HOPE?

While offering a clearly progressive rock character 'Hope?' delivers a superb blend of psychedelic space, art and stoner rock. The band name may imply that they are heaving the focus on extended improvisations exclusively. To assume that, to reduce them on this attitude would be an obvious mistake. Well, at least concerning this album. You just can check it out via their bandcamp page. The concept respectively approach bears the message 'composition first'. With the intention of offering variety and good entertainment in the end. I mean the incorporated vocal range alone is a sensation really. A five-headed unity hailing from Sevilla, Spain around singer Ahlè is responsible for this album.

After a rather charming start the machines are running quickly at full load with the first part of Guilty. For some time Ground solely lives from the symbiosis of ambient synth layers and intriguing drumming. The fulminant Beyond The Shades on one hand rrrrrrocks with definite headbanging appeal, directly followed by a groovy beast entitled Children which shines with gongs and some Gregorian choir chant on the contrary. And then charming singer/songwriter moments again with Pink Floyd related acoustic and electric guitar due to the closing track Home. Some impressing organ contributions are to remark here and there. Great melodies all over. A really fine and unique album in its entirety.