KARFAGEN

I am familiar with the Ukrainian multi-instrumentalist Antony Kalugin and his musical project Karfagen (which means Carthago) from the very beginning, with their debut album entitled Continium, from 2006. I was delighted with the dual keyboard work. Since then Kalugin has turned into a very prolific musician: he has released many albums with Karfagen, but also founded other musical projects, from Hoggwash and Sunchild to AKKO and AKP. In April 2023 I was lucky to witness a Karfagen gig, in the Dutch prog temple De Boerderij, it was awesome! Here is a review of a 2022 album.

We can enjoy the trademarks of Karfagen: melodic and harmonic, mainly instrumental compositions, alternating between symphonic rock and Neo-Prog, with wonderful work on keyboards and guitar, and flowing shifting moods. My highlights.

Land Of Green (part 1): It starts dreamy with soaring keyboards, sounds of nature, then a slow rhythm with sensitive electric guitar (Andy Latimer inspired) and spacey Minimoog-like synthesizer flights. Gradually the music turns into more bombastic and dynamic, with a tight beat, fiery guitar and pleasant keyboards (organ and synthesizer). Halfway the propulsive percussion and sound of the saxophone evoke a sultry Middle-Eastern climate, followed by a saxophone solo. In the second part lots of shifting moods, with fine work on keyboards and guitar.

Land Of Green (part 2): A mellow piece with a jazzy climate, topped with electric piano, fragile electric guitar and spacey synthesizer. Halfway a sumptuous outburst, then a moving and howling guitar solo in slow rhythm, goose bumps. The final part is again jazzy and mellow. During this track Dutch master Focus comes to my mind.

Solis Festum: A short, mellow track, with fine guitar play and cheerful accordion.

Land Of Green (part 3): This one contains a swinging rhythm with fat synthesizer runs and brass, a good example of Karfagen, its pleasant variety.

Pastoral: A very short track featuring classical guitar in the vein of Steve Hackett, simply wonderful.

Garden Of Hope (part 1): Another jazzy oriented composition, between a slow swinging rhythm and bombastic eruptions, embellished with electric piano, saxophone, warm vocals, mellow organ and finally a flashy synthesizer solo and fiery guitar runs, wow.

Land Of Gold: This epic composition is my favourite one featuring lots of strong moments. From dreamy with spacey Minimoog-like synthesizer flights to a mid-tempo with tight beat and delicate work on the flute. From use of the distinctive vocoder sound to a fiery guitar solo. From a sensational pitchbend driven synthesizer solo to wah wah drenched guitar leads. And from a Latimer-like guitar solo to a flashy synthesizer solo with pitchbend and a mellow saxophone solo.

Finally Land Of Jazz: This is one of the 2 bonus tracks, it sounds dreamy with soft saxophone, a freaky synthesizer solo and finally tender piano.

A wonderful, very melodic and harmonic effort, a bit more towards jazz, with strong and pleasant work on keyboards, guitar and saxophone.

Antony Kalugin releases this companion piece to the original "Echoes From Within Dragon Island" which is titled "Dragon Island" and more appropriately sub-titled "Instrumental Symphonic Art Rock Suite". I won't go into a long, detailed review, you can read that in my original review of "Echoes From Within Dragon Island". One could argue 'why do such and album?' Has 'Antony just re-release the original album and removed the vocals?' No he hasn't. With "Echoes From Within Dragon Island", Antony put together a jigsaw puzzle, pulled it apart and then placed the pieces differently and it all still fit perfectly. "Dragon Island" is maybe more compact but it still provides a great rock album that is fluent, exciting, fun and passionate. This is a continuation I think of a favourite composition to me. Look at the last album by Transatlantic, "The Absolute Universe" in 2021. That now has four versions of which I love. The Abridged version, The Extended version, The Ultimate version which combines both the Abridged and Extended versions and then there is the live version. One can't get enough of wonderful music. I put this new Instrumental version on and it highlighted to me how good this is. The eloquent playing of Antony on keyboard in all forms of music and the seamless flow of his composition. The stunning virtuoso of guitarist Max Velychko makes the hair on my arms stand up every time. The track I really like is "Valley of the Kings" as it mainly centres on the main theme. The main theme is what draws you in instantly and encourages you to listen to the whole piece.

Truth is once I finished listening to this new album, it made me want to re-visit the "Echoes..." album. To me, this is now a three CD set. The music is still fresh, it is bright, it is fulfilling and an expressive, wonderful journey.

Overall "solitary sandpiper journey" was a great album. Note the album was mostly instrumental with few vocals from both Antony Kalugin and Marina Zakharova. While the instrumentals were amazing the vocals that are not as strong as they could be being it was one of the first albums Antony Kalugin sang on his vocals weren't that good yet and far from his prime. Most songs on the album featured an orchestral instrument giving it a slight orchestral theme and making the melody stand out a bit more, as well as give more color and variety of sound to the songs. Later in the album it introduces jazz themes and elements contrasting from the rest of the album. The final song of the album was an incredible epic to finish off the album. Overall good album that I would rate 4.5/5

One of Antony Kalugin's three project releases from the first half of 2023, this one rises to the top due to the fullness of the walls of sound brought on by his collaborators.

1. "Kingfisher and Dragonflies (Part 4)" (3:01) solo acoustic steel string guitar opens this before New Age keyboard synth notes begin backing up the guitar's melodies. Bass and some sparse drumming join in before group vocalese enters to also replicate the guitar and synth's melody line. It sounds very JON ANDERSON/ANT PHILLIPS-like. (9/10)

2. "Mysterious Forest (Part 1) - World in a Grain of Sand" (14:03) nice mature bombastic prog that checks all the boxes but doesn't offer anything very memorable much less to knock your socks off. (26.5/30)

3. "Mysterious Forest (Part 2) - The Ominous Ride" (4:21) a jazzy, keyboard-dominated opening turns prog fusion at 0:40 as piano and rhythm section support a lead guitar solo. At 1:35 electric piano takes over as the pace shifts into fourth gear. Nice bass play and synth wash background support. At 2:30 a buzz saw-like synth enters and competes for the lead but is then supplanted by a pyrotechnically flashy 21st Century electric guitar solo. Very nice song! (9/10)

4. "To Those Who Dwell in Realms of Day" (2:18) more than an interlude or étude (4.375/5)

5. "Birds of Passage and the Enchanted Forest" (19:02) reworked from a previous album (2020's Birds of Passage)--an album that was released in January of 2020, just before the COVID pandemic swept across the planet. Birds has been one of Antony's more popular and well-received releases--partly due, no doubt, to the collaboration of his usual posse of excellent musicians. It is quite well-constructed and performed with Antony's usual great NeoProg sound, I just have trouble endorsing the re-publication of a previously released piece of music. (36/40)

6. "Through the Whispers of the Wind" (1:38) beautiful acoustic guitar with synth-orchestral support. WILLOWGLASS-like. (4.375/5)

7. "Mysterious Forest (Part 3) - World in a Grain of Sand Reprise" (4:15) multiple keyboard-generated tracks are delicately woven together for the spacious support for the male vocalist's singing. After the brief first verse, electric tuned percussion signals entry to the chorus which, again, sounds quite JON ANDERSON New Agey. The synth, jazz bass, and metronomic drum supported nylon string guitar and saxophone solos only seal this sentiment. (8.66667/10)

8. "Birds of Passage and the Enchanted Forest" (single version) (9:59) song #5 here rendered into a "single" version. (Who's ever heard of a ten-minute "single"? I mean, the whole purpose of a single is to deliver a version that is appropriate for radio play--and I can think of very few pop radio stations that will play a ten-minute song!) I can't rate this too low because it is still wonderful, but it's not new! And it's been released as an epic-length song on the same album--three songs before! (17.5/20)

Total Time 58:37

I do not like republished music of older songs despite the fact that they may be better than their original versions (and despite the fact that as an artist myself I know and appreciate the desire to revisit and rework/edit one's previous work)--it feels like a trick played upon the consumerist public. I mean, if the music were offered free for those who purchased the original material, then that would be a different matter, but, if the original material wasn't good (or failed to get critical acclaim or approval) then so be it; you should have sat on it longer the first time.

Still, there is Antony's usual excellent, lush sound engineering and production here and quite a nice, fully developed palette of collaborator's inputs throughout the album's songs.

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you're into a more New Agey sound palette for your retro-prog.

Karfagen's "The Sandpipers Symphony" is a solid effort that showcases new tracks and alternate versions of previously released tracks. All of the tracks on this album were recorded between 2010 and 2017, containing a wide range of sounds and textures. The new material found here contains various "call-backs" to his previous albums while elaborating on those musical ideas. The real strength found on this album are the new tracks (1-7) which showcases impressive musicianship and songwriting. However, the rest of the tracks still are an interesting listen to fans of Antony Kalugin's music. While the album is an enjoyable listen, it doesn't quite reach the heights Antony Kalugin's essential discography. Overall, "The Sandpipers Symphony" is a good addition to any fan of the genre but it may not leave a lasting impact on those looking for groundbreaking Antony Kalugin release.

Fantastic addition to the classics "Birds of Passage" for those of you who knows original album really well (like i do ))) there are many of surprises here and there. First of all different core structure in places (so, for example song-single "The Day is Done" is part of a Birds Part 1 (from 17:16 to 20:06) ). Album has different master sound thats work absolutely fine with me. I like Piano Intermezzo - and I think Antony should have more tracks like this ;) Regarding sound quality: "the Day is Done" 2023 remaster (to my ears) is way better! I`m delighted by both "Birds" and "Dragon Island", they are both working perfectly as an instrumental albums that are solid without a feeling of being "deprived" or "sort of a raw demo", no, they both are an excellent addition to any Karfagens fan. Love it!

Pure Instrumental symphonic rock joy! I`ll try not to compare it with the original "Echoes from within.." , as it is one of my favourite albums. I`m open to this instrumental flow of music and as always, it does magic. I like the atmosphere and the updated sound on it. It`s not a new album and it`s not claim to be something innovative and groundtaking - it`s a treat for true Karfagen fans that are willing to hear some different script for the wellknown story. I know some friends that has stated that they like "Birds" more than original "Birds of Passage"! )) I like them both , like i do like both Dragons as they are chapters of one novel. And now we have a choice - to be driven by vocal theme, or just enjoy the magical landscapes of the instrumental suite. Antony is know what he`s doing and i`m grateful to him for revealing us some extra chapters with it`s own uniqeu charm. For true Karfagen fans - must have. For those, who`ll just dive into depth of Antons music - maybe better to start an acquaintance with expanded vocal version "Echoes from within the Dragon Island".

I find Anthony Kalugin's work, especially in Karfagen, to be really good retro prog. While I may not be the biggest Karfagen fan, when they release a new album, I'll indulge in what they have to offer. This went for last year's Land Of Green And Gold, and it goes for this year's releases of Birds, which is a instrumental re-interpretation of Birds Of Passage, and the band's big release of Passage To The Forest Of Mysterious. Now it may be recency bias, but, I find Passage To The Forest Of Mysterious to be an album worthy of being called a modern masterpiece.

I am honestly quite speechless when talking about this record as I am trying to review it right now, because really I feel like Anthony's craft is at a point where he has turned into a new league of his own. For starters, he has really made his compositions shine thoroughly, creating these big and vast lands of progressive rock magnitude that he has refined and practically perfected over the years. It is very clear in the bigger tracks like Mysterious Forest Part 1 and Birds Of Passage And The Enchanted Forest, but even in the smaller tracks like Kingfisher & Dragonflies Part 4 and To Those Who Dwell In Realms Of Day, we get these magnificent areas of exploration that I think are some really immaculate stuff all around.

Speaking of shorter songs, I feel like what really makes this album click for me is those smaller moments of greatness, stuff that makes these songs feel all the more special. For example, I love Mysterious Forest Part 3's ending with the moody and kinda smooth saxophone and guitar melody, which I think ends this album really amazingly, and that is only probably just a quarter in terms of that song. I just love those little things like that on here that make me feel like I really went on a journey.

The real stars here are definitely the bigger tracks of Mysterious Forest Part 1 and Birds Of Passage And The Enchanted Forest. Mysterious Forest Part 1 is a really great song to me, creating this giant but dense land of beautiful moments, showcasing Anthony's symphonically enriched prog rock really well in this grand spectrum, and one that I just love with my whole heart.

However, I honestly think Birds Of Passage And The Enchanted Forest might be one of the best prog epics Karfagen has put out, and definitely the best in terms of contenders of retro prog epics. For one, the music on it is so immaculate. I just love the reprisals from Birds Of Passage mixed within this grand and new frontier, going through moments that vary on sounds and styles of different prog genres, going through mostly symphonic prog textures and sounds, but also verging to neo prog, prog metal, folk, and jazzy moments that makes this song feel all the more epic as it spins around through these different soundscapes that the band clearly have a knack for. However, that is not the real reason why this song struck out to me. It is a lot different than that.

While I do not like to get into politics in my reviews, especially as grim as ones like this, I feel like it is worth talking about as it relates to the music and my listening experience. So, as you all might know, Ukraine was attacked by Russia last year and is still going through a ton of trouble, and many more countries are suffering similar situations, like Georgia. I have tons of sympathy for the Ukrainian people, even if I am not Ukrainian myself or live close by. With that, and since I knew Karfagen is a band from Ukraine, I had the thought of the conflict in my head while listening to it, and this song, and all the rest of the tracks on here, just made me realize how, even when they are attacked, and at war with a really big power like Russia, they can still make this joyous, and so celebratory music that hold so much weight in these dark times, and if I'm gonna be honest, this album on a few occasions nearly made me cry with just this fact alone. This goes back to the ending track of Mysterious Forest Part 3, and it's ending with those beautiful saxophones and guitars, that just gives me hope that things will be alright for those over across the pond. For that reason alone, I just couldn't help but fall in love with this album.

Passage To The Forest of Mysterious is an album that shines a bright hope in the face of these dark, dark times, and as it all stands, I feel like this is one such album I will revisit time and time again, even after (and hopefully soon) when the Ukraine conflict is resolved. This is an album that I think, no matter what your tastes are, should be listened to and supported. It is simply one that I think most deserves it, not only for its amazing music on display, but in general for these Ukrainians who need support in one of their darkest days. I have hope.

Passage to the Forest of Mysterious is the new Karfagen release consisting of two CDs. The music originates from both the 'Echoes from within Dragon Isle' and 'Birds of Passage'. The first disc named 'Passage to the Forest of Mysterious' begins with 'Kingfisher and Dragonflies', obviously harking back to the '...Dragon Isle'. Our first epic track follows which is just over 14 minutes and is called 'World in a Grain of Sand'. The lyrics of which informs us that everything, no matter how small is representative of the much larger world. This track starts with a very happy beginning, lovely and uplifting, pointing the way to lift your spirits of which the musicians echo this sentiment. Wonderful organ passages overlapped with synths. All instruments represent the moods of birds in flight, the wind in the trees, the enigma of the forest. Antony's magic is utilising his music to enhance these themes, stories and messages. You close your eyes, listen with intent and you are swept up in this world. Of course Igor Sokolskiy's artwork substantiates this fantastical world beautifully. The music represents the highest quality of prog music including to my surprise some true moments in my opinion that is very King Crimson. What I also like is the small tracks interspersed between the long tracks. They are acoustic pieces basically that gives a calming beauty to this forest.

The second disc labelled 'Birds' is an interesting disc. Antony has re-worked the music from the 'Birds of Passage' sessions. This starts off with the 22 minute 'Birds (part 1)' being an instrumental version highlighting the creational musical elements from the original album. What is more amazing is even though this is representative of the 'Birds of Passage' album, it is also a brand new piece. One could say it is even an extension. This shows the depth and creativity of Antony. That he can revisit this past album and still compose a new opus that belongs and still distinguishes itself as a separate entity.

This 'Birds' version is full of high energy and delivers a sensuous, uplifting and invigorating sense of feeling. The same expert musicians provide their talent again. Both guitarists Mathieu Spaeter and Max Velychko do their magic, the energetic drummer Viktor Syrotin, Olga Rostovska's elegant background vocals, Konstantin Ionenko's creative bass playing, Maria Baranovska's cheeful violin and Elena Kushchii's flourishing flute encompasses the whole of these two discs.

Both discs have a familiar and unfamiliar listening experience. Even if you have both 'Echoes from within Dragon Island' and ' Birds of Passage', you won't regret buying this for further listening. If you haven't got these albums, after listening to this, you will want to buy both albums also.

More magic from the Master. Absorb it all with joy.

Well it wouldn't be a new year without another album by this prolific band from Ukraine, that being Karfagen. However, since the 2023 albums are a continuation (or so I have heard) of their 2020 release of Birds of Passage, I thought to, instead of listening and reviewing the most recent endeavors of Antony Kalugin's passion project, I would instead review something that happened a little earlier.

Whilst many might consider this work to be somewhat of a prog by numbers ordeal, which isn't too surprising since a lot of retro prog is kinda like that, I think Karfagen does create a unique enough job to warrant some attention and love, with the band using their music less to tell a certain tale or message like other prog bands, but more as a drive for Antony's expansion of sound, which think gives this whole project a little extra charm, as from his past works to here, you can really tell how he improved throughout it all.

This album is essentially one big song, being split up into two 20+ minute movements, much like Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick or Frank Zappa's Lumpy Gravy, though there is also some bonus material too to work with.

For starters on this full coarse prog meal, the big epic of Birds of Passage is some high class prog rock fun. I personally love the first part the most, on how it builds, and how jovial it all is and remains throughout. I really love the synths on this track, they work really greatly with the guitars and drums. They kinda have this 80s neo prog energy to them sometimes, which I think works really well with what Antony is going for here. I also like the second part too, being a bit more calm, but still equally fun and bombastic from the first part, though I think the first part of this track has the stronger ending.

While I do not quite care for bonus tracks, I think Karfagen is a band where the bonus tracks are pretty indistinguishable from the full albums to where they are practically a part of the standard track listing. The tracks on here of Spring, Sunrise, and Birds Short Introduction are fine. I find the best out of these three to be Spring as I think it to be a pretty good and focused track all around, utilizing the sounds found on the two big songs into something a bit more bitesize. For the other two, I think Sunrise is alright, it is a fine kinda ambient track from all the progginess going on, but Birds Short Introduction is kinda unnecessary since you already listened to the two big epics that this intro is apart of, I just find it to be needless, though it isn't on the cd releases, which I think tells me more about that track than anything else. Either way, despite my thoughts on 2 / 3 of the tracks here, I think the bonus material is neat, and at times, really good.

I think that Birds of Passage achieves a great amount of stuff in the prog ring, though I think most would simply listen to the album for the big tracks and nothing more, but even then the big tracks on here make up a really great 40+ minutes of your time. I think if you like the more pastoral side of modern prog that groups like The Flower Kings and modern day Kaipa create, plus a bit of that cool and crisp energy of old school neo prog groups in the 80s had, I definitely suggest checking this out. This may not be the best Karfagen release, but if someone asked me what album they should check out first to get into Karfagen, I'd give them this.