron sample leading to Bill Noland's pounding bass line. 'Sputnik' continues the impending attack with foreboding organs... and the invasion begins-- saucers appear in the sky and start blasting buildings, people are running for their lives, oh the humanity! Then, silence. They have landed and it'll be no time before there are martians everywhere and the world is theirs. The three-part title track rocks symphonic and both reminds of and rivals ELP's 'Tarkus'. Drama, chops, imagination, this band has it all and the music stays buoyant throughout this CD. 'Forbidden Planet', a four-part extravaganza based on the seminal 1956 film, takes us through psycho-space, Floydian meanderings and a look inside the culture of the Krell with great melodies and stellar synth work from Madeleine Noland. A final showdown with 'The Enemy of My Enemy' wraps things up and reprises the main theme. Lavish in musical content and unnerving in tone but without the blackness or depressive nature of doom music, this was one of the best releases of 2004 and is the kind of little treasure that may disappear someday. So look to the skies and if you see something strange, put this record on.

Eccentric Orbit from USA, might be considered a well and respected follower of ELP fame, with well known musicians in this bussines who played before in bands like Pye Fyte and A Tiggering Myth. They release so far a single album in 2004 in digi pak format, their second album is still in waiting for almost a year, mainly beacuse of the deummer Mark Cella death, last year in march, but hopes are to be issued soon, check their official page, . The music offered by Eccentric Orbit, is full of great mellotron and bombastic keyboards arrangements, not far from mighty ELP but combined and filled with thier own twists. The most of the parts sound pretty intresting to me, well played and great musicianship. The musicians had enough room to make elaborated music here, each piece is long enough to show how great and profesional they are with culminating point Forbidden Planet with almost 15 min of high class prog, lots of moods and tempo change with mellotron , moog and synthesisers all over the place. In places they remind me besides ELP, with Deja Vu,Ars Nova or Gerard from japan. So a very worthy album, desearves from me 4 stars, has it's moments of greatness for sure, fans of symphonic prog can easely listen to this unknown and yet great band.

Eccentric Orbit is the brainchild of bassist Bill Noland, who captured the idea of forming a band at late-90's, when he started writing his first songs.His dream came true in 2000, when he met ex-Pye Fyte drummer Mark Cella (R.I.P.) and former keyboardist of Blind Owl Bruce Alger at Nearfest.The trio worked together for sometime, before realizing that a second keyboardist was needed due to the complexity of the compositions.Bill's wife Madeleine Noland was added to the core as a wind synth player and supporting keyboardist.The band was named Satellite at the time, but heading to the recordings of the debut they changed their name to Eccentric Orbit due to the existence of the eponymous Polish band.Alger had to leave them because of personal issues and one Derek Roebuck was added in the keyboards.The band's debut ''Attack of the Martians'' was released in 2004 as a self-produced effort.

Strange case this Massachusetts-based quartet, the main influences appear to be GENESIS, E.L.P. and KING CRIMSON, but they managed to come up with a sound of their own, even if the style resembles much to old keyboard-driven formations.One basic reason for this is Bill Nelson's upfront and quite heavy bass lines, which sound similar to Jan Erik Liljestrom's from ANEKDOTEN, creating a pretty dark enviroment.Second apparent thing comes from the diverse keyboard work and the combination of wind synths with the analog sound of the Mellotron, organ and clavinet as well as the presence of very edgy modern synthesizers.The result is confusing and enganging at the same time, the most obvious comparison being E.L.P.'s total display of keyboard fests, surrounded by the light or more symphonic Mellotron preludes of KING CRIMSON and GENESIS and the slight taste of LE ORME in the synth moves.Five long, instrumental tracks, filled with numerous mood changes and instrumental palettes, going from complex keyboard-drenched moves to more atmospheric passages with a slightly orchestral background.The most furious and quirky parts have something of a BRIAN AUGER/EGG flavor, dominated by a jazzy freedom amd some abstract keyboard contrasts.The length of the pieces allow much experimentation with rhythmic, grandiose and minimalistic parts, where the symphonic overtones appear to be the driving force towards a rather eclectic performance.

Rich and virtuosic keyboard experiments with a blink to the past and the music of E.L.P, EGG and GENESIS.Good to almost great stuff and warmly recommended.