BRIGHTEYE BRISON

This Swedish quintet is one of the better examples of retro-prog. The sound is unashamedly rooted in 1970s giants like Yes and Genesis, and they remind me a lot of the better moments of Spock's Beard. The music is filled with lush synths and organ, and the guitar has a noticeably modern style of distortion to it. While the songs are often in progressive rock's usual serious tone, there are lighter, fun moments sprinkled throughout. I do have some critiques, though. The vocals are competent on most of the album, but a few passages sound weak. Additionally, this album is just so damn long. I know this is a common gripe, but the closing song is nearly 37 minutes long (and that's after the combined 30 minutes of the first two songs), and it is really, really, really difficult to make a song that long consistently engaging. They do their best, but it does leave me looking at my watch occasionally.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/06/20/odds-ends-june-20-2019/

BRIGHTEYE BRISON is a Swedish group that was high on PROG foundations origins as GENESIS, ELP, YES, GENTLE GIANT (which I always read as much harm to their base despite his musical energy) and later Magellan or THE FLOWER KINGS. He also took more northern groups as influences ANEKDOTEN, Landberk and was able to introduce himself themes for WOBBLER more recently. In his titles often drawers, one can if one tends a little ears hear reminiscences of TOTO, ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, YOSO and even some basic agreements in the eternal touches everything JOE JACKSON. Do not forget that one of the musicians worked in ANGLAGARD too. Suffice to say that hand on complex sounds of epic symphonic structures with wagons, musical jolts, vocal harmonies and stellar arrangements, while keeping a cool frame by his willing breaks returns. In short, Brighteye BRISON released his 5th album entitled "V"; it is with "stories" in 2006 that I became acquainted with their music being inveterate fan of GENESIS, but that we do not care, let's get to what this latest installment in the belly and do not tell "it is my understanding it is a revival of GENESIS YES, it's good I see where it will take me if I listen to" listen, not read! (Please !!!) let's get to what this latest installment in the belly and do not say 'that's it I realized it is a revival of GENESIS YES, it's good I see where it will take me if I' listening, "listen, not read! (Please !!!) let's get to what this latest installment in the belly and do not say 'that's it I realized it is a revival of GENESIS YES, it's good I see where it will take me if I' listening, "listen, not read! (Please !!!)

3 titles, 3 titles for more than 66 minutes of music, then you install: 3, 2, 1: 'The Crest of Quarrel "starts thus with the shortest title, the one with the newest sound in my opinion; Here the sounds remind me MAGELLAN and last time of the great GENESIS with the tunes of "Duke" for example YES and often maligned, one after 76, shorter but more technical in my opinion. Otherwise, we are dealing with an anthology of notes taking to a prog universe by combining convolutions times phrasing, musical then both at the same time; it's beautiful, intense, almost epic and the end of melody 11'35 '' will remind you a little dinosaur which bit them in their cradles! "V" and 17 minutes Air intro flirts on the YES time "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and then start up to 1'35 '' makes you surrender; sound mix, it's even a riff hard limit, but very quickly to 4 a break with synth organ and accordion support from a guitar arpeggio attracts the ear; it put the voice to melt the most recalcitrant to guitar solo enjoyable, the organ always in the background putting pressure on the memories; then a return with this bass to the "Steppin 'Out" JOE JACKSON even CHRIS SQUIRE done from that title to the austere territories prone to daydreaming. Back with part phrased almost too conventional and a tour guitar then climb to synth-piano solos. A little further, it is to the organ T. BANKS one is brought with digressions almost jazzy at times, to bring even further in the time of proto-prog? Personally, it reminds me the rhythm breaks on "90125" thereby avoiding long trademark titles ... YES !! Yessien

"The Magician II Chronicles share" or following the penultimate album for just 36 minutes musical maze, for the most gross way, the most archaic, the most violent too; to digress notes bringing the neophyte to fall naked before so much innovation, for one who follows and knows just a wonder to see the dial and associate sounds with melody tunes of large groups mentioned above! ... at 3'15 '' I thought they were going to sing "yes" as on one of the albums of their master out. Well, what if it is that this title is as a letter in the mail with a succession of rhythms, tunes quite different from each other and a voice repeating the common thread to avoid too disperse. There are plenty of sounds more or less heard by my ear which adds nicely to being seduced and conquered. Note also that snub to 9'30 '' to YES symphonic and air 12 'necessarily somewhat reminiscent of "The Gates of Delirium" Roine STOLT even at that time, so reprocessed BRIGHEYE BRISON and break dreamlike; there is even the "Supper's Ready" a little further is that the ears are for their anvils and hammers other! There is also bombastic tunes, festive, a little medieval who would go so well for Soundtrack Film! Around 25 minutes another tense at the organ that melts again, once we remained unmoved. And to drive the point (and not the anvil if you have followed) a little further I will let you wait for the piano 24'50 '' which leads you to the referral of the organ of 25'10 "for a moment ambience Cathedral spleen. The voice again and again a little gypsy tunes and good jazz guitars association from shoving the place given to the organ. Hop! And about 32 minutes still air "Steppin 'Out" (yes I fell in small and yes I like it !!) to recalibrate the title and starting toward a final rock with his guitar before and powerful choruses. That's it, it's over! yet the tune of "Steppin 'Out" (yes I fell in small and yes I like it !!) to recalibrate the title and starting toward a final rock with his guitar in front and powerful choruses. That's it, it's over! yet the tune of "Steppin 'Out" (yes I fell in small and yes I like it !!) to recalibrate the title and starting toward a final rock with his guitar in front and powerful choruses. That's it, it's over!

Well, what about that huge CD? Oh, great for descaling pregnant; to make a small regression too long on the 70s version of Hammond organ, spleen, joyful sadness, go an oxymoron by one !! For the rest, focus, sound there is very good but I'm missing a little more personal to bring this group at the highest level. In fact I find this very good album, incorporating the best original groups without repetition either, but I lack a bit of pure creation.

I've heard this group compared to Yes and Genesis, but to me they sound more like Kansas or Starcastle, albeit with Yes and Genesis aspirations. And it's for this reason - - the group's conscious and transparent channeling of 1970s symphonic-prog bands - - that I'd classify V as neo-prog.

Although Brighteye Brison imitates the sound of 1970s Genesis and Yes, only a few specific passages of V strike me as directly derivative. In this sense the band is more like Kansas than Starcastle. The originality here is largely constrained to original twists on the classic symphonic sound, especially on the thirty-seven-minute (!) 'The Magician Chronicles - Part II.' At 3:13 on that track, for example, the song moves out of an energetic opening, closely resembling the 'Waiting for the Sun' by the Doors, into an acoustic-guitar-led vocal movement even more closely resembling the first verse of Yes's 'Machine Messiah.' Soon an analog- sounding synth noodles over the guitar, à la Yes's 'And You And I.' Later there's a piano part reminding me of the the verse of Styx's 'The Best of Times.' But most of 'The Magician Chronicles - Part II' more indirectly reflects Brighteye Brison's influences. For example, several instrumental sections echo Genesis, while several vocal parts bear a passing resemblance to Asia.* But to be fair, if this track is a pastiche of classic styles, it's a very creative pastiche, skillfully executed.

Despite its length, though, 'The Magician Chronicles - Part II' isn't really a single, cohesive work; to use another Yes comparison, it's a series of related songs with distinct beginnings and endings, like Side A of Fly From Here - - not a long-form suite like 'The Gates of Delirium.' There's evidently a detailed storyline going on here, but I couldn't find the lyrics online, and no liner notes accompanied my (electronic) copy of the album. (There is a Part I, by the way, constituted by the three songs on the band's prior album.) Unlike the five songs that comprise the 'Fly From Here' suite, the pieces of 'The Magician Chronicles - Part II' sometimes seem to be sequenced randomly, and some of the repetition appears to add little more than length.

The other two pieces on V, 'The Crest of Quarrel' and the title track, are cut from the same cloth, although each is a bit more original, and, at twelve and seventeen minutes respectively, they're more focused than 'The Magician Chronicles - Part II.'

In all, V is an enjoyable album, even if wears its influences on its metaphorical sleeve, and even if its centerpiece is a bit overlong. I'll bet that neo-prog fans will appreciate this one as much as will eclectic-prog aficionados.

*as much as I feel that, in general, Brighteye Brison is reflecting 1970s progressive rock, the specific examples I'm reminded of actually range from the late 1960s through the early 1980s.

It has been quite a while since I last heard anything by this Swedish band, so long ago that they are in Volume 1 of my books containing my reviews from 1991-2006, when I reviewed their second album 'Stories' and raved over it. This is their fifth release, as one may have guessed, and in the last 13 years there has just been the one line-up change with drummer Erik Hammarström replacing Daniel Kåse. The rest of the line-up is still Linus Kåse (piano, electric grand, synthesizers, saxophones, vocals), Per Hallman (organ, Mellotron, clavinet, synthesizers, vocals), Kristofer Eng Radjabi (bass, Taurus, Theremin, vocals, synths) and Johan Öijen (guitars). Yes, you read that right, two keyboard players with the welcome use of not only piano and organ but also a Mellotron, while there is also a Theremin being used (and it can easily be heard at certain points, being musical as opposed to just creating a noise).

Multi-layered, with vocal harmonies being an essential major part of their music, it would be easy for one to believe this is over-egged and can become too sickly, but the guitar cuts through when the time is right (both as an acoustic and powering electric). There are just three songs on the album but given the shortest is more than 12 minutes in length, and the longest well in excess of half an hour, there is never any danger of feeling short changed. Complex and complicated, yet somehow also incredibly entertaining and enjoyable from the very first listen, this is a superb release. I remember 'Stories' making a big impact on me and I do wish I hadn't lost touch over the years, but this is a real return to form. It may have been eight years since their last album, 'The Magician Chronicles - Part I', but they have announced they are back with a bang. Their last three albums were all on Progress Records, which I don't think is active anymore since the sad passing of founder Hansi Cross in August 2017, but in Bad Elephant they have found a new home. Let's hope it isn't so long until the next one, as symphonic, layered, beautifully arranged yet still rocky music like this deserves to be heard.

Brighteye Brison from Swden was founded in 2001 and released four studio-albums between 2003 and 2011. And now anno 2019, after 8 long years for the fans, here's the new album simply entitled V. I am only familiar with their third effort entitled Believers & Deceivers from 2008, so it took more than 10 years before I had my second musical encounter with Brighteye Brison. Was it worth waiting that long? Yes!

1. The Crest of Quarrel (12.31) : It starts with a long intro featuring sound effects, then Minimoog flights in a tight mid-tempo beat, gradually turning into a slow rhythm. To me the music sounds as a blend of symphonic rock (vocal harmonies and Hammond like Yes), Neo-Prog (tight beats, song oriented) and AOR (Eighties Styx and Kansas). Next a slow rhythm with lush strings, a pumping bass, Hammond waves and warm vocals and vocal harmonies, very melodic, harmonic and accessible, with a pleasant colouring by Minimoog flights and guitar riffs. The final part is bombastic with again the Minimoog, vocal harmonies, powerful guitar and tight rhythm-section.

2. V (17.27) : First an impressive intro with the unsurpassed vintage sound by the Minimoog and Mellotron violins, along fiery guitar. Then a tight beat, embellished with piano, rock guitar and pitchbend driven synthesizer flights, again very pleasant and accessible. Now the music turns into very inspired by Yes its worldwide hit single Owner Of A Lonely Heart, the spirit of this song reigns over the entire composition: a swinging rhythm with rock guitar, vocal harmonies, heavy guitar riffs, like "modern prog meets AOR". Next majestic Mellotron violins, and then interplay between acoustic guitar and the distinctive Theremin, topped by vocal harmonies, an original musical idea. During the rest of this epic composition the music alternates between symphonic rock, Neo-Prog and AOR, coloured by tasteful work on vintage keyboards (Hammond, Minimoog and Mellotron) and harder-edged guitar, it sounds dynamic, melodic and harmonic, the atmospheres shift from hypnotizing to bombastic. In the compelling final part a Bach inspired Hammond solo and heavy guitar with howling runs (Malmsteen, Blackmore and Vai come to my mind), this band knows how to please its fans!

3. The Magician Chronicles - Part II (36.52) : Brighteye Brison now goes to the extreme with this mega epic composition, and presents the most symphonic rock inspired music on this album ( but it also borders with Neo-Prog and AOR at some moments). From the Rick Wakeman inspired intro with the mighty church organ sound and Minimoog flights to the bombastic final part featuring vocal harmonies, a moving electric guitar solo and a lush Hammond organ sound. In between cascades of flowing shifting moods, from dreamy and slow rhythms to mid-tempo and bombastic. This is wonderfully coloured by strong vocals (and lots of vocal harmonies), excellent harder-edged guitar work, vintage keyboards (a lot of 'Minimoog Extravaganza', along Mellotron, Hammond and Hohner clavinet), the distinctive Theremin and varied piano play. The music evoke the sound of bands like Eighties Yes, The Flower Kings, Glass Hammer and Spock's Beard, also very melodic, harmonic and accessible.

Brighteye Brison has delivered a very tastefully arranged album that will please those progheads who like Old School oriented symphonic rock that borders with modern prog, Neo-Prog and AOR.

This review was recently published in a slightly different version on the Dutch progrock website Background Magazine.

4,5 stars really !!! I quote BRIGHTEYE BRISON like one of the best and more originals bands which emerges in progressive rock scenery in 21st Century. Best because they are fantastic musicians and originals due to produce a excellent music in terms of arrangements including in their themes, a good dose of "filigrees"... ( as expected by a good prog artist) but, producing a sound very accessible even to non-prog fans ( how already said SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator apps79 in their review#193937, Posted Tuesday, December 16, 2008) and I make the same advice - in spite be "more accessible" isn't a pop music using prog elements !!! The album join together intricate vocals parts like in track 2 "Patterns" with a "nasal-choir" starting 1 min 08 sec in duet with electric guitar melody and again starting at 3 min 19 sec when appear a intermission with acoustic-piano/vocal/electric guitar ( this last seems to me very close to Steve Howe's use of Danelectro Coral Sitar guitar but, I'm not sure). In track 3 "Isolation" in a brief passage the electric guitar shows the same timbre as in the previous track , but the highlights comes by the keyboards variety types ( including hammond-organ, acoustic-piano, synthesizers etc... ) . The track 4 "The Battle of Brighteye Brison" mix symphonic/heavy prog (one of better moments in the album ). The track 6 "Late" is a almost dancing theme with remarkable guitar solo and hypnotic acoustic-piano ( other great moment ). In track 8 "All love" brings a nylon-guitar accompaniment with sax and trumpet parts ! In resume this album is very close to a masterpiece and my rate is 4 stars with a great applause !!!

Despite its short 44-minute length "The Magician Chronicles - part 1" has enough room to present the talents of the Swedish proggers Brighteye Brison, who yet again after their well received "Believers&Deceivers" put out a very good album. The opening 23 minute epic "The Rise of Brighteye Brison" moves smoothly in its transitions, having an overall pretty symphonic feeling. The keyboard and sax maestro Linus Kåse presents many quite fresh sounds and themes and the rest of the band also fills their parts with quite stellar musicianship. A memorable composition both in melody and structure. The other two tracks are also solid but not quite on the masterpiece level of the first track. This album shows once again that those following the legacy of Yes, Genesis and the kind need not to stick on similar soundscapes and tried patterns to retain that wondrous atmosphere found in the 70s classics.

BRIGHTEYE BRISON came in life in 2000 in Stockholm,when Linus Kase joined forces with Royal College of Music's student Kristofer Eng.The line-up was completed with Linus' elder brother Daniel and drummer Johan Oijen.Influenced by 70's progressive rock,the band recorded their first full-length album between 2001 and 2002,finally released in 2003 on Rivel Records.The mastering and mix of the album was completed by Per Hallman,later to join the band as a full-time member.

STYLE: Unquestionably this is a mixed bag of sounds with obvious 70's references,headed by the 30-min. epic ''One year alone'',which represents everything around BRIGHTYEY BRISON's sound.The compositions can be adventuruous,challenging and rich yet always catchy and melodic.Lots of piano-driven grooves,symphonic passages,intricate interplays,soft ballad moments,even some fusion parts.In the vocal section contribute three out of four members, delivering often very interesting polyphonic parts.The band insist on using mainly analog keys (organ,mellotron),however the sound is very modern,fresh and pleasant. Heavy Rock,Symphonic Prog,Fusion even Pop are mixed in this album in an interesting way.

INFLUENCES/SOUNDS LIKE: From the 70's imagine the melody and harmonic parts of GENESIS and YES mixed with RUSH's power and GENTLE GIANT/QUEEN multi-vocal harmonies.The closer modern comparison are definitely SPOCK'S BEARD with some touches of compatriots A.C.T. and THE FLOWER KINGS.

PLUS: Despite the variety of influences,BRIGHTEYE BRISON manage to blend them in an awesome way.Fusion meets Pop meets Classic 70's Prog in every track and in a great catchy way.Analog use of keyboards make the sound pleasantly nostalgic.The vocals are excellent,both on the individual or multi-parted performances.Production is of top class.

MINUS: Total lack of originality I would dare to say,with plenty of the contained stuff sounding like SPOCK'S BEARD more than SPOCK'S BEARD themselves.Calmer material can't be even compared with the more intensive parts,being dramatically of less interest.

WILL APPEAL TO:...Classic Prog fans and music followers who want to start their journey to progressive music with a quite catchy album representing the Classic Prog sound today.

CONCLUSION/RATING: ''Brighteye brison'' is a real winner among modern bands' debuts and contains all of this material,which made us love prog music.The band however should find its own identity on the way,before being accused as another clone.The talent is there,I bet they can do it much much better.3.5 stars.

I can do nothing else than join this massive choir of praise for this magnificent example of that progressive rock still is a relevant and alive genre!! The things I enjoy the most I guess is that there is not only loads of nods to the old prog-masters (Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd and the likes) of the seventies but also to bands like ELO, Return To Forever and Swedish fusion combos like EGBA and Kornet (also from the seventies)! Somebody here in an earlier review said that they sound more like an American prog band than a Swedish one. I agree on that. You can tell they have been inspired by Echolyn, Spock's Beard. Still they have their own distinct sound firmly rooted in the seventies tradition. It definitely is a huge leap forward from previous album Stories which is nice but perhaps a bit unfocused in comparison to Believers & Deceivers. I don't want to be careful with those fivers so I'll give this five starsNow I just can't wait to see them att Slottskogen Goes Progressive in Gothenburg Aug 22nd. Will be a blast!!

As some have already stated so convincingly, this recording is a quantum leap forward (truly honing their style and progressing) from earlier material. In fact, I returned my copy of their debut; it just didn't hit any kind of chord. Some may wonder why a generous rater as yours truly even has dud albums to review but I just coldly get rid of them (sorry too many amazing albums out there!). This is certainly lethal material, incorporating old school exhilarations with modern ornamentations and proposing first-rate vocals to boot. "Pointless Living" launches forward with a current undertone of rage led by an obese and highly trebled bass torpedo recalling the Squire ways, with stunning melodies that slash harshly and just as quickly subside into quasi-folkloric settings, nothing overstaying their welcome, when the vocalist blitzes ahead, escorting his backing vocal cohorts into the land of sublime harmony. A blistering synth solo adds more lather to the spume, rippling uncontrollably. There are hints of classic Caravan or even a proggier version of Pure Reason Revolution (those darn harmony vocals) that explain the traditional way of doing things. Guitarist Öijen (now that's a name for you) unleashes a few intriguing lines, both rhythmically as well as soloing with furious aplomb. "After the Storm" suggests odder environments, jazzier noodlings that appear out of seemingly nowhere, recalling the jazz- rock greats (you know who you are) of the past. The guitar solo is masterful, with touches of Holdsworthian slipperiness, searing notes a la Santana if needed and a rabble rousing synth blast only seduces more. With 2 accomplished and full-time keyboardist (Linus Kase and Per Hallman), a rock solid drummer in Erik Hammarström and the propelled bass bottoms fingered by Kristofer Eng, the colossal 20 minute + "The Harvest" presents church organ and Hammond organ up front and center, buttered by deep mellotron layers and gashed by some weird ambient atmospherics. Verging on gruesome, the bass eruptions are tectonic, bathed in chaotic fuzz until a slowly blossoming theme takes this into another direction. Even though one can easily detect some overt liftings (a Genesis rhythmic snippet here, a touch of Emersonian bravado, some later counterpoint harmony singing that would make Gentle Giant blush with envy), all is done within context and extreme reverence , the introduction of a jazzy saxophone confirming their intelligence in keeping the listener off guard. A restrained respite of gentle ambience prepares a main chorus that recall the simplest innocence , swirling synths patrolling the skies, opaque waves of mellotron filling in the blanks, torching it off to the guitarman , who takes this sucker into the stratosphere. Now if that wasn't enough, catch your breath because the finale is a mastodon epic, the 34 minute "The Great Event" and suavely incorporates all the ingredients that make this a must have addition to any collection. Not to many epics that can knock this one off the podium, this magnificent musical adventure begins with a classic Floydian grandeur, certainly psychedelic ("How would you like to live in space"), deep felt sax swerves and then boosting it up with a more upbeat section, interrupted by that Giant quote I mentioned earlier (incredible gall) and slammed by some inquisitive keyboard densities. Again the double keyboard attack produces some solid playing, the bass pounding uncontrolled, the sax blurting nicely and the raging guitar kicking you in the guts. The displayed daring is unrelenting and almost cocky, willfully stretching the boundaries while maintaining the basic theme throughout. This is no collage of assorted themes and styles, edited together to make one long pretentious megalith like so many have done in the past but instead a musical whole that has shape, form and depth. The unexpected interventions are welcome diversions that heighten their appeal and it becomes easy to see why fans would love this intensely. It's not an easy listen, requiring repeated plays in the audio system thus undeniably revealing new perceptions and appreciations. The vocal work is quite splendid as mentioned previously, even using effects when least expected, the harmony work is sinfully adept at tingling the spine. When dealing with a colossal piece, it behooves the composers to keep things creative yet clearly structured and these Swedes have certainly passed the grade in flying colors, alternating the hard and the urgent with the sweet and the pastoral, various solos adding to the embrace. Yes, its retro yet very contemporary, fully deserving of the high ratings here. I am pleasantly surprised. Now about that first album.....

4.5 Swedish meatballs served with lingonberries