IN TIME

The Emerald Dawn are back with their fifth album, on the heels of 2021's crowning achievement, the highly acclaimed "To Touch the Sky". The bar is set very high as that was quite a release, especially in view of the fact that it was a Covid baby, created under difficult circumstances especially for band fond of touring. Staying true to their unshakable style and the commitment shown by all members of the band, their recently released "In Time" album should consecrate the group among the progressive rock elite, though these musicians are the most down to earth anywhere. While they perhaps do listen to the Ramones in their spare time, the 3 gargantuan tracks here are extended non-radio friendly epics that showcase their ongoing staying power, even within one single piece of music. Ever since I got my hands on their debut "Searching for the Lost Key" back in 2014, I have admired their steadfast devotion to progress WITHIN the parameters they had set out from the onset, unwavering in sticking to their guns. We at Prog Rogue love rebels!

There is immediate comfort with the sound remaining deliberately haunting, as this is what distinguishes the band from all the other prog groups out there, making them instantly recognizable, a tree among the forests if you will. Speaking of which, Tree Stewart still uses her echo-laden voice to vaporous effect, while her keyboard skills just keep on impressing, being a sound sculptor instead of a flamboyant virtuoso wizard. Ally Carter wields dual weapons of distinction, a moaning, wailing, squeaking guitar tone on one hand and a saxophone that can blare with the best horn blowers on the other, using both judiciously when needed. Being a bass fetishist, the fretless meanderings are always on my radar, searching out each blip with brazen enthusiasm. Finally, an active drum kit is seriously needed to propel the arrangements forward, lest they all bog down into a sea of churning sonic mud.

Opening track is a 23 minute + behemoth that sets the tone right from the opening notes, "Out of Time" is an adventurous splurge of sound and fury, with an ornate piano departure, followed by Ally (Cat) Carter's meowing leads sensing his whiskers into defining the environment, like a famished panther looking for a much-needed lunch. Tree can scale the notes with ease and conviction, I am somehow reminded of Illusion's majestic album 'Out of the Mist" and Jane Relf's singing in the pastoral style. As befits a very progressive band, David Greenaway's bass takes the momentary spotlight with an athletic cruise, carving delicious slabs of low-end melody, drummer Tom Jackson keeping the pace eloquently, just setting up another guitar and keyboard flurry. Halfway through the piece, things eventually slow down to a whisper, giving off a classic Gong sheen, as proposed by the wailing voice, exotic drum fills, synths in the background and Ally doing a Didier Malherbe-like workout on sax. It's an experimental, slightly Middle Eastern, slow-burn slice of genius. All that would be missing is a belly dancer and a clarinet to make the cobra appear from its woven basket and fall under the spell of the hypnotic swoon. Imperceptibly, the return to the main theme occurs without a hitch, spearheaded by an insistent and repetitive melody that sears into the nodes, reaching a plateau of grandiose bliss. The serenity of the opening wistful anthem is restored, the 'whooshingly' beautiful voice, the purring guitar seemingly content and a silky final few ticks of the clock. Utterly exquisite piece, easily their finest opus yet.

How the heck can you follow that one? Well, perhaps something "Timeless" and just as epic, packing in another nearly 15 minutes of filigree delight, a soft groove, and a chatty sax! The smoky atmospherics are their claim to fame, unflinchingly utilizing purposefully echo-laden production so as to create tons of captivating atmosphere, almost spooky at times, which pretty much defines most of British prog. Images of foggy marshes, dark forests, both surely enchanted and magical, quaint pastures turning to darker green amid the endless rain swaths, that is what you imagine while listening to these modern-day minstrels. The haunting keyboard work is guided judiciously by the rhythm section, as the brassy sax goes for another round, directing the listener to have a pint or three after this one at the local pub.

Leading the procession to the nearest watering hole, "The March of Time" galvanizes the thirst for more adventurous interplay, as the marshalling drums keep the line, a slick contrast between the rigid and the flowing develops musically. The meandering bass is very much set in its ways, quite flamboyant amid all the rhythmic jazz overtones, playfully scouring the heavens for inspiration and the final part is another psychedelic frolic, with a carping guitar lead that begs, cries, pleads and implores for some kind of deliverance, as Tree's unflinching voice waves a mournful goodbye. Kind off speechless, which is okay because I am typing after all.

That was the main menu, three whopping tracks that define this band better than ever before, and will comprise the album . I also received, as a secondary chapter, 2 snippets of varying length, "A Moment of Time" both based on the same ultra beautiful opening melody, reworked for those fussy fans out there, for whom a written page is a book, and an epic piece of prog, a huge burden on their attention span. One is "Extended", adding quite humorously I am sure, an extra minute to the 3 minute and 30 seconds running time. Tongue firmly in cheek. The five album covers are actually all one larger fresco of sorts, proving that these rebellious artists had a master plan all along and persevered, in time.

5 Everlasting Rolexes

*Originally written for theprogmind.com*

9/10

The Emerald Dawn is back with another offering. Their previous record, To Touch the Sky, was in my top 10 albums for 2021, and I think it would remain there even now. There is just something arresting about this band and their style. The new album is called In Time, and it releases on September 23rd.

This band fascinates me to no end. There is something spectacularly reserved and united about the style, and even though it may seem odd compared to some of the more cliché prog rock bands out there, I think they are better. The lineup for this album includes Tree Stewart on keyboards, Roli Seaboard, flute, and vocals; Ally Carter on guitars, tenor and soprano saxophones, and keyboards; Dave Greenaway on 6-string fretless and fretted basses, and Tom Jackson on drums.

Let me tell you why I love this band. I've been reviewing their works since 2017, and I continue to see them progress and grow. All four of these musicians are of the highest quality; they perform wonderfully and masterfully. But their sound is their own, and no one else really approaches what they do. As I've said in the past, they come from a progressive heritage that leans more towards Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, and the Moody Blues than the typical "big three" of Yes, Pink Floyd, and Genesis. I'm not saying they don't like those bands or anything, but I'm saying their music is more ambient, more spectral, and more interesting.

For In Time, the band has increased the level of intensity somewhat. To Touch the Sky is a haunting, faraway sort of record that echoes from the horizon of your mind. In Time is more grounded, and while their signature shadowy and dreamy sound is still there, you will hear instrumentals that have some fire to them. This album is a great balancing act between ambience and rock, and I think they handle it very well.

I mentioned the performances earlier, but I want to discuss them again. I absolutely love Ally's guitar work on this record; it is expressive with a sense of familiarity in its phrasing. He does a superb job here. Tree's vocals are better than ever, and I like how she adds little touches here and there to give the music even more character, and both Tree and Ally lay down an excellent layer of keys that define the band's sound, in my opinion. However, I will also say that Dave and Tom give us one of the best rhythm sections of the year on this album. I was mesmerized by the powerful and groovy bass that Dave injects into every nook and cranny, and the voluptuous fills and remarkable moments that Tom gives us on drums are real highlights.

In Time has spirit. I love how the band can transition from hopeful lyrical passages to serious rock vibes to playful and colorful instrumentals. These songs wind and weave with precision, even though the band makes it feel natural and peaceful. The opener, "Out of Time", is a great example. Tree sounds great on vocals with her message of encouragement and edification, but it's also the sparkling piano, amazing bass, and terrific guitar lines that make this 23-minute epic work. The second half features Middle Eastern flavors and haunting atmosphere, and the percussion becomes a highlight, and I love how the whole song comes full circle with more fervor near the end.

I think the second track, "Timeless", might be my favorite, though. This 15-minute piece is dark and bass-driven, and again Dave's bass just absolutely stuns. I love the ethereal keys and spacious atmosphere of this song, and one of the highlights is Ally's outstanding saxophone. I like the way he plays, not resorting to specific jazz refrains, but going wild and untamed with it. "Timeless" is just so good. I can't get enough of it.

The final track, "The March of Time", is the shortest piece at only about 8 minutes. You might guess that percussion plays a larger role here, and a marching beat is indeed a major part of it. However, maybe even bigger than the methodical drumming and deft cymbal dancing is the dark beauty of the keys; the keyboards on this mostly instrumental piece are simply amazing in how mysterious and even foreboding they sound, but even at their most razor-sharp, I find them immensely beautiful. I also appreciate the way Tree's vocals filter in near the end to add another layer of melody. That's just so good.

I might have to start calling The Emerald Dawn "one of my favorite bands" soon. I like all their albums, but To Touch the Sky and now In Time are just so damn good that I can hardly contain my enthusiasm. I love their sound and how they morph and twist it into new ideas, and I equally love when they just hang back with a casual, soothing portion that speaks volumes. In Time is a fantastic record from a band that deserves so much more recognition than they get.

Cornwall's most consistent band releases their fifth studio album in ten years.

1. "Out of Time" (23:13) (40.25/45) : - i. A Moment in Time - arpeggiating piano chord progression and synth strings open this and are soon joined by Aly Carter's searing electric guitar and gentle drum and bass play before Tree Stewart's weirdly distant voice sings. Tree hits some lovely high notes in the second half of the third minute. (8.875/10) - ii. Temporal Disruption - hard rockin' motif takes over over which Aly and Tree continue to perform in styles and with sounds as before. At 4:25 Dave Greenaway's bass takes center stage as organ and drums steadily support. Electric piano solos in a bluesy-jazz way in the sixth minute. The motif is tied up nicely in the first half of the seventh minute before the music returns to a gentler, more familiar The Emerald Dawn motif for Aly to return to his searing electric guitar sound & play. Tree's electric piano play is a little annoying for remaining in a higher octave for her recurrent and repetitive arpeggi. (8.875/10) - iii. Ouroboros Affronted - At the nine minute mark, gentle, spacious synth washes and note play provide transition and support to nice tribal percussion pattern. Tree sings as if from a distance something quite ethereal and hypnotic over the next 90 seconds before a horrible sax sound enters to echo Tree's vocal melody. The tenor sax then moves into a solo over the same tribal dream music as drummer Tom Jackson begins to take a few liberties with some tasteful accents and flourishes. In the fourteenth minute Tree's synth sound tries to duplicate and duel with Aly's sax before taking over with a solo that uses an Egyptian-sounding melody style. Interesting. At 15:45 Aly tries to take over the Egyptian melody with his electric guitar before ramping it up with the rest of the band into the more high-powered next section. (9/10) - iv. Temporal Reconciliation - a return to a faster, more energetic rock 'n' roll motif over/within which both Aly (guitar) and Tree (synth) solo together--seeming to try to stay together in a mutually supportive melodic progression (which is tighter than I'm capable of describing though both quite individualistic). (4.5/5) - v. A Moment in Time Recalled - slowing down to arpeggiated piano chords over which Tree sings about making time last forever. At 20:10 the pace quickens though the instruments remain constant. Aly's signatory guitar makes a brief appearance between Tree's vocals--which pleasantly hit those high notes again in the 22nd minute. (I just wish there wasn't such a weird effect on her voice--as if it's being recorded in the basement of a large beer storage cellar.) This section of the suite is definitely like a song within a song--and could stand alone quite easily. (9/10)

2. "Timeless" (including "The Eternal River" & "Janus Divided") (14:42) Great groove to start. By now, this, their fifth album, I've actually gotten used to the effect they stubbornly insist on using on Aly's saxophone. The motif with the six-note guitar riff "solo" in the fourth and fifth minute is so boring: just a very standard chord progression that the whole band performs in tandem while Aly plays that riff in key. Then the long drawn-out poorly cinematic passage over which Tree sings (in her weirdly-effected/engineered voice) feels like something from a cheap old video game soundtrack. At 8:35 they kick into an actually cool jazz motif with flute in the lead over the jazzy bass and drums and thick Mellotron-like wave chords. Nice drumming from Tom Jackson. At 10:15 there is another shift, this time into a nice solid groove from the rhythm section over which Aly injects his Andrew Latimer/Mike Oldfield-imitative guitar (with its odd sound). At least the bass and drums are interesting and enjoyable. At the 12-minute mark there is another shift, this time into a very CAN-like rhythm pattern over which synths and oddly-effected soprano saxophone play. After a minute and a half of this the rhythm section doubles their time while remaining glued to their two chord commitment as sax continues to solo. All stops at the 14-minute mark to allow a long, slow sound decay. (25/30)

3. "The March of Time" (including "The Time Weaver") (8:17) Military drums establish the rhythmic foundation over which effected fretless bass plays wildly and synths add their stringy lines. At 2:30 things shift into a cooler, more complex prog rhythm pattern (again: nice drumming) over which the bass and keys continue to play some mildly interesting CAMEL-esque lines and riffs. The bass really makes a mark starting at the end of the fourth minute--and the drums remain tight and interesting. The soloing instrument over the top finally makes an impact in the fifth and sixth minutes with some odd portamento slides. At the end of the sixth minute the music reverts to what sounds and feels like an old/standard go-to form over which both Aly's searing guitar and Tree's repeating vocalizations play out to the song's finish.(17.25/20)

Total Time 46:12

Another band that has remained quite consistent from its start (over ten years ago)--almost stubbornly so. The sounds they've latched onto from the engineering booth have never sat well with me--and this album may, in fact, present the most grating sound rendering of their five-album career--some part due to the remarkably simple and repetitive constructs they use in forming their songs. While I thought I was hearing improvements with 2021's To Touch the Sky, all ground gained seems now lost in a landslide of disappointing regression. I swear, at times I keep thinking that I could make better of this music than they've allowed to be publicly marketed. If it weren't for the first suite (which makes up half of the album) this might be considered a total flop by me. The band knows of my complaints with regards to their sound choices--and have remained steadfast in defense of them. Though I like and appreciate their overall sound and style, the little things that I've noted continue to go against my own preferences. Thus, my less-than effusive review.

B-/3.5 stars; a good but ultimately disappointing album that I've rated down for being the band's fifth album of the sameness.