ASTURIAS

Opener `Double Helix' is a frantic crash of uptempo neo-prog styled keyboards, commanding violin and winding guitar. Amongst the classical sound there's a snappy aggression to the performance, especially the driving drum-work. The band sounds so confident charging in with this one! The suitably titled `Voice From Darkness' has a more somber dramatic mood, heavier and displaying even occasionally brief sinister moments. Very stirring and darkly sophisticated, nice hypnotic synths and bass throughout too. `Castle In The Mist' is the first epic, with a lovely reflective violin theme at the start and end of the piece, a heartfelt piano/bass middle section, and a powerful main guitar theme reprised throughout with a fiery solo to end on too. The punchy `Moondawn has very neo-prog electric guitar melodies and matching synth runs, with a nice playful jazzy improv section in the middle. A shorter track, it serves as a nice break between the longer pieces. The second epic `Silent Tears' opens with an endless emotional guitar melody and solo, playing in a lonely Santana style with lots of sustained notes that makes it quite heart-wrenching. A weeping violin soon comes in with the rest of the band playing the same melody, but even just the single instrument change dramatically alters the mood. The band then heads in a jazzy fusion direction with piano and full band, the violin and guitar play the exact same melody but take turns to briefly solo - a wonderful and tasteful duel!

Now we come to the three part epic `Suite Of Fate" - We prog fans do love a good multi-part suite! `i. Fugue' is a darkly classical short instrumental performed on church organ and electric guitar. Little bits of Genesis and ELP in this, as well as fellow Japanese band Ars Nova but with less bombastic aggression! The highlights of the upbeat `ii. Argus Last Stand' are jazzy piano, a couple of cool synth solos and a busy drum showdown flying around the dancing violin. After a misleading delicate piano intro, `iii. The Lancer' is a great snappy and energetic number where all members get rapid-fire solos and standout moments.

The album seems to be only available as an expensive imported Japanese CD, but is worth every cent. Not sure if it's hard to come by already, but I urge listeners who are impressed with online sample tracks to get themselves a copy. This album is credited to Electric Asturias to differentiate from the project's acoustic albums. While I love the visually simple but striking front cover artwork, I'm a little conflicted about the the CD's bright pink spine, but at least it's easy to find on the CD shelf!

Easy to listen to, but full of subtlety, hidden complexity and surprising depth, `Fractals' offers the perfect balance of restrained talented musicians knowing when to hold back and let the music breathe, while still impressing with their technical prowess and ear for good memorable hooks. This incredibly energetic, intense and inventive album is a complete joy to listen to, and exactly the reason why we listen to progressive rock in the first place. I'm glad to see several raters have also awarded the album the highest rating.

Along with the most recent `Kotobel - Concerto For Piano And Electric Ensemble', this one offers some of the finest instrumental progressive rock music of recent years, really raising the bar for other bands. Couldn't be more highly recommended, and I couldn't imagine my collection without it.

Five stars.

Mike Oldfield influence as well is back full strenght on learly all tracks.

Fountain would have passed unaltered into the 70's Mike Oldfield discography, except it's one of the shortest track. Woods would have made it into Incantations.

Pilgrimage is near perfect. Paradise gives us some rest before the contrasted Storm and (most of all) Soul Trees, the most appealing track for prog fans. Now that's waht we call dynamics !

An album that will probably please this website readers more than any previous Asturias effort. A fully instrumental and mesmerizing product.

Would give a clear 4,5 if possible.

It is also further form the prog core than BIRD EYES VIEW, definitively bending to the classical-jazz zone.

Classic Medley is, well ..., what it's name implies and of relative interest.

While BEV was a pure instrumental opus, MGOTH incorporates voices (in japanese), wich also gives folk impulses and even new-age tones here and there (Benikoh).

Coral Reef is a delightfull ballad échoing guitar and clarinet.

The new mix Adolescencia is not a success ; Woman of Ireland, on th other hand, is an interesting jap-irish folky fusion with some charm.

Interpretation is top; sound is clear; recording is perfect; pleasure is there. It is just that little something missing that would turn that very good into something absolutely unforgetable. Maybe just a bit too light ? Maybe a lack of contrast ?

Notably, synth is replaced by acoustic strings or clarinet and the whole thing gain a perceptible sound depth (call it symphonic) and dynamics laking in the previous opus. Composition themselves are not fundamentaly changed ; the effort is done on the arrangments level.

Global Network is a light new piano-driven composition. Distance and Bird Eyes View are also new, albeit weaker compositions.

The two older songs are in fact the best tracks of the album. Adolescencia (from 1993 Cryptogam Illusion) gains are significant.

Ryu-Hyo, taken from 1988 Circle in the Forest, is the best track, based on piano, guitar and clarinet arpeggio sustaining a sensitive violin part.

It's an album that may not be of immediat access but grows in you the more you listen to it.

"Pilgrimage" has moments mimicking After Crying's grand pacing and harmonious blending of instruments. Another touchstone might be early Gandalf, but I never heard Gandalf as inventive or able to bring out the best in the whole band as Asturias. Most songs are a mix of acoustic and electric instruments, with Yoh Ohyama pulling out the Mike Oldfield setting on his electric and acoustic guitars quite often. Ohyama's acoustic guitar playing can also make his songs sound like a Michael Hedges piece.

Each piece is a study of a very disciplined and integrated band, with a very rounded sound like Camel. "Storm" brings out the full force of the ensemble, electrified like a rock band, and with a big percussion group. The tracks for the two Parts are not separated by quiet space, but merge into each other, which creates a very nice listening experience.

Very recommended for Mike Oldfield and Japanese offshoots like Shengetsu, Flat122 and LU7.

Cold beauty isn't bad thing at all. Big ensemble of musicians gives this power and it's quite nice to listen to this complex composition (not one of these songs is simple, again victory for common sense and music lovers).

Rogus is different, more heavier (even nothing extreme in general, but when compared to previous and later song/s, it's audible. Even the song follows basically the same structure. Last epic track is calm composition that uses this length in different way than previous songs. More depends on silent, quiet parts, there's no rush in this track.

4(-), Japan scores again, even this epic doesn't please me as I though it will.

Overall, strong melodies are in greater abundance here, with the main hook of "Nostalgia" being most reminiscent of "Circle". "Highland" ameliorates the strongest achievements of MIKE OLDFIELD's "Incantations" by focusing less on driving home the same point and more on letting listeners make their own. Still, the high point for electric ASTURIAS is the 100% scrumptious new age hard rock of "Rogus". I just don't even want to bother finding a point of comparison - you simply have to hear the piano and fuzzy lead guitar mix. One friend described it as a good motivator whether at work or driving in the car.

Like in their debut album, the title cut is an extended affair with strong and weak moments. This one isn't quite as impressive but does include some ethereal tunes and vocals by Yoko Ueno. Some of the themes sound so familar, like they could have been used on the original Star Trek, which of course adds to the nostalgic effect of ASTURIAS.

Hats off to a group that can make technology sparkle as brilliantly as the meltwaters from Mount Fuji, such that it can be enjoyed without sense of shame or guilt by anyone with a still beating heart.

"In Search of the Soul Trees" is a wholly instrumental effort, a suite divided in two parts, each comprising five sections. The concept on which it is based has with a definite 'new-age' flavour - a spiritual journey deeply rooted in nature, the titles of the various sections suggest. Even though all this might sound rather déjà vu, the good news is that the music actually succeeds in reflecting the content, and makes for a worthwhile listening experience.

For the recording of this album Ohyama has gathered an impressive roster of talented musicians to complement his own remarkable skills. The result is a rich, well-rounded orchestral sound, with lots of variation within the same section to keep the listeners' attention alive. The natural flow and clarity of the music make the listening experience a real pleasure, even for those who are not particularly into instrumental albums. Moreover, each of the ten sections of the suite seems to have a sort of personality of its own that allows it to stand alone.

Opener Spirits immediately sets the tone, with a recurring main theme weaving in and out of the composition, and seamless interaction between the plentiful instruments. Some of the keyboard passages can bring to mind the trademark Canterbury sound, while the lilting sound of the glockenspiel provides an evocative, magical note. More Canterbury references crop up in Reincarnation, which also features some Spanish-flavoured, acoustic guitar licks, and Fountain, with its brisk, march-like drum pattern. The first half of the suite closes with the stunningly beautiful Woods, a stately piece richly woven with strands of violin, guitar and keyboards, as well as liberal sprinklings of sweetly chiming glockenspiel.

The keyboard-led Pilgrimage opens Part 2, followed by the beautiful Paradise - featuring some ethereal chanting, as well as the deep, mournful sound of the cello and the more uplifting ones of the recorder and the harpsichord. On the other hand, in Storm Asturias come very close to prog-metal territory (not surprisingly, given the title), opening with driving keyboards and guitar, then alternating gentler passages with more energetic ones. The album culminates with the majestic Soul Trees - a genuinely symphonic piece that gives equal space to every instrument, and a real delight for the dedicated prog fan - with lyrical, baroque strings, emotional lead guitar, lush keyboards, even the tinkling sound of bells. The gentle strains of Dawn, a long duet between piano and a beautifully clean-sounding guitar then bring the album to a perfect close.

"In Search of the Soul Trees" is sure to appeal to fans of well-crafted, skilfully played instrumental music with plenty of melody and atmosphere. Another excellent offering from the contemporary Japanese prog scene, and a solid 4-star rating.